Home building, interior design unite family

by Laura Scott

SBJ Contributing Writer

sbj@sbj.net

Whether someone wants to build a new house or decorate a home, chances are someone in the Paul family can help them.

Jane Paul is the owner of Interior Fashions, a company that she opened in 1991. Her husband, A.G. Paul, has been in the home-building business for 33 years, and he is active in the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield, for which he is a past board member. The Pauls' children, Kristin, 26, and Brad, 30, build homes on their own. Even Jane Paul built seven homes in the 1980s, prior to opening her business. She said that having multiple businesses in the family has brought them closer together.

"We're all rooting for each other. We are in different subdivisions and in different price ranges so none of us really compete," Paul said. "They're both on their own with their dad as a resource to guide them."

Kristin and Brad build starter homes, Paul said. A.G. builds homes in the $250,000-plus range. A.G. learned from his parents, Chris and Elsie Paul. He built homes in the Lakewood Hills subdivision and she laid out floor plans for the projects.

"My daughter says she's a third-generation builder and that makes her grandmother so happy," Jane Paul said. Chris and Elsie Paul were self-employed builders for 30 years.

"Chris was a bricklayer on big commercial buildings and schools all over the country. In the 1950s he started building shell homes in rural areas and then became home builders in Rolla for five years before moving to Springfield."

As for her choice to open Interior Fashions, Paul said, "I preferred the design. I can help them fine-tune their floor plans and interior design and I give them (someone) to bounce their ideas off of."

She said it's good dinner table conversation. "It makes our family closer. We're together much more because of the businesses."

Kristin is also a registered nurse who works four 10-hour days a week at St. John's as an emergency room nurse.

"The other days of the week she does her bids and floor plans for her projects," Paul said. "Our kids are both artistic, creative and self-motivated. They are risk-takers who take the incentive to do (things) on their own. They learned from us not to be afraid of the risks and to expect unplanned setbacks. We've been through a flooded store and a fire. The kids saw that, so it's not like they won't be prepared for the unknown. They've seen things stolen from construction sites and subs not show up on time. They lived through that and understand that's part of it. It takes tolerance and tenacity and they understand that and that they're the last ones to get paid."

Interior Fashions was built from a small home-based business to its 3,000-square-foot store on South Campbell today. Paul started the business with a partner and another location in Branson. She has since bought out her partner and closed the Branson store, but still does a great deal of work in Branson and Kimberling City. When Paul moved to her Parkcrest Shopping Center location in 1996, she opened All About Blinds.

"The best thing I ever did was grow the store. I had reached a point once where I could either grow or close the doors," she said.

"My secret is that I have excellent employees," said Paul. She employs one part-time and two full-time employees. The construction businesses, on the other hand, hire all subcontractors.