Creating beauty and learning are my greatest passions. To me, beauty is a foundational value that enhances people’s lives with joy, inspiration and self-expression. Curious by nature, I am always expanding my knowledge and experience, especially in design and art.
Because excellent visual communication is essential for working in design, I have gained proficiency in AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Enscape, sketching and hand rendering. While working to finish my MFA, I took every opportunity for hands-on experience. I designed and managed a full kitchen remodel for a client and created a kitchen design and full home furnishing plan for another. I have worked with a local landscape contractor to design and draft plans for their clients. I expanded my knowledge of antique furniture and art by volunteering at the San Francisco Fall Show and visiting legendary antique shops of London’s Pimlico Road, as well as L’Isle sur la Sorgue, and Paul Bert Serpette in France.
One of my favorite things about this field is the opportunity to learn more about iconic furniture designs, periods in architecture, and pioneers in decorating. I love to study my favorite design and architecture sources to gain a deepened understanding of how to blend meaningful historical elements into modern homes.
Creativity and creating visual art has always been an important part of my life. I believe that interior design is a career where I can blend my creative and technical skills, continue to explore great design and architecture, and work collaboratively to create living “art pieces” that are, in essence, portraits of our clients.
The MFA thesis requires students to perform community research, select a building and design a space with a minimum of 30,000 square feet. The project must offer solutions to a social problem and feature sustainable design efforts.
I chose to create a conceptual community that addresses current pressing social and environmental issues. The Mussel Shoals community is a new model for suburban planning that aims to create a friendly, communityfocused, walkable neighborhood that is also as environmentally sustainable as possible.
Interiors are demonstrated through three building types: 1) a single family home, 2) a cafe and 3) a cowork space.
Problem Statement
The Mussel Shoals project addresses the need to redesign suburban living for sustainability and housing shortage solutions, to revive vernacular architecture that gives homes a sense of place and to rethink the way individuals or families live in homes with post pandemic work-from-home practices, multigenerational living and climate change at top of mind.
Habersham is a walkable planned community in coastal South Carolina that has a variety of home types and a commercial main street for small businesses, restaurants, and a post office.
The exterior and interior design is cohesive with traditional regional designs and features high quality craftsmanship, to include solid wood moldings and doors.
The homes look custom due to 110 different architectural plans commissioned by the developer, made available for home buyers to choose from. All homes feature street facing porches or terraces to create additional outdoor living space and facilitate friendly interaction between neighbors.
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^ Selected home floor plan features a partial second story to allow for tall ceilings on the first floor, a semi open concept living/dining/ kitchen, and additional living space in the screened porch.
Three story townhouse in Habersham.
< Living room in one of the single family homes.
< Bistro Ten on Main St.
< Low country cottage architectural style.
Mussel Shoals Site Analysis
v The imagined Mussel Shoals neighborhood shows the community plan for a larger site. It features single family homes, townhomes, apartments, a commercial downtown, and community gardens.
Commercial first story
Single family residences and ADU’s
Community gardens
Apartments
Townhomes
Green planting areas
THE HOUSE & ADU
THE CAFE THE COWORK
#1 #3 #2
^ Sun path at spring equinox.
Floor Plans— Overall Project
Concept Development
The topic of the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory 2023 is“Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation”
Concept--Belonging
The U.S. Surgeon General Advisory 2023 recommends that to heal our state of loneliness, we need to “Cultivate a Culture of Connection” through the informal practices of everyday life. “We cannot be successful in
the other pillars without a culture of connection.”
Mussel Shoals aims to ameliorate this epidemic through community planning and interior design that will foster a sense of social connection and connection with the
environment. Users feel a sense of belonging to the community and to the natural environment within which they live. When people feel a sense of belonging, they are inspired to act as stewards of their community and surrounding ecosystem.
Design concept and design approach
Design Concept
• Inspired by the community’s coastal lagoon.
• Materials mimic colors, textures and patterns of the coastal grasses, sand, water and wood.
• Bringing the outdoors in helps users feel a sense of belonging to the community and the natural surrounding environment.
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Design Approach
• Focus areas will feel light, airy and fresh.
