Getting the balance between the beautiful and that little bit of ugly just right. The purposeful imperfections in a space make it feel more approachable and lived in and give it character that would otherwise be lacking. It’s an art form that I actively pursue, even if my staff and clients think I’m a bit crazy for doing it.

Was brought to me by Lloyd Princeton of the Design Management Company about a decade ago. He gave a talk that I was invited to attend and showed me that I was running my business entirely wrong. He introduced me to retainers and charging what I was worth instead of what I thought I could get. It was empowering and exciting.

The Opportunity. High Point Market allows me to connect directly with the manufacturers and suppliers of our industry, to form relationships with these decision makers, to hopefully influence them in terms of trends, and to establish potential future collaborations.

I love and adore the entire team and product line at Wesley Hall – Zack Taylor and his team are simply the best and their furniture is to die for. My second go to is Henredon and their Maitland Smith counterparts. Celerie Kemble’s collection is my must have in every project. I also think that Palecek has been hitting it out of the park with their most recent collections. We are continually drawn to their tables and accent pieces because they add that exotic element or textural component that we seek for all of our projects. Modern History Home was my most recent discovery at Market- I would love their entire line in my own home.

Pattern or a particular hue. I am drawn to rich saturated hues and mutable ones. I have a hard time resisting anything in the indigo/dusk/gray color family.

It’s depth and selection. I may not be working on a project that a certain showroom would be geared toward but odds are, I will be down the road, so getting out there twice a year to see what’s available is essential to my creative process. Knowing where the manufacturers are heading in terms of color, style, and trends helps keep me ahead of the curve and it enables my projects to be editorially ready when the trends hit the mainstream.

I’ve filled out at least one Buzzfeed Quiz. And you think I’m joking…

Living the life you want instead of always working towards: “One Day I’ll….” Figuring out what that is takes time and a village. I work with my husband, our staff, and a coach, not to mention an army of vendors. We have a lot of fun and laugh a lot- going to work something I look forward to. There have been times in my business where going to the office filled me with dread and anxiety, as I always waiting for the other shoe to perpetually drop. Finding the right formula for work/pleasure started with finding the right team and a strict no a-hole policy. Working with our coach, Kim Kuhteubl of MeByDesign keeps us accountable to our goals and how we implement new strategies.

I look at fashion. I often find inspiration in my design work from the runways or fashion shoots. Sometimes it is a color or a pattern or a combination of both that catches my eye. I will head to Pinterest and fall down a rabbit hole and let myself be surprised.

Don’t focus on the specific “thing” that you want. Instead, work in your zone of genius and work toward what feels good and right. When you aren’t fixating on what you don’t have, you will find yourself getting not only what you want but what you actually need – which is often not what you think you wanted.

Kicking butt- designing the projects I want and where I want to be designing them. Traveling, enjoying friends and family, and eating the best foods in the best locales.