Catching Up With Tom Holley of Crazy Jane’s

The owner of the full-service interior design firm and retail showroom reflects on his nearly 30 years in Charlotte

For almost three decades, Tom Holley has brought sophisticated luxury to discerning clients in Charlotte and across the U.S. He opened Crazy Jane’s in Dilworth in 1996; since 2002, he’s operated the interior design and retail showroom in South End’s Design District. Holley has a varied design and retail background, having served as a director and buyer for luxury boutiques in New York City, Beverly Hills, and San Francisco. In addition to his design services, Holley sells custom bedding, lighting, floor coverings, window treatments, and original artwork, as well as his own line of custom-upholstered furniture. 

Age: 66

Hometown: Morganton

Years living in Charlotte: 30 

Currently reading: Italian conversation books. I’ve gone to Capri every summer for the last 22 years.  

Currently watching: The Gilded Age, And Just Like That, British crime dramas, and the Tennis Channel.  

Where does your love of interior design come from?  I’ve always had it. As a child, I used to change the living room around every couple of months.

How did you land in Charlotte? I have an undergraduate degree in French from UNCC. I worked at Ivey’s through college, then went to NYU for grad school. I came back to Charlotte in 1995 because my mother was diagnosed with cancer and died in ’96. It was my dream to open my own store, which I did at 37. My mother would have loved it, and my father was super supportive.  

Describe Crazy Jane’s style for someone unfamiliar. Clients note the tactile nature of everything, the layering, the collectedness, the color. I show modern organic mixed with comfortable modern sophistication and glamour—not cold or too contemporary. I love a California vibe. We have a lot of merchandise set up in vignettes so clients can see what their home could possibly become. 

What’s the biggest misconception about being an interior designer? That it’s all fun and games. It’s a physically and mentally challenging profession that I wouldn’t change for anything. 

What’s one design myth you want to debunk? That painting or wallpapering ceilings will make the room smaller.

What design trend are you loving right now? Color!  

What design trend do you never want to see again? Traditional!

What’s your favorite interior designer or brand to follow on social media? Justina Blakeney and Martyn Lawrence Bullard.

THIS OR THAT

Traditional or modern?
Modern, obviously.

Textures or patterns?
Patterns mixed with soft, plush solids.

Neutrals or bold colors?
Color.

Mixing metals: Yes or no?
Yes, with intent.

Wallpaper or paint?
Both, always. Especially love a wallpapered ceiling.

Mountain house or beach cottage?
Beach house, but I do both.