How long have you been working in the Industry?
I’ve been working in the hospitality industry for almost 13 years. The first 10 of those being on the interior design side, and the last 3 working with Durkan in carpet design.
What territory do you currently cover?
Chicagoland
What is your earliest memory that motivated you to pursue a design career?
Growing up my dad had his own business in home remodeling. My entire childhood consisted of watching him transform each room in our home. That initially sparked my interest. He always allowed me to be a part of the process, even if that just meant repainting his wooden ladder over and over again. When I was in college trying to decide which career I wanted pursue, he made a comment that has always stuck with me. He told me to find where my passions and my talents meet and make that my career. That cross-section ended up being design.
What's been your design process when you develop this Infuse collection for Durkan?
It began with looking through images online and photos I’ve taken over the years and creating mood boards to see what sparked inspiration. In the end, I was torn between 1920s fashion and the city I live in. Chicago has a lot of art deco architecture and inspiration throughout, so combining the two to reflect Chicago then (1920s) and now was the best of both worlds.
When you are short on inspiration how do you reenergize; where do you go for inspiration?
I tend to lean on books and photography. I’ve been collecting graphic books for as long as I can remember, ranging from crafts and fashion design to automotive and industrial design. I’ve learned you can find pattern inspiration in the most unexpected places; Whether that be in a book or walking through my neighborhood and taking photos of imprints on the sidewalk.