Modern Fusion
in the Pacific Northwest

What is your signature look?

My signature look is a fusion of urban modern and contemporary with traditional design elements, materials and color palettes. I use a lot of clean lines but make sure to still be warm and inviting so that the living space is not too sterile. I would say my style reflects the culture of the Pacific Northwest.

Were there any experiences that shaped your particular style?

I was born and raised in Eugene, Oregon where I learned a lot of construction and design techniques from my father who was a home builder for nearly 40 years. I was always drawn to modern and urban styles on a more simplistic level, and I wanted to bring that particular style to the area where I grew up (Pacific Northwest).

In what ways do you keep up with new trends? 

Well, I love to travel so that really helps with inspiration and keeping up with trends. Particularly, trends that may have yet to reach certain parts of the United States. When I travel, I'm always on the look out and like to pick up design ideas from hotel lobbies, bars and restaurants. I like to bring that creativity back with me and add it to the homes I design--giving it my own unique touch and flair. In the same way, my inspiration usually comes from being out of town – I'm there to relax but I'm always looking to get inspired (by anything: nature, architecture, people, food, etc.).

What is the most recent projects that you have used Maxim Lighting?

We use the Maxim Lighting in just about all of the homes that I design. Their products have great lines, which fits perfect for the types of projects we do. I can name six homes that we have going on right now, which are about to be finished in the next five weeks, and all of them have Maxim Lighting.

What do you like most about Maxim products? 

I like Maxim Lighting because they have so many options that can go with any style of homes that I design. Since the homes I work on typically have linear architectural accents, Maxim pendant lighting and fun pieces like Fizz lighting provide an unexpected flair.

How important is lighting in your projects? 

Lighting is highly important to the design process: from beginning to the end. I go through every project with task lighting, accent lighting, and feature lighting. I'm really big on the use of natural light but I have always been drawn to making lighting efficient and a feature to be shown off as the focal point of the design project.

Do you believe that the role of lighting in a home is changing? if so, how do you think decorative lighting will play a different role? 

I think the role of lighting is changing with LED lighting becoming more popular and less expensive. LED lighting gives us (interior designers) more opportunity to put lights in places we might have not done before. There is also a lot of opportunity with LED lighting becoming more prominent in interior design due to its energy efficiency, which is a another reason to add more lighting to a home.

Did you always want to be an interior designer or was there an 'Ah ha' moment that made you want to become an interior designer?

Growing up in a construction family, I was always around homes being designed and built. Luckily, I had many opportunities to jump into projects and add my input into the colors we used or the lighting style. I always enjoyed it but I never saw myself doing it full time until a few years ago. My career as an interior designer started with my personal home in Eugene, about 12 years ago, and then it picked up from there. My work was actually first published in a book,  "The Smaller Home – Creating the Perfect Fit," by Harper Collins Publishing. It gave me affirmation that people liked my work and that I should continue doing interior design for a living. Since then, every home I have designed has been published locally or picked up by HGTV, amongst other networks and publications.

What is your most memorable project? 

My most memorable project is probably one that went viral and  is still being shared all over the world today. It was one that happened to exclusively feature Maxim Lighting. It was my Hilltop House project that I designed four years ago.  I think I put the most time into it, in terms of unique touches and detail. I was really trying to be innovative with the design. It was also fun because It was one of the most eclectic homes I've done and I think it tends to appeal to people who typically do not like modern style homes.

In what ways do you get clients to feel motivated and part of the project? 

This is a really unique one for me because the clients that I have typically see our portfolio first and appreciate our work, so they have a lot of trust in what we do. Typically, a client lets us put a project together and then they'll give us a little bit of feedback to go off of. I always ask the client in the beginning what is the most important space / room that they want to be involved in and we work from there. 

Signiture Homes | Design + Build   is based in Eugene, Oregon   www.iversionsigniturehomes.com