Can you tell us a little about your background and why you decided to study interior design?

It all began when I opened the forbidden drawer. Being a rebel at a young age I always did the opposite of what my parents said, and one day I opened the forbidden drawer in my kitchen and found all different types of screws, a hammer, paintbrushes, some other building materials, and instantly fell in love with building and architecture. From there my inspiration grew. I would build furniture, paint art projects, and later in high school, I enrolled in drafting classes. After taking two years of classes, that’s when I knew I wanted to be an Interior Architectural designer.

As a current Arc+ID student what is some advice you would give students starting out in the program?

Strategize!! Take the time to map out the curriculum to see what classes require more time and which ones that require less and pair them together. This can help you save time and money later in the program. Also, MAKE FRIENDS!!! By creating a bubby system right when you enroll in a class will help you keep updated on all assignments and deadlines so you don’t fall behind.

Since you have been a teacher’s assistant in the program for some years now, can you tell us how that experience has benefited you?

Yes, being a TA for Sheldon Nemoy’s Digital Presentation I: Photoshop Illustrator course has given me so much confidence. I believe learning any design skill by assisting the instructor gives you a deeper level of understanding and will make made every project you create for school or a client a breeze. It has also opened doors in my career, leading to numerous internships and job opportunities.

 What was one of your most memorable Arc+ID class experiences?

I cannot choose just one, because it is usually the last day of class at the end of every quarter. That is when students showcase course work and we have a big party with snacks to discuss our projects and what tools we learned in the course.

As an MIA student who’s graduating in Spring, what is next for you, and what type of work are you searching once you have finished?

Yes, this year I will be graduating from the MIA program and I couldn’t be happier! Currently, I am in my last class, the only thing on my mind is creating clean and detailed designs and plans for my final project. I also work as a Visual Designer and In-Home Stylist for William-Sonoma, Inc. But once I finish the Master’s Program, I will definitely be working for myself as an Interior Designer and Decorator.

Who is your favorite interior designer and why?

Everyone has a couple of designer gods they look up to. Mine happens to be Amber Lewis of Amber Interiors, she is a residential designer in Calabasas, California. The main reason why I appreciate her work so much is that she uses the bones of a client’s home, she loves to work with the old and make it new. She uses a variety of materials and patterns and somehow, someway it works out and looks amazing!!! She is someone I look up to and reference when I need inspiration for my own work.

Where in Los Angeles you go for creative inspiration?

Funny enough, I go to the beach for my creative inspiration. It’s bare, relaxing, quiet, and doesn’t have any technical distractions. With the ocean waves crashing as a sound in the background, it allows the pen to flow on the paper a lot easier than a pencil to paper in a florescent-lit study room.