How do you think being born and raised in Tahoe inspires your design aesthetic?
AT: Tahoe in itself is so naturally beautiful and growing up here has really given me an appreciation for that. Tahoe inspires a natural and simple aesthetic that incorporates materials you see everywhere around you in nature.
You perform a large amount of assisting on ID.3 projects, where do you go for inspiration?
I am lucky enough to work under three VERY talented women…all of whom have their own amazing design aesthetic. So I guess you could say I absorb a lot of my inspo by osmosis. Outside of work I’m constantly looking at social media
and keeping a specific design or client in mind.
Is there an aspect of interior design that often goes unnoticed that you believe deserves more credit?
At a full service design firm the designer is working with EVERYONE involved in the project. From the architect to the builder to the client, the designer
lives at the epicenter – all questions, changes, approvals etc. need to be run by the designer. There is so much more to design than the ‘pretty’ part and designers don’t always get the credit they deserve around the entire process.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone considering hiring an interior designer?
Find someone with experience. You can’t beat that. After experience, you need trust. Designing someone’s home is a very personal feat. You have to be able to trust the person you hired to create the space and environment you desire. Key word here being “create” – it is a creative process that does not always go as planned, it’s organic. Through experience, a designer can guide you through that process.
What brought you to ID.3?
For me, it was a seed planted many moons ago. Design, art and weirdly enough construction were all parts of my childhood and really sparked an interest in me as a kid and young adult. I was lucky enough to spend a lot of my childhood with Shannon who started ID.3 around the same time I graduated high school. She helped me design a loft space for my senior project…hence the seed. Life has a funny way of coming full circle when you least expect it to.
What are you looking forward to learning?
Literally everything! No one likes being the new “guy” at work. In my case, I consider myself beyond lucky. Not only do I get to learn from an extremely talented group of women, but I get to learn the nuances of the business from the ground up.
What strengths have you brought to the firm?
I have this OCD side to me – everything has a place and everything should be in its place. I didn’t really get to utilize it properly anywhere else. Starting from the bottom, I do A LOT of ordering, expediting and handling of money, all of which require extreme organization. I’d like to think my OCD adds to the already, very organized systems in place. Obsessive organization is definitely key in this industry.
What is the benefit of working alongside Gen X women?
This might be an obvious answer, but they have in many ways seen and done it all at this point in their careers. This unprecedented climate has brought a lot of challenges to our industry. After 20 years in the business, Gen X women have seen it all in one way or another. Not only do they have design knowledge to drop, but their skills in navigating the ups and down are priceless, you only gain that level of expertise with experience. That has been beyond helpful these last few years.
What are a few key elements that must a Tahoe home have?
Functionality throughout the seasons. We see it all in Tahoe – rain, snow, wind, fire. Your home needs to not only withstand these elements but you need to be able to function normally in the midst of the seasons and elements. I also think anyone who lives in Tahoe, lives here for a reason — Tahoe is a feeling. It's important that your home embodies that feeling which is often different for everyone.
What are the most important personality traits to have designing a home and working with both clients and tradespeople?
This one is tough. I mentioned before that designers don’t get enough credit beyond the ‘pretty’ part. Interior design is a super intimate journey that you are experiencing alongside your clients. You spend a lot of time outside yourself giving these people what it is they are looking for whilst trying to stay true to your design and intention at the same time. Patience, empathy and creative energy are musts. Patience all the way around is super important, building a home is not a speedy process. There are unforeseen things that WILL happen that create delays beyond anyone’s control in every aspect…construction and materials, furniture and textiles. It’s important to be patient and pivot when needed.
What are your colleagues' interior design super powers?
I am really impressed with their ability to “see” a space even before it’s constructed. It's easy for me to create a mood for a particular room, but these women can somehow feel the flow of the entire home at a very early stage in the process…it really takes a special eye and a lot of talent. They are able to stay true to their design aesthetic and intention throughout each project, it’s a very thoughtful process.