Philosophy
I was raised in a family of do-it-your-self-ers, with a mother who should have been an artist, and a father who should have been an engineer, so I grew up seeing them transform wasted or unattractive spaces into places that looked good and made life easier.
That’s what I do now. I help my clients find the potential in their homes and offices, and make the spaces work for them.
When it comes to your home or workspace, “pretty” isn’t enough. It has to function well. It needs to be easy to keep clean and organized. Interior Design isn’t just about making a space look good. Yes, that’s part of it, but the biggest part is making sure the space will accommodate the activities that will be happening in it, and will be safe, comfortable, and easy to use.
I help my clients identify what isn’t working for them, and together, we find solutions. Often, it’s a simple matter of thinking about “why” certain tasks are done a certain way, then looking to see if there’s a better way. A simple example I’ve seen often is the coffee maker beside the stove. Many people keep their coffee machine there…not because it needs to be there, but because the coffee pot was always kept on the stove when they were growing up. Even though it would make more sense to keep it near the sink (easier to fill) or by the fridge (convenient to the creamer) it doesn’t occur to them to change the placement…”because we’ve always done it that way.” So when I help a client re-design their kitchen, we think through all those daily routines to find the best way to accommodate them.
I focus on efficient function first, then make it aesthetically pleasing. A well-designed room is easy to maintain and keep looking good.
How am I a little different than some other designers? Well, I spent 30 years as a wife and working mother BEFORE I went back to college. During that time, I also designed and built two new houses with my husband, renovated two old houses for our family, and helped many friends renovate their homes. So, I know what height the steps should be, and how hard it is to get dried egg yolk off a cabinet door. I’ve thought about which way a door should swing to be safe and convenient, and how easy a fabric will be to clean, and how often it will need to be cleaned. I also know how painful it is to step on a piece of Lego in the dark, because the light switch is at the wrong end of the hallway, and I’ve done all the wiring for a couple of basement development projects.
When I took the Interior Design Technology Program at Lakeland College, my instructors were younger than me, and my classmates were younger than my children. So, I was blessed with the combination of years of hands-on experience, and the new and innovative ideas that my classmates helped me explore.
