I'm an 室内设计师 or you can call me a decorator, that's fine too! My first career was in fashion/retail as a buyer—I started at Gap Inc. in San Francisco right after college in an Executive Training program. I worked there for five years, then moved to New York City to do the same job at J.机组人员. 我在那里工作了七年, working in Women's Merch和ising 和 eventually running the Women's Division 和 Wedding Division. I left as I was having my first child 和 decided to do a two year program at Parsons in interior design.

 

不知怎么，我得到了我的第一个客户, 然后开始工作, but it was part-time at first 和 kind of a slow burn. We moved to Pittsburgh almost four years ago 和 I've been working solo here since then. There is a lot of crossover between fashion 和 interior design so the career change isn't totally unorthodox, 很多相同的技巧也适用.

 

I would say our house here in Pittsburgh, which we renovated for over two years. It was a massive undertaking 和 my first big renovation. Not to mention, the first time I lived in an actual house as opposed to an apartment! 所以我只知道我一开始知道的, 但我也学到了很多, 和, having total creative freedom on a project is wonderful. 这是我第一次 在全国性杂志上发表文章 哪个也令人兴奋.

 

Being creative 和 figuring out all the pieces of the puzzle because that's all interior design really is. Every room is just a puzzle that you're trying to put together 和 figure out. Looking at beautiful fabrics 和 colors together, imagining 和 visualizing how spaces will transform, 和 ultimately seeing it all come together in the end. I love styling spaces for photoshoots 和 making them look good! I absolutely adore color 和 could probably talk about it all day. I find great joy shopping 和 finding things 和 sourcing, which is a huge part of this job. 最终, it's rewarding to create spaces 和 houses for clients who really appreciate what you do—a client telling me how happy their house or space makes them feel is fantastic.

 

The biggest lesson is that environments matter. 你在一个空间里的感觉很重要吗, 和 design has the power to make you feel a certain way which is incredible. I think we've all learned this lesson tenfold as we've been stuck in our houses all year—your house needs to function well 和 it should make you happy. It should be comfortable 和 cocooning 和 feel like a refuge from the world. Your house or your space is a HUGE part of everyday life, so invest in it. 还有什么比这更值得呢?

 

I think we all have the capacity to be changemakers by developing a strong point of view. That can apply to anything 和 everything, whatever it is you do. I like to think I am bringing something unique to the table, at least in interior design. I don't want my work to look like anyone else's, I think that's boring. But there's a lot of noise out there 和 so much information 和 'content' coming at everyone from all sides—it's hard to not feel overwhelmed or be constantly comparing yourself to others. So I just try to stay very true to my own instincts, talents, 和 taste 和 go from there. I think everyone's power to drive change starts there.

 

I loved my time at Ellis, I learned to work hard there 和 I believe that paid off. I learned that I could try things 和 take risks 和 all of it was okay. I’ve never really felt scared to take any chances. 最重要的是, I learned what it means to have incredible lifelong female friendships 和 relationships. I cannot imagine my life without my Ellis crew, I just can't. This is the stuff that really matters in life 和 I am unbelievably fortunate to have the kinds of close friendships I do. I believe Ellis brought us together 和 I just don't think I would have formed these relationships at any other place.