Oasis Showroom/APR Supply

Design inspiration can be a curiously random thing. Just ask Jessica Bolles, who found hers as a child during weekend and holiday camping trips while trying to figure out how to fit all of her family’s essentials into a compact home on wheels. Smitten with the vintage allure of Airstream trailers, she began taking interior design courses in high school and then earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design from the Art Institute. Fast forward a few years — after an early stint as a designer at a retail home store where she topped $1 million in sales during her first year — and today you’ll find Jessica happily creating custom living spaces as a kitchen and bath designer at Oasis Showrooms by APR Supply’s West York, Pa., location.

“Blending modern day elements with historical design features is the biggest challenge, but the most satisfying reward. Designing in historical homes has to be intentional and I truly believe this is why I love it so much.”

Jessica’s love of all things vintage runs deep. She regularly shops antique stores, eagerly explores small towns in search of novel architecture and will gladly inundate you with historical facts about York, her own hometown. She advanced her nascent career by immersing herself in the restoration of historical homes, and her designs have been recognized by local magazines, including an award for best bathroom design in 2019 by Lancaster County Magazine. Older homes are her sweet spot. “Blending modern-day elements with historical design features is the biggest challenge, but the most satisfying reward,” Jessica says. “Designing in historical homes has to be intentional and I truly believe this is why I love it so much.” Her most memorable remodel was the flip of a “dilapidated Victorian” — on the verge of being condemned — into a five-bedroom, four-bathroom family home combining modern amenities and historic charm.

Her personal favorite design era is mid-century modern. “I have an ever-growing collection of Fifties Sixties furniture and antiques,” she admits, noting her childhood was filled with artistic creativity and outdoor exploration, and this continues to inspire the natural elements in her designs. Jessica also says the pandemic reintroduced her to her love of gardening, especially finding fun plants with unique shapes to complement her home’s exterior. Jessica’s future plans? Travel is definitely on the horizon. “There is something so magical,” she says, “about celebrating a culture so different than our day-to-day.”