A Quick Q & A

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Usually, my days start by getting up with the kids and having my coffee. After that, each day is different. I’m either at my desk drafting a layout or hopping from job to job to make sure everything is running smoothly. It’s a fun challenge to think on my feet and stay efficient, so I can do what I love and still make time for my family. 

I would probably end up in real estate. I have my real estate license, and I can’t imagine doing anything that didn’t involve houses in some way.

By understanding that this is design, not life and death. My goal is to make the experience fun and easy, a journey my clients can enjoy. 

My creative brain is always on. When I learn about a job, I can’t help but start planning it in my head. Or in life when I walk into a restaurant and immediately wonder whether or not the tables are in the right place. I’m always thinking about how to make something better or how I would do it differently. 

I’m very practical in my approach. I start with space planning and determining the function of a space. Once that’s in place, I create an online image board with products and room ideas which are eventually narrowed down, formalized, and implemented. All-in-all it’s a very collaborative, organic process.

As a child, I remember looking at floor plans in Southern Living magazine, like the actual drawing of a home’s layout — which I know might seem a little strange, but I loved it. 

Choose your pieces wisely. Concentrate your budget on the things that will get the most use, like dining chairs, and are more visually central to the room, like a bold light. These pieces are what will bring everything else up to par, and you’ll get the most bang for your buck.

There’s a lot of little things. What’s the right distance for the hanging pendant over the countertop? How far does the drawer pulls stick out? Where are the outlets located in a room? —That’s a huge one. I’m there for the details that might get overlooked. 

One conversation piece, for sure. I’m big on always having something in a space that has a story. And I love a great piece of art. I think if you have those two things, it’s an interesting space.

Definitely. The reason I minored in architecture was because I wanted to understand the ins and outs of a house. When I design, I’m constantly thinking about the mechanics of how my ideas are going to come to fruition.

Start with the space you’re in the most, because that’s where you’ll get the most enjoyment. We tend to put ourselves last and I think having a personal space that allows you to get away from the day is important. 

I think every job has at least one challenge, but I never really panic when one arises. I welcome a challenge because it tends to send us in a direction we didn’t think of, and a better design evolves from it.