Interview with Jennifer Bright of Twist Design
Jennifer Bright is a local interior designer with whom I have had the pleasure of knowing for over 20 years. Her first business was Confetti, a fun company she established with her business partner, Laurel Walters back in the early 2000’s. They created and designed fun party favors for weddings, birthdays, and other special events. The look was so fresh and unique that they were quickly discovered and published in national home and garden magazines. They are stylish, entrepreneurial women who were creating their destiny, and bringing a new product to market never seen before.
We sat down and had a fun chat for this article:
How did you get started in interior design?
My foray into design has been very organic. After we created Confetti, many National Shelter magazines (Country Living and Home Companion) reached out to us because they often featured entrepreneurial women and knowing that we worked out of my vintage home, they wanted to know what my space looked like! Enter photographers and photo shoots, and styling at my own home. It was so fun; we were then hired to scout other homes and businesses throughout the west coast. We did a feature on Pennington Farms, we did your home Krissy, and then a beach house in LA. We also did the home of Sandra Scott in SF, who designed the Ashland Springs Hotel, and, my two sisters’ homes. Those were the days! Magazines sent amazing photographers and Laurel and I styled the photo shoots. Then, things began to change in the magazine industry after the great recession, so we began to stage homes and do small design projects here in the valley.
We did that for quite a bit of time, and as my husband is a builder, I kept honing my craft in interiors, and was continually working on the never-ending remodel of my 150 year old farmhouse. Eventually, Laurel and I shifted our paths, and she continued to focus on staging, while I focused on interiors. One of my first big projects (and still with Laurel) was designing Lithia Springs in Ashland. Working with owner Becky Neuman, we had a great time collaborating on the design of the initial remodel of the resort. It is fresh, bright and invites guests to relax, take in a spa treatment, or just enjoy the guest rooms and wander the gardens. As I worked on that project, I began to also do more and more private residences and commercial projects here in Southern Oregon.
How do you describe your style?
I love working with clients, really listening to them, to give them what they want. I like creating all styles of interiors, and my personal inspiration comes from designer Tom Scheerer. His style reminds me of being on vacation! Fresh colors, very relaxed, not too saturated, but lively and interesting. Mixing old with new and always a relaxed feel for a room. I love natural materials and the thrill of the hunt when you collect vintage pieces for a space. It just feels so comfortable and inviting.
How do you find your inspiration?
I love nature. I love my design books. I always ask for design books every Christmas! It’s also fun to study clothes, fabrics, fashion, and texture. I love studying how patterns can play together. I also love movies. Masterpiece Theatre had a great series, Indian Summers. I had a client back east who wanted a “women’s smoking room” inspired by that series. It was fun to create a sexy, beautiful, deeply saturated room for her.
Do you have a favorite project?
I love my clients, and I value the collaboration process. My clients have been wonderful and fun to work with. I truly enjoy working together with my clients, and because they are so involved, they understand how the design will unfold. Interior design is a very complicated profession with a lot of moving parts. You must keep them in the loop throughout the process. Keeping things very transparent with the clients is my standard. I also have a very involved intake questionnaire before we even begin a project. And lastly, it’s rewarding for everyone involved to see the project come to life at the end. The anticipation is exhilarating!
What are your recent projects?
I have a few projects in process that I have been working on for the last few years. Two clients, who have both become friends of mine, have projects in which we are going slow and steady, each room designed thoughtfully before we move on to the next. Many of my clients are repeats. We do one room at a time, and once it’s done, it becomes a fun discussion as to which room is next! I also have clients in Chicago, Los Angeles, and one in Vermont. I am also fortunate to work on many projects with my husband and son: Bright & Bright Custom Building, which has been a lot of fun.
What are your favorite spaces to design?
I love designing living rooms, great rooms, bedrooms, but no room is off the table! I have experience working with contractors and trades people to make sure design specifications are met, whether it’s a remodel or a new build. I also think that adding in all the last layers, and really finishing the space, is one of my favorite parts of my profession. On another note, I have done quite a bit of commercial work. I designed the corporate offices for Human Bean as well as various spas, medical and dental offices. Commercial projects are completely different from residential projects in that you are creating the atmosphere for the business in its entirety. It is always a challenge but something I love. Another rewarding aspect of commercial design is when you return, you see that the staff loves the design aesthetic and keeps everything (even the matching pens) just the way you left it!
Wrapping up our conversation, Jennifer and I have always shared some great laughs about this crazy business. Design isn’t about just shopping and picking things out online. It’s about creating connections with your clients, their families, their pets and creating spaces for everyone to enjoy. A great designer knows how to bring forth the personality and character of her clients…and Jennifer Bright of Twist does it with perfection!
Links: www.twistdesignstudio.com Email: twisthomedesign@hotmail.com Insta: @twisthomedesign
