Interview with Amanda Simmons Interiors

The following is the second installment of my conversation with Amanda Simmons. Please visit Amanda’s Web site here and contact her for any of your interior design needs. Here is our conversation.

Q: Is “beauty in the eye of the beholder” or is beauty objectively true?

A: I think it is objectively true. When I create a space and I have thought through as many different aspects of the space as I possibly can, that makes it beautiful. There are many people that see rooms and criticize the design, but it doesn’t mean that it isn’t beautiful. It means that the design of the room doesn’t meet that person’s particular aesthetic or taste.

Q: What do you think makes a design timeless?

A: I think incorporating multiple elements into a design makes it long lasting. A timeless design includes a mixture of items from different periods and eras and of different materials with bits and pieces of personal touches added in. Those personal items will always represent something to a client.

Q: Describe your dream project.

A: A dream project would be, regardless of budget, working with a client that trusts the process and understands that I may push them out of their comfort zone. I may propose things to a client that they never would have thought to be an option, but they trust that I see the big picture. They trust that I see how one aspect of the design might relate to something in another room and how that would make the overall design feel cohesive. That’s a dream project.

Q: You talk about trust in that last answer. How do you think you build trust and credibility with a client?

A: I would say that the initial consultations that I have with clients are very telling of how the project will evolve and end up turning out. When I go on an initial consultation, if the client can be upfront and honest about their budget, the scope of the project, and what their expectations are from me as a designer, I feel like I can build trust with the client over time. As I show the client I am meeting their expectations, they will give me more responsibility. I can fulfill their expectations, needs, and stay within their budget as long as that has all been made clear on the front end.

Q: Are there any buildings or places in Houston that inspire you?

A: My former boss, Kristen Nix’s house. It was one of the first houses I ever walked into that I thought, “this is cool.” It is a mid-century home that has a really cool, clean look that just doesn’t exist anymore.  It was unlike anything I had ever seen in magazines. This goes back to exposure, too. When I first got into the industry, I had been exposed to very little. I traveled very little as a child. My excursions outside of the house were with my grandmother.

Q: You said it was unlike anything you had ever seen before in a magazine. Do you think that the experience of seeing a design first hand and experiencing a space in person was unique to why that was an important project compared to something you saw in a magazine or do you think that magazines and seeing something on paper is just as influential?

A: Seeing it in person gives you a completely different feel and it’s a completely different experience compared to seeing projects in print. It was this whole new world I had never been exposed to. I feel her overall design aesthetic is exemplified in what she did to that house. I gravitated to her style and what she had done to that particular house.

Q: Is there any advice you would give to a young interior designer just starting off? 

A: The advice would be know that you really have to work hard. You have to be willing to make sacrifices. Never expect that you are going to fall into a category where you deserve anything. You have to earn it. You have to work hard. Also, remember that you have the important job of working in someone’s personal space. It’s somewhere where people come home and where they want to relax. They want to feel comfortable. They want it to feel like their home. So as much as this may be your particular design, at the end of the day, it’s about the client. It’s about how they feel and it’s about what their home says to and about them.

Q: Are there any designers, artists, musicians, or architects that inspire you?

A: Artists are what I immediately think about because I have only recently become exposed to art. I think artists get taken for granted much like designers and architects. There is a lot that goes into creating art. I have been inspired by the amount of detail, care, pride, and hard work that goes into making art. In particular, an artist I have been recently exposed to is Sara Genn from Palm Springs. To the naked eye, her pieces might seem like something that any person could copy. However, after meeting her and talking with her, I learned that she does everything freehand. No lasers. No stencils. Everything is absolutely freehand, and it looks perfect. She goes through about a hundred different canvases a year. She will just throw out a canvas and start over if it is not perfect. The amount of attention to detail that architects, designers, and artists put into their work is really something that is hard to explain and that’s why I am inspired by it. It is hard work.

Q: You are a young, female interior designer who runs her own business. What gave you the courage to start your own firm?

A: I feel like it’s selfish, but my family. This profession is my livelihood. I take a lot of pride in my work and work really hard because I want to provide for my family. But I think the courage also comes from the fact that I absolutely love what I do. I am constantly fueled by learning new things, meeting new people, and being exposed to different situations. I thrive on getting to know different personalities and being able to provide my design services for all kinds of people.

Please visit Amanda Simmons Interiors site to see her work. She is a very talented designer and it was wonderful to talk to her about design.