Hello Castle Friends!
Let’s give a warm welcome as Hannah sits down with our March Featured Designer of the Month: Courtney Walker!
Courtney received her Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from the Art Institutes International Minnesota in September 2011 and is an active member of the American Society of Interior Designers. In her free time Courtney enjoys reading, painting and spending time with friends and family.
Courtney, you have been in the field for about two years now. Tell me, why did you become an interior designer?
C: Growing up my parents really gave me the freedom to do whatever I wanted in my bedroom. [This] started with just moving furniture around and eventually led to a new paint color every couple months. That freedom led to me talking friends into re- arranging their rooms (their parents loved it, because my plans usually involved a lot of cleaning and organizing). So when it came time to decide what I wanted to do for the rest of my life I thought about it and considered a couple different things, all in the art/design world. After around a year of college I decided interior design was what I needed to do. It is something I have loved dabbling in my entire life and it was time to get the education to do it for real. I left the small community college I was attending in my home town and move to Minneapolis to attend the Art Institutes International Minnesota. I can say after four years of college and a year and a half in the industry I think I made the right choice! I love helping clients make their homes truly theirs, incorporating their style and ideas into a functional and beautiful space.
That’s wonderful to hear that you’re in a position that you know you love. Now that the New Year is starting to settle in – how busy has 2013 been for you so far?
C: Last month was crazy and this month looks like it will be too! I have four projects in production (just signed) and five in design.
What types of projects are they?
C: I have quite a mix of projects right now. In production I have one small kitchen project and the rest are bathrooms. In design I have one attic that we are adding a dormer to and converting into a master suite, one basement that we are adding a bedroom and cleaning up the bathroom as well as adding a bar in the living area. One kitchen and then the rest are bathrooms ranging from total gut to makeover.
Tell me Courtney, how hard is it to design within in an existing space?
C: While it may seem like it would be bit more challenging and it can be, I really enjoy it. Locations of a lot of things are pre-determined so it requires you to get creative. The transformation is usually dramatic and I think the homeowner enjoys it that much more when they know what it used to be.
Well Courtney is certainly keeping busy! Stay tuned next week as we highlight our Remodeler’s Showcase House in St. Paul and let you in on a BIG secret that’s happening here at Castle! In the meantime, if you missed Courtney’s kitchen feature in our February newsletter here are some of the pictures of this beautiful St. Paul kitchen that saw a huge transformation:
Do you have a question for our designers? Submit your question today to Hannah today: Hannah@castlebri.com
