About

I was once asked, “how do you feel when you walk into a room? What do you notice?”

I replied, “I just know visually and emotionally if it is exactly right, if the room has realized its full potential. I’m always finding ways in my mind to make a room better.”

exactly.

I’ve had the design bug in my blood for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a creative family, my surroundings had a visual focus. How things looked mattered most. Color, form, clean lines, the accidental beauty of patina. These were words that were part of my early childhood vocabulary and exposure.

I lived in what others called a museum. Sculpture, statue, portraits, pottery, rag rugs, weathervanes were part of my living room. Checkered black and white kitchen floor. Bullseye detail above the doorways. A parquet floor in the living a room. A period wrought iron fence in the front yard. Many children wouldn’t notice such details. I did. I was taught to notice. I grew up looking at, living with and hearing about Americana. I was pulled out of school to go with my parents to antique shows. These weren’t amateur shows. These were the big curated shows in NYC where celebrities bought and sold thousands of dollars in antiques. Every road trip we went on involved ‘quick stops’ at antique stores or dealers’ houses.  My mother worked with the Amish to create reproductions of antique Amish quilts. My parents brought a 1930s soda shop back to its original state.

My dad was the curator at a museum in Williamsburg, VA. My stepmom worked in museums. My grandmother painted. My father painted. My mom and stepdad have worked to renovate a Midwestern town (to its original state). They also started several guilds: pottery, wood-working, jewelry and photography. My dad and stepmom live in a historic home on a square in Savannah, Georgia.

The six homes I grew up in as a child were completely overhauled. The bones were there. The vision was there.  The end product made a mark, whether in a magazine or noticed by the town as ‘something special’. My family draws attention for doing things well in the design world.

Those are the influences that come to mind in the first five minutes of sitting down to write.

And the story continues. With me. Another generation of design. Whether inside or outside, I take the world in through my eyes. While living in Sweden, I honed in on my personal style- clean lines, simple form. They get design. I noticed it. A lot. While living in Australia, I discovered the biggest, coolest, sculpture – Ayres Rock (Uluru). Nature at it’s best. Big, bold, beautiful. I notice details – both natural and created. I notice design in clothing, buildings, nature, people. I’m drawn to texture and color. I stray from beige walls. I’m drawn to mid-century modern in tandem with contemporary design. Every space that I create incorporates elements of both.

Design finds it’s way to my soul every single day.

With a certificate in interior design, BA in psychology, MS in education and years of management, I am able to communicate effectively with my clients to design a space that is personal and exciting. For me, the process and experience is as important as the destination or end product. I find value in connecting and collaborating with people, helping them to appreciate and understand good design. I realize that what comes naturally for me doesn’t necessarily come naturally for my clients. I enjoy educating and sharing my passions with them! I love, love, love my job.

exactly.