• Reclaimed materials and vintage furnishings help realize sustainability goals.
• A palette of colors that bring the outdoors in.
• Spaces are designed for inclusivity.
• Post-pandemic solutions--flexible use spaces for privacy to do work or school.
• Sense of belonging to place through beautiful custom millwork.
Palette.
Diagrams and Sketches—The House
Adjacency Diagrams
Sketches and Renderings—The House Great Room and Kitchen
^ Kitchen design ideation.
^ House entry design.
Schematic Ideation
^ Early development sketch of front entry and market.
Second floor
^ Early development sketch of coffee bar.
Sketches and Renderings—The Cafe
^ Seating ideation.
^ Materials planning.
Construction Documents—The Cafe
Construction Documents—The Cafe
GENERAL NOTES Dimensions
KEY NOTES
All
Diagrams and Sketches—The CoWork
Schematic Ideation Test Fit
First floor CoWork
First floor CoWork
Sketches and Renderings—The CoWork
NORTH WEST CO-WORK ELEVATION NOT TO SCALE
SOUTH EAST CO-WORK ELEVATION NOT TO SCALE
Striped cushion
Western white pine desks
Oak Dutch pattern parquet floor
Recycled booth upholstery
Linen cushion Grasscloth wall covering
Danby marble counter top
Cement tile backsplash
Renders created in Sketchup and Enscape
< Select finishes.
2 COAST CAFE
A fresh San Francisco cafe rooted in history
Location: San Francisco, CA
Category: Hospitality Design
Completion Date: March 2024
Objective
Design a cafe within an existing building in San Francisco with a focus on materials ASTM standards building codes.
Moodboard Images
Concept Design
The concept is nautical history of San Francisco. The two SF icons that inspire the concept are the historic schooner, C.A.. Thayer, located at the SF Maritime park and the beautiful Presidio National Park.
Imagery and sensations such as fresh air, wind, white caps, crisp canvas sails, wool peacoats, fisherman sweaters, worn leather, foghorn tones, rope, cold water, sea spray, deep blue ocean, bright green of the Chrissy Field, terracotta tiles and white stucco of Pilot’s row houses inspire the palette and interesting mix of materials.
Diners at Coast Cafe have a sense of wonder when they arrive and are greeted by a model ship hanging above. Zones of seating are created to make guests feel cozy in an otherwise large, open restaurant. An upholstered banquette in a classic tweed fabric adds inviting, soft texture.
Natural wood flooring and millwork, terracotta tiles at the bar help guests feel connected to nature. A custom mirror design of sailing flags reflects light from the front windows, enhancing the ambiance with natural sunlight.
Floor Plan and Materials
Sketches
Projecteur Le Corbusier light by Nemo
Louis Poulsen AJ Table Lamp
BluDot White Oak with white metal base
Zellige
Sunbrella herringbone fabric
< The restaurant’s back wall subtely ties into the nautical concept with panels that create sailing flags.
3
OAKLAND HOTEL
Capturing the spirit of Oakland
Location: Oakland, CA
Category: Hospitality Design
Completion Date: December 2022
Objective
Design three floors of an eight story hotel in an existing building in downtown Oakland. Perform site research to include parking access and research nearby hotel competition. Create a unique concept and design around structural elements and existing windows while meeting program requirements. The design program must include a lobby, restaurant and bar, gym and spa, internal courtyard, employee break rooms, ball rooms, conference rooms, and laundry services.
LAKE MERRIT
SAN FRANCISCO BAY ALAMEDA
DOWNTOWN OAKLAND
JACK LONDON SQUARE
^Site is near the Oakland historic district
Site and Building Analysis
Opportunities: Natural light availabe through windows at front of building and surrounding courtyard.
Challenges: Acoustics from the courtyard would make it noisy for rooms surrounding courtyard.
Rooms facing Broadway will have street noise. Exit path from back of building is long.
Analysis
Opportunities: Installing wall insulation with acoustic between guest rooms walls. Making the most light for rooms facing and buildign front.
