About

About Us

Hello, friends! I’m Calise Barraque-Belote, owner of Mint Julep décor, furniture, and design boutique in Rockwall, Texas. I grew up in this beautiful lakeside town, and has it ever grown and changed since I was a child here! But one thing hasn’t changed, and that’s my love for my community and its residents. Now, my husband and I both have businesses in Rockwall, just built a new home here, and are anticipating great days ahead as our friends and neighbors have also become our clients and customers!

My great delight as the Mint Julep owner is making my customers feel as though they are guests in my home when they visit. I love to share my passion for décor and design, and it's so much fun sourcing high quality items for my customers that they can’t find anywhere else locally.

Believe it or not, I’m actually a reformed commercial banker! I started working for a mortgage company answering phones in college, moved up to loan operations, and ended up as a commercial portfolio manager for 15 years.

But (and how many career transitions begin with that little word?) for as long as I can remember, I loved to imagine and create! Painting, mosaics, oil pastels, and eventually refinishing furniture!

When I discovered refinishing furniture about a decade ago, I fell hard! I couldn’t get enough of furniture transformations! Friends started asking if I would take on their projects. It was a great stress reliever from the high-octane world of finance. Every weekday, after 14-hour days of number crunching, I would paint until midnight--and all weekend, too! Something had to give, for my family’s sake and for my sanity, and I decided it was the banking.

In spring 2017 I retired from my finance career (YIKES! Big leap here!) and that summer I opened Mint Julep! I originally started Mint Julep to sell my painted furniture pieces, but Mint Julep has quickly evolved into an amazing, ever-changing shopping venue! Now I also offer unique home décor items, furniture, lighting, seasonal offerings, and a wide range of gifts.

I curate my collections personally and organize the shop by themes. Each space has a different theme and style--you just have to see it for yourself! Come on over Monday from 10-4, Tuesday through Friday between 10-6, and Saturday between 10-5. We cannot wait for you to see my collections or shop our products here on our online store! (We have special evening events and sales, so get connected by email so you don’t miss out.)

But wait, there’s more! Because your home is the backdrop for your life, Mint Julep offers design services, too! Our motto is “Better Living Begins at Home”, and I love, love helping others decorate their homes to reflect their aesthetic style AND their lifestyle. Hope to see you soon in the Mint Julep! Ask for me, because I’d love to meet you and show you around.

Fun Facts

Fun Facts: My favorite color is--surprise--MINT green. I wanted a southern name for my shop, and my sister came up with the name Mint Julep. Using the same name of the signature drink for the Kentucky Derby how can you go wrong?!

I love: traveling, cooking, beauty and style, music, and candles (oh, candles!) And I’m obsessed with symmetry in design.

Favorite design style: I love so many it's hard to choose! I'd say my top 3 favorites are Modern Transistional, Rustic Modern Glam, and Country French! What are yours?