For those of you who may be new here, my husband and I recently embarked on our very first renovation project, which we’ve lovingly named The Grace Project. Nestled in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, this little house marks an exciting new chapter for us. My husband works in wealth management, and I wear a few creative hats as a real estate agent and interior decorator. Combining our backgrounds to pursue this venture together has been incredibly rewarding, and we can’t wait to share the journey with you.
For a little backstory, I didn’t realize how much I loved interior design until I was in my mid-twenties. Looking back, though, the signs were always there.
I attended the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, where I studied fashion design and learned the creative process from concept to completion. From graphic design and mood boards to storytelling, pattern making, sewing, and fabric selection, I became fascinated by the details that bring an idea to life. Little did I know at the time that so many of these same principles translate beautifully into interior design.
While I was in school, I worked at the Ralph Lauren flagship store on Rodeo Drive. I would often find myself wandering upstairs to the home collection, completely captivated by the storytelling unfolding within each room. Every space evoked a different feeling, creating an experience that made you want to bring a piece of it home with you. That was probably the first time I began to understand the power of thoughtful, intentional design.
Fast forward a few years. After meeting and marrying my incredible husband, I found myself trying different jobs in graphic design and retail. While they paid the bills—and I was grateful for that—they never quite ignited the spark I was looking for.
Then, while my husband and I were searching for our first home, our real estate agent looked at me one day and said, “You’re really good at this. You know exactly what you’re looking for—you should consider a career in real estate.”
Little did I know that one sentence would completely change the trajectory of my life (but that’s a story for another day).
I took his advice, studied for my real estate license, and never looked back. Three years later, with more than $12 million in real estate sales, our first flip project underway, and a new business called Styled & Spritzed taking shape, I finally felt that spark again – walking in my purpose, on purpose for His purpose.
Which brings me to the question: Why The Grace Project?
From the time I was twelve years old, my family moved nine times. Whenever I tell people that, they usually look at me like we’re a little crazy (honestly, debatable…ha!). For people who spend most of their lives in one home, I completely understand why it sounds unusual. But for us, the idea of staying in one house forever just wasn’t the norm—and truthfully, I loved it.
Neither of my parents worked in real estate, but they had a gift for seeing potential. They would buy homes, thoughtfully update them, enjoy them for a few years, and then sell them for a profit. I spent countless weekends growing up touring houses, studying layouts, imagining possibilities, and learning what did—and didn’t—make a home feel special. For some reason, at such a young age it fascinated me. It almost felt like a game.
My parents were, and still are, a dynamic duo when it comes to this process. People often referred to my mom as “the secret weapon” or talked about “the Stacey factor.” Our homes would sell in a matter of days—sometimes even hours—and we credit so much of that success to her.
The way she decorates a home is remarkable. If you know my mom, you know! She has no formal design education, yet she has an incredible ability to tell a story through a space. She instinctively knows how to create rooms that feel layered, welcoming, timeless, and deeply personal.
When I asked her where she learned it from, she never hesitated.
“My mom, Grace.”
Grace—who I lovingly called Grana—was one of the most elegant women I’ve ever known. We often joked that she was Grace Kelly 2.0. She carried herself with such effortless sophistication, and her homes reflected that same sense of beauty and refinement. Every space she touched felt timeless.
It’s a compliment my mom, my aunt, and I still receive today: that our homes feel classic, warm, and timeless. And if we’re being honest, we have Grana (Grace) to thank for that.
Grana was the reason I fell in love with design. Whether I realized it at the time or not, I was always creating with her in mind—striving for spaces that felt elegant, thoughtful, and timeless, just like she was.
Even more beautiful than her homes or her sense of design was Grana’s heart for the Lord. She and my grandfather, Richard—better known to us as Poppie—spent much of their lives traveling and serving others. In fact, my grandfather is still doing that to this day.
They taught me the importance of relying on the Lord in every season and living with a heart of generosity. They were blessed financially throughout their lives, but their greatest joy was never found in the accumulation of things. Instead, they found joy in giving. When they saw a need, they stepped in. They truly embodied what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Their generosity reached far beyond their own community. Through years of service and support, they helped fund the founding of the African Nazarene University in Nairobi, Kenya. Because of their dedication to the school and its students, the university named its library in honor of my grandmother: The Grace Roles Library.
Over the past few years, I have felt the Lord gently stirring in my heart that Brandon and I are called to continue that legacy in some capacity and partner with African Nazarene University. When we began dreaming about this renovation, The Grace Project felt like the perfect opportunity to do just that.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this home—and, Lord willing, future projects as well—will go toward funding scholarships for students in Kenya, helping provide access to education while supporting an institution that points students toward Christ.
I share this not to boast about good works, because our works are nothing apart from Him, but rather to testify to God’s faithfulness. Brandon and I have experienced seasons where giving felt difficult, when we questioned whether we could afford to tithe or be generous. Yet time and time again, we have found that you simply cannot out-give God. Every time we have chosen obedience, He has shown up in ways we never expected, faithfully providing for our needs and reminding us that everything we have belongs to Him in the first place.
My prayer is that The Grace Project becomes more than a renovation. I hope it serves as a reflection of my grandmother’s legacy—one marked by elegance, generosity, and unwavering faith—and that it points, in some small way, toward the beauty of living with open hands in service to His Kingdom. Let’s all look at life through a lens of grace.
Xx,
Brooke Mills
Here’s a few photos of The African Nazarene University & The Grace Roles Library