Challenges: Acoustics be a challenge between rooms with shared walls.
structural walls may natural light in rooms.
privacy concerns for the 2nd and 3rd floors
balconies will be viewable
courtyard floor and the floor will be a high traffic
EXISTING
EXISTING 3RD FLOOR PLAN
Concept Development
Concept: Golden eras of Oakland. An interpretation of Oakland 1960s-1970s era of civil rights activism, brought into the present with a nod to nearby Beaux Arts architecture of Oakland’s Historic District. Inviting, luxurious, gold tones, warm wood, black accents, swanky retro cool, sophisticated downtown.
An interpretation of Oakland 1960s-1970s era, brought into the present, made inviting and luxurious with a nod to the traditional architecture of nearby Beaux Arts buildings. Gold tones, warm wood, black accents, swanky retro cool, sophisticated downtown
MOOD BOARD ONE
> Palette.
^ Courtyard Ideation.
< Alcove seating in lounge area offers privacy for individuals and small groups.
Alcove seating Fireplace
Plaster fluting on structural columns
< Molding design for archway casing and base.
< Front lobby with guest check-in.
Space Planning
Marble square and cabochon tile Lobby
Ochre mohair upholstery Lobby
Marble table top finish Lobby and Cocktail Lounge
Porcelain tile 24x24 Courtyard
Rose Tarlow chair upholstery Cocktail Lounge
FSC douglas fir parquet Lobby
Art that makes a statement about social justice is central to the design concept since. Oakland was the setting for historic civil rights protests and currently draws art activism in the form of graffiti. The surrounding neighborhood hosts an art event called First Thursdays and the hotel plans to receive patrons from its patrons in the hotel cocktail lounge and coffee shop.
Henry Tay- Lauren Pearce
Derrick Adams
Ron Veasley Estuary Press Jeffrey Henson Scales
Renders created in Sketchup and Enscape
< Coffee shop adjacent to front lobby draws local customers as well as hotel guests. It features eye-catching, statement making artwork.
> Front lobby and with custom check in desk. Structural concrete pillars are covered in fluted plaster. Pierre Frey Yangzi wallcoverings.
> The living room seating area between the front lobby and cocktail lounge offers living room like seating around the fireplace and cozy alcove seating on the periphery.
Hotel Cocktail Lounge Renders
> An early sketch design ideation. The betweenopening the cocktail lounge and living room is half frosted glass with wood slats that offers privacy for guests in the lounge and allows light from the courtyard to filter through to the living room.
> The cocktail lounge. Mirrored panels bounce natural light and views from the internal courtyard. Walnut paneling, tumbling block marble floor and deep blue walls are reminiscent of traditional nautical elements.
Rose Tarlow Viva Chair in Medici taupe upholstery
Urban Electric Chiltern Round, customized shades with leather trim
Urban Electric Globus pendant
OTHER PROJECTS
A selection of smaller scale works
1) Leucadia 1950’s bungalow kitchen
2) Carlsbad rental house kitchen, dining room and living room
3) Select small project designs and drawings
1) LEUCADIA 1950’S BUNGALOW KITCHEN
A complete remodel of an original kitchen in this 1950’s bungalow home. The objective was to create a warm, inviting kitchen that looked like it belonged with the home’s original architecture. The clients love traditional architecture, traditional English kitchens, European antiques and collecting art. The wall to the left was opened to create bar seating and allow more light to shine through the space. The refrigerator and stove were moved, window openings changed sized and were replaced.
Ideation Sketches
CONCEPT 1 • WHITE, GREY AND MEDIUM WARM WOOD
• Most cabinets are white except for dry pantry which is rustic wood.
• Two differnet countertops: wood and grey
• Floors are slate look or light limestone look or wood if possible.
Concept Development
• Sitting room cabinetry could be be a color with a wood counter top or white with a wood counter top.
• Counter top of back cabinet near entrance to dining area will be wood to match rustic dry pantry.
• Floors: Lighter limestone look or slate look or wood floor.
Concept I: White, grey and medium wood tones
• Brass fittings.
CONCEPT 1 • WHITE, GREY AND MEDIUM WARM WOOD
• Most cabinets are white except for dry pantry which is rustic wood.
• Two differnet countertops: wood and grey
• Cabinets are painted white with grey basaltina stone countertop
• Polished nickel fittings
• Dry pantry is wood
• Floors are slate look or light limestone look or wood if possible.
