Hello Castle Friends!
Let’s give a warm welcome as Hannah sits down with our April Featured Designer of the Month: Amy Hinck!
Amy Hinck has been around construction her entire life. She spent many summers pouring concrete and working on other masonry jobs with her dad in northern Minnesota. She moved to Minneapolis to pursue her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Architecture. She wanted to help bridge the communication gap between trades and designers. Amy began working as a drafter immediately after graduating in 2005, and soon became a designer and project manager. During her six plus years in the remodeling industry, she has achieved certification as an Associate Kitchen and Bath Designer through the NKBA, as well as a LEED Green Associate through the USGBC. Amy is very organized and pays close attention to the details. Her favorite parts about the job are coming up with new layouts or making a big impact through small changes. She loves knowing that her work can greatly improve the daily lives of her clients and helping projects run smoothly. She makes a conscious effort to keep learning and strives to balance aesthetics, function, cost, and sustainability while designing. In her free time she remodels her home with her husband, plays on various community-ed. sports teams, spends time with family, attempts a new activity or to better her cooking skills with friends- commonly wine induced, and watches sitcoms. In the fall months Amy can found wearing blaze orange.
Amy, why don’t you tell me a little bit more about yourself, and how you got to where you are today.
A: I grew up loving to draw, and found that I was better suited for realistic renderings and pencil drawings. I also found I was pretty skilled at drafting and had good spatial skills. Growing up working alongside my Pa, who is a mason (brick, stone, block, concrete), also had a lot to do with it. I learned so much working as a masonry laborer in the summers. My family built a new house when I was 12, and I was involved in virtually every aspect, and loved every minute of it (both picking things out and helping with the construction). From there I decided to pursue both Business and Architecture in college, and found that I liked Architecture better. I obtained my bachelor’s degree, and started working in a residential remodeling firm right out of school. I love working for a design/build firm as an interior designer because I not only get to create things that bring joy to people every day, I also continually work on making things easier on the construction trades. I really like solving problems and making things better for people- that’s why I became a designer. It feels really good knowing people get happy when they walk into their new rooms.
I believe there must be some sort of universal love for architecture; it’s a major a factor when people purchase their homes – even if they do not realize it. Do you have a favorite building, or buildings architecturally speaking?
A: My favorite, most memorable building has to be the Alhambra in Spain. I was so amazed by the dual interior/exterior spaces, mosaic ceilings, and courtyards. No matter what city I go to, I am truly in awe of the handcrafting that went into the architecture. I also love unique bridges, stairs, and doors. I marvel at the structural ingenuity of them. In an era of immediate gratification, I love looking at buildings and structures that have stood the test of time and took so long to create.
All images were taken from www.google.com
What a gorgeous building! It has so much history and character. Today we are surrounded by so many different interiors, both in our daily lives and in the ones we watch on our TV shows. Do you have any favorite TV interior spaces?
A: I don’t know if I have a favorite, but I definitely do pay attention to them now that I am a designer! I would probably be pretty good at identifying interiors if it was a board game, although maybe that’s because I watch too much TV. It is interesting to watch older and current shows and compare them. That’s one challenge I think all designers face and am asked to do by clients often: to create a timeless look. I’ll keep an eye out now and let you know. I guess ones that come to mind that I like are the interiors on Modern Family, Whitney, The New Normal, and Parenthood. While some might be on the expensive side, I like the colors and that they look comfortable and inviting.
Kitchen seen in Zeke and Camille Braverman’s home on Parenthood
Living and Dining space seen in Adam and Christine Braverman’s home on Parenthood
Living room as seen on Whitney
Kitchen as seen in David Murray and Bryan Collin’s home on The New Normal.
Besides architecture and what you seen on TV, where are else are you getting inspiration from; any favorite blogs, magazines, websites, etc.?
A: My main inspiration comes from my clients. I find that if I pay close attention, listen to their desires in the beginning, they really do know what they want. When they have images of spaces they like, that helps even more. I love finding materials and colors that draw upon their ideas, but also work well with the home. I also get inspired on walks, when I’m on vacation and from design magazines- no favorite one. The NKBA also sends out weekly and monthly newsletters and I read through a lot of their design trend articles.
What are your current favorite design trends?
A: I love that grey has been a popular neutral recently. I like that clients are cost conscious (a good challenge for me, saves money for them, and usually good for the environment), Green product/material availability, Quartz countertops, Opening up walls between rooms
Stay tuned next week as we come back to talk with Amy about her current month’s projects and her tips for homeowners when planning a remodel.
Do you have a question for our designers? Submit your question today to Hannah today: Hannah@castlebri.com
