Intentional Design
For several years I’ve been writing about design tips and styling ideas for Southern Oregon Magazine. For well over two decades now I’ve been honored to design spaces in hundreds of homes in the Rogue Valley and throughout the West Coast. I have designed too many rooms to keep track of! It’s always a new learning experience each time I design a space and I have honed my skills to always look at a project from a unique, one-of-a-kind perspective. But what I’m trying to say is: I really love my profession! If you have ever wondered what it is I do, read on and I will share with you some aspects on how I like to design spaces. But first…
Believe me when I tell you being an interior designer involves a dynamic mix of creative, technical, and business aspects. It is very challenging! I wear many hats when I work on a client project. My background in business and fine art has helped me build a strong portfolio and has allowed me to do some very cool projects over the years. I always strive to be true to myself with designing spaces and make it a personal priority of mine. It ensures the space I’m designing is not only visually pleasing, but also practical, purposeful and unique. My design choices are carefully curated based on my relationship with the client. I choose every element in the space with pure intention, contributing to the overall narrative of the design. In essence, it’s all about creating spaces that I feel are deeply personal and meaningful.
Here are some of my personal concepts and tools I use to ensure I am creating the best possible design for a client:
First and foremost, effective communication is key! I work very hard to articulate my design ideas clearly to clients, contractors, and other stakeholders. Good communication, in my opinion, fosters successful collaboration to complete a project in a timely and beautiful manner. I have learned through trial and error the importance of transparency and giving a client the full picture of anticipated costs on a project on the front side. No surprises!
Client understanding comes from good communication. Depending on the scope of the project, I provide design plans which are visual representations of the proposed project. I present these ideas in my design studio alongside the client. This is essential for clients to understand how the final space will look, helping them make informed decisions. I never make “mood boards”! I prefer the client sees the actual wood finishes, fabrics, tile, pint or plaster samples. I also love to hand draw a space. I have a dear client who is a painter, and he, his wife and I have shared fun times with me sitting on a bucket of paint in a room with my sketch pad staring at the walls! It’s that moment, that quiet time, that the space can really speak to me and tell me what it wants to be. It’s not from scrolling on Insta!
Anticipation of challenges is always on my radar. I work very hard throughout a client project to anticipate potential pitfalls and avoid mistakes by addressing them in the design phase rather than encountering issues during construction or implementation. That said, there’s always going to be unforeseen challenges. Just lighting alone is a big analysis: Always analyze the drop height on light fixtures, and, if ceilings are oblique, a toggle needs to be added as a custom fitting to a light fixture. I typically hand draw all lighting to scale to analyze ceilings and drop heights. It’s also important with bath wall sconces to study tile placement/design regarding the sconce placement and style. Oh, and did I mention also studying the size of a room and calculating lumens per square foot? Yes, this is JUST lighting!
I listen weekly to design podcasts and read a ton of trade articles to learn from other well-known designers to gain more knowledge and business acumen. It really helps me understand design trends and business principles to improve my own business model and stay on trend. I believe it’s so important to stay curious and committed to continuous learning. I also LOVE my design books, and on a cold, grey day, there’s nothing better than starting a fire, selecting a book from my library and re-discovering it all over again.
When I am choosing materials and products such as lighting, hardware, tile, and fabrics I spend an inordinate amount of time with the design concept I have created so it meets the functional and aesthetic needs of the space. I layout furniture the old fashion way when it comes to space planning. Once I know the dimensions of the spaces I’m tasked with, I use a scaled magnetic board to place the furniture pieces I envision in the room. My clients love seeing their house laid out this way. It’s not digital. It’s very interactive with the client. I’m not tech savvy and I love how easily I can manipulate the room with the client being present. I believe in sticking with the basics and somehow it proves to be faster and easier to understand than a flat screen.
These are just some of the main principles I adhere to when designing a home for a client. Believe me when I tell you there is so much more to my profession than this space allows! As you can only imagine, it’s not easy to engage someone whom you have never met before and create their dream home. It requires an intuitive skill to honor my client’s values and individual style once I know what they are all about. It is an emotional connection that is hard to describe. As an interior designer, small business owner and being true to myself, it takes a tremendous amount of responsibility and professionalism when creating a space that imbues my client’s personality and lifestyle. In the end I hope the rooms I create are a true reflection of my authentic style, meet my client’s needs and are well-lived in…
Cheers,
Krissy