• Island table is wood
• Rustic wood range hood detail
• Sitting room cabinetry could be be a color with a wood counter top or white with a wood counter top.
• Floors: Lighter limestone look or slate look or wood floor.
• Brass fittings.
^ Ideation sketch of kitchen remodel-- open walls to add bar seating, move stove and refrigerator.
^ Early development sketch of bar area.
• Sitting room cabinetry is white or a color with a wood countertop
• Counter top of back cabinet near entrance to dining area will be wood to match rustic dry pantry.
• Floor is wide plank oak
of warm unlacquered
Consider vertical beadboard paneling
If choosing Baltic soapstone counter tops consider changing floor to light limestone or wood
Option of painted wall to offset white
of painted wall to offset
Mix of white and wood cabinets
White cabinets, wood beam, grey and wood counters
Baltic soapstone
Rustic warm wood
Vertical paneling in front of cabinets at entry to kitchen, repeat paneling on a wall and in kitchen
Pallete
Shows beautifully the combo of grey counters, warm
Option
Mix of white and wood cabinets
White cabinets, wood beam, grey and wood counters
If choosing Baltic soapstone counter tops consider changing floor to light limestone or wood
Baltic soapstone
Rustic warm wood
Vertical paneling in front of cabinets at entry to kitchen, repeat paneling on a wall and in kitchen
Accents
brass
Hygeia Kitchen • Pentons
Pallete
Shows beautifully the combo of grey counters, warm wood beams, white cabinets
Baltic soapstone countertops
American walnut
Vertical beadboard paneling
Polished nickel fittings
Mix of wood and white painted cabinets
Rustic wood trim for range hood
Design Ideation
^ One point perspective showing the cabinet layout surrounding refrigerator.
^ Drawing of full kitchen.
^ Free standing dry pantry.
1) Green Blue and Wimborne White cabinets, Olympic White
marble and wood counter, Wimborne White wall
2) CARLSBAD RENTAL HOUSE KITCHEN, DINING AND LIVING ROOM
Kitchen remodel, new flooring, windows and furniture design for a soon-to-be rental home in Carlsbad, CA. The clients described their style as egalitarian and children centered. Their top priorities were to keep the budget very low, create storage solutions as well as areas in each room for the children to play or do homework.
^ Preliminary living room and entry render. The home lacks an entry vestibule and needs creative solutions for storage that would normal belong in an entry.
^ Living room furniture. ^ Living room furniture plan.
^ New kitchen floor plan.
^ Preliminary kitchen render. The final design included a narrow portable island and not this kitchen table.
3) SELECT SMALL DESIGN PROJECTS AND HAND DRAWINGS
< Personal project: A living room design render and furnishing selections which includes antique and custom furnishings, custom millwork, a new front door configuration to allow more natural light, new windows and lighting, a Samsung Frame television surrounded by art to make the TV less of a focal point.
Jasper Inlay Chair
Robert Kime Ume
Rush House Marisol
Lawson Fenning Arcadia
Etsy custom rug
Ralph Lauren Halifax
Michael S. Smith Rosewood mirror
Vintage art Foundham
Lawson Fenning Normandie
Svensk Tenn
Svensk Tenn La Pata
Franco Albini
Jamb Original Globe
Etsy vintage oil painting
Matt Albiani photography
J83 Stool
The Christina Gallery
March SF
Hand Drawings and Sketches
^ A living room design hand sketch.
^ Space planning for the first floor of a community center.
^ Hand drafted cabinetry design for a juice bar.
Artist’s Loft Project
The Artist Loft assignment was to design a loft for a historical artist of choosing. The goal was to create a design concept derived from the artist’s life and work. I chose Anders Zorn, a Swedish master painter born in 1860, whose skill I’ve long admired.
Zorn was one of the most sought after portrait artists in European high society in the early 1900s. Later in life he dedicated himself to painting rural folk society and the serene landscape of his native Nordic country.
The design concept draws inspiration from the rustic country life depicted in Zorn’s paintings but is also infused with elegance and finery as a nod to his opulent life in Paris where he rose to fame as a society portrait painter.
