Introducing Kimberly, Summer Design Intern

Hey there! My name is Kimberly Wilson and I am currently interning for Sanctuary Design. I am originally from a small town right outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but I moved to Laguna Niguel, California after I graduated from high school. I am a rising senior at Virginia Tech, majoring in residential interior design with a cognate in marketing and advertising. I have taken several business classes such as accounting, finance, marketing and management so post graduation I will have an array of knowledge in not only in the field of design but also in business. My main goal I would like to accomplish through my experience working with Sanctuary Design is to learn a great deal about the design field and become comfortable and familiar with the everyday tasks an interior designer has to take on.

            I have been surrounded by design ever since I was born because my father is an architect. He has inspired me over the last 21 years of my life and I owe my passion and love for the design field to him. I have a very out going personality and I love working and helping others to achieve their goals. I feel that pursuing a career in residential interior design is the best path for me because I have a very creative mind and I love getting to know the people I work with on a more personal level - so I’m not only gaining clients but also making friendships. I was fortunate to have been given the opportunity to travel all over Europe in high school so I have really developed a level of respect for a variety of architectural styles... my favorite style, however, is modern. I love the simplicity of it with its smooth edges, geometrical shapes, and open spaces.

            Before I got the chance to intern from the designers perspective I was given the opportunity to help remodel my parent’s kitchen in the summer of 2009.  Being on the other side was a great way for me to learn (the hard way, perhaps) what clients expect from the designers and the steps the designer must take to keep clients happy. One thing I was very disappointed in with the designer we chose was his lack of project management skills. Things were never done on time and just poor communication over all really made our remodel experience frustrating at times. I found myself doing things the designer should have been doing such as running to the store to pick up tile, and getting in contact with the contractors to figure out when they were coming to work. I was not impressed with the way the designer handled our remodel. From this experience I have learned that communication is key in this industry. Taking the time to get to know the client and keep them clued in every step of the way as to what’s going is just as important as figuring out their wants and needs. I'm looking forward to working with Lauren and her team this summer, and learning about the remodeling business from an interior designer's point-of-view!

Here are the Before and After photos from my parents' remodel last year: