I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Brigham Young University, and a Minor in Business Management. I am currently an Allied Member of ASID. I also have over 19 years of experience working in the interior design industry.

I work primarily with residential spaces, but do have some experience with commercial properties as well.  I also have experience designing model homes, as well as condos or individual homes that will be used for vacation rentals.

I can easily adapt to most any style, but I love to work with color and texture in livable spaces.  In Hawaii, I tend to get a lot of requests for coastal, beachy, tropical, plantation and modern styles.  Although these styles are prevalent here, I also love spanish-mediterranean, traditional, and mid-century modern looks as well!  My personal design aesthetic tends to be fairly uncluttered, with highlights of impactful and color-saturated elements.

I have had a wide range of experience, which allows me to contribute specific knowledge and insight. Listening closely to the client’s needs is a top priority for me and I put a lot of thought into the selections I present. Working with color, pattern, and texture is fun for me and I like to help my clients become braver with their choices! I have a natural eye for scale and balance and can help clients avoid costly mistakes. And finally, it’s important to me that all of the elements of the project connect as a whole, so that there is a cohesive feel to the space.

Yes, I almost always require a signed contract. The agreement helps to clearly define my role and responsibilities for the project, and gives both parties some security knowing that there will be no surprises.

I typically require a retainer fee up front, to begin the project.  The retainer fee is usually about 20-25% of the total estimated design fee.  I work on an hourly fee structure, and charge different rates for my various types of work.  Since most of my clients usually like to know the costs up front, I can provide an estimate for what the total design fee might be, and will not exceed.  My clients are billed monthly for my design hours.  If you’d like to know more about my fees, please email or call me with your questions.

As an interior designer, I have an extensive group of trade-only companies that I work with, which allows me to be more creative and provide my clients with unique pieces that they might not find in the retail world.  Because I can order direct, I can offer competitive pricing for these goods as well.  I have also worked with clients who wanted to purchase items from retailers such as West Elm, Crate & Barrel, and Williams Sonoma.  When purchasing from retail sources, either I or my clients can purchase the goods, and I do not add a mark-up on the pricing, but will only charge for my time.

Yes!  Please read my testimonials under the section “Endorsements” on my website.  If you need references or would like to speak to a previous client, please let me know and I’d be happy to give you some information!

Since I currently reside on Kauai, I will answer this based on local projects.  For a typical smaller-scale residential remodel project, I usually require a minimum of 3 – 4 months for the project to be completed.  This is contingent upon having a very detailed and solid plan, and making sure that all of the goods are ordered and here on island prior to the start of construction work.  On larger homes, the time frame will usually be longer, and can take up to 6-12 months, depending on the extent of work, as well as other factors such as permitting requirements etc.  For interior furnishings and decor only, I like to allow about 8-12 weeks to get things here, after the selections have been made.  Most furniture manufacturers take anywhere from 6 – 12 weeks for production, and then we allow another 2+ weeks for transit to Kauai.  Even retail stores such as West Elm and Crate & Barrel will have these lead times for “made to order” goods.  If you are on a very tight schedule, then we can look into “in stock” and “pre-made” items, but still need to allow about 3-4 weeks to receive the items and then deliver/ install.  I have worked on some projects where it was necessary to shop locally (Kauai and Oahu) to find pieces that were in Hawaii and ready to be installed.   Even though this is an option, you will still be very limited to what is available, and won’t have much flexibility on pricing or style.  I really like to plan ahead, so that I can give my clients exactly what they want, and not have to compromise.

Because communication throughout the design process is so vital, I rely heavily on written communication (emails, texts), so that decisions are kept on record.  I am also available for in-person meetings and phone calls as needed.  Project site-walks during a remodel can be helpful for the clients as well, but I try not to overwhelm them with too many day-to-day details.  Each client is different and I will adjust my communication style to work for them.  Some people like to be heavily involved in each step of the process, but most of my clients reach a level of trust and comfort with me, and end up backing off the project and letting me handle the details for them.