Little Green House Interiors Part Two: The Birth Of The Business

After that defining moment, I had clarity about what I wanted to do—but not how to make it happen. I still had to finish my marketing degree (which I did that winter), figure out whether I needed certification, and land some sort of design job.

I enrolled in a master’s program to gain credentials, but most entry-level jobs paid far too little, and I couldn’t afford to take a massive pay cut with a mortgage and marriage already on my plate. I was impatient. I wanted to design. I didn’t want to wait.

So I started a small business. Nothing major—just paint color consultations and tiny projects to get my feet wet. But I needed a name. And that part tortured me. I refused to use “Hilary Hays Greenhalgh Interiors.” Too long, too basic. Names mattered to me. They needed meaning. I searched everywhere—movies, books, words I liked—but nothing fit.

One night, venting to James, I said, “I should just call myself Little Green House since I work out of our little green house, and be done with it.” He liked it. I thought it worked. And just like that, Little Green House Interiors was born.

I put myself on Thumbtack under that name. The plan was simple: work small jobs while I finished school, then use the degree and experience to get a real design job. But that’s not what happened.

The jobs got bigger. Within three years, I was working on entire home renovations.

All those small choices, all that searching, brought me here—to something bigger than I ever imagined. Today, I have over 5,000 Instagram followers, partnerships with major brands, a full portfolio, and multiple full-home projects under my belt.

And now, it’s time. Time to leave Little Green House behind and step into something even bigger and better.