How large is your firm?

There are 10 people in our office. 

Why were you originally motivated to start your own practice?  

I have always been passionate about creating spaces people want to be in. I had an ability to make a place setting, or to set a room’s decor so that it felt right. Some have described that there is an “ineffable” quality about how my spaces feel. My only goal early on was to make a living for myself doing just this. Recently, that goal has taken on a new structure: to create a firm and studio of like minded designers with similar (and different) talents, creating spaces with me that have that same feel.  

What hurdles have you come across?

Our biggest challenge is getting the client to understand and trust our creative process. Once the client falls into that place of trust, we get to do what we are meant to do, create a beautiful space and all kinds of wonderful things happen.

Then there is the economic hurdle—setting up projects financially so they support the studio’s structure. Delivering inside the client’s budget expectations, while making money so the studio is sustainable and healthy financially.

And finally, getting clear what daily work structure supports the creative process so our days are spent efficiently. We’re a very individualistic studio—some of us work best early, some late; some work well inside of a team structure, while others create better when left alone. The flow of managing a group of creatives can be daunting at times.

What are the benefits of having your own practice? And staying small?

Some would say maintaining our design integrity—being able to manage my vision and communicate my style to the team and working collaboratively to produce the final “product.” We also get to offer a collaborative working environment for our creatives to take part in and have a hand in various aspects of the design process. In addition, we get to experience the benefit(s) of developing key relationships with our fabricators that we work closely with in producing our custom fixtures, lighting, and furnishings.

Is scaling up a goal or would you like to maintain the size of your practice?

Our intention is to continue to scale as larger projects come. We have already been scaling, albeit slowly through the years. The growth comes organically as I see this both as wise and necessary for a small firm. In 2012 we started from one then added to the team as our project and workload demand increased. Recently we added our own stamping architect with the return of Maggie McBride. Our recent expansion to the Nashville market with a new office, was the result of Maggie relocating there, so we took the opportunity to grow into a new marketplace.

What lead you to expand to Nashville and what are you hoping to accomplish there?

Because we have experienced much of Atlanta’s growth in the past ten years, we felt like Nashville was on the precipice of going through a similar growth spurt.  In reality the city has already experienced quite a bit of growth in terms of development—an influx of business and urban population boom that coincides with the many new restaurants and retail establishments placing a foothold in the Nashville scene.

The once “country” label that used to describe the general oeuvre has now shifted to include a more modern, urban vibe reflected in new developments throughout the city. People who are moving from larger cities like Los Angles and NYC have been drawn to Nashville for its size along with its strong cultural identity. There is a lot happening there and you can feel the creative forces that are bubbling up with all the new folks moving in.

We have also always placed an importance on courting local fabricators in the production of our custom work. Nashville is known for the “buy local” movement and enjoys a rich pool of talented craftspeople, makers, and artisans that we look forward to working with.

Your firm specializes in designing restaurants, hospitality, and lifestyle projects. How did you guys come about specializing in this sector?  

I think it happens organically over time, but we do all types of projects ranging from residential, retail, etc. In the end, it is mostly about the client and do they feel that I can provide them with the end-all feeling of a space they are needing help with or a design for. I had already done work in the Serenbe Community and really found that because of my years spent on the West Coast, I knew what the farm fresh, California wine country style was at it’s core and I could translate that well to new spaces in the Southeast. Once the ball started rolling, people in Atlanta saw what that style was and what they liked about it: simple, elegant, not too fussy, and true. 

I think that is what most clients look to us for - the space to feel real. 

I think that is what most clients look to us for - the space to feel real. The easiest way to do that for a restaurant is to use real materials and work with local fabricators so we can have a back and forth face to face about getting those details right. It takes extra time and effort, but it is absolutely worth it and rewarding to all parties involved. That sector fits with my work well because the clients I work with want to take some risks, but also know that I will get that feeling right. Risks are a lot less easy to come in a home by because you are spending everyday there. As opposed to trying to find a style and look of just one restaurant cohesive with the cuisine's story.