When it Began

The first time someone asked me what inspired me to choose interior design as a career path, I didn’t actually have an answer.

I grew up in a modest home in the Willamette Valley with decorated interiors. Mind you, this included orange shag carpet, harvest gold plumbing fixtures, popcorn ceilings with gold fleck and vintage fabric pleated lampshades.  My mom was not a designer by trade but always kept the interiors of our home so beautiful and inviting with current trends. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I admired the care she took decorating our home.

Photo by Herma Ornes Photogrpahy

When I was 10, my parents gave me an amazing Victorian dollhouse for Christmas, built by my dad. For the next few years my my mom and I spent many hours designing, researching and curating tiny Victorian era furnishings, wall, window and floor coverings, and molding tiny faux food and accessories out of bakers clay.  I loved this little house and the time spent with my mom bringing its interiors to life. We had such a feeling of pride and accomplishment when we finished a room.

My brother Dustin and I pictured with my new dollhouse.

Around the same time we were busy transforming my dollhouse, my parents were building a family room addition onto our real house. I was fascinated with the building process and got a front row seat to the selection of the finishes, fixtures and furnishing for the room. It was amazing to see that space come to life, and so many memories have been made (and are still being made) in that family room.

In my teens, my bedroom became the ideal space for the budding designer in me to experiment. My parents were patient and supportive of all the color changes and wild design ideas (there were many). In this room they let me have free reign with my ideas and never vetoed or squashed a plan (this may be why my bedroom door was always kept closed) HA!

When I look back at my childhood, I realize that while my dollhouse opened my eyes to the world of interior design, the designer in me was cultivated over time by my experiences at home and the support of my parents (thank you mom and dad).

I’m so thankful for these experiences because they led me to a career that I really love today. I enjoy creating interiors for clients that fit the way they live and make them proud of their home. It’s an amazing feeling to be a part of designing a space where many future family memories will be made. I treasure the relationships I have built with my clients over the years that continue even today, long after their projects have finished.