About One Madrona Interior Design
Why I Approach Design the Way I Do
The thread through my career has always been design.
Long before I founded One Madrona Design, I was drawn to environments where thoughtful design, quality, and craftsmanship shaped how people experienced the world around them. My career took me through L'Oréal and Coty, where beauty was the product itself, and later to Nordstrom, where I spent nearly a decade leading marketing for one of the company's largest divisions.
Across each of those roles, I found myself fascinated by the same questions. Why do some things feel timeless while others quickly fade? Why do certain spaces, materials, and products leave such a lasting impression? What makes one experience feel effortless while another falls short?
I've always been fascinated by things that feel effortless. The best homes, products, and experiences usually do. But behind that simplicity are hundreds of thoughtful decisions that most people never see.
That idea eventually led me to residential interior design.
I realized what interested me most wasn't simply bringing products to market. It was understanding how thoughtful decisions work together to create experiences that feel intuitive, cohesive, and lasting. Interior design became a natural extension of that way of thinking.
That curiosity eventually led me back to school, where I earned my Master's Certificate in Interior Design.
For me, formal design education wasn't about adding another credential. It was about making a commitment to my clients and to the profession. If someone is trusting me with one of the biggest investments they'll ever make, I believe they deserve more than experience and good instincts. They deserve a designer who has invested the time to understand the principles, technical knowledge, and problem-solving frameworks that support thoughtful design decisions.
Interior design is both creative and technical. Behind every beautiful home are decisions about space planning, lighting, materials, cabinetry, construction, ergonomics, and how people actually live within a space. Formal education strengthened my ability to make those decisions with confidence, intention, and a clear understanding of why they matter.
Today, my professional experience and formal design education come together in the way I approach residential design. My role isn't simply to help clients make beautiful choices. It's to ask the right questions, establish a clear direction, and create homes where every decision supports the next.
How I Think About Design
People often think interior design begins with choosing cabinets, tile, or paint colors.
Those decisions certainly matter, but they're only one part of creating a home that feels complete.
Many projects reach a stage where the floor plan works on paper, but important day-to-day questions haven't been answered. How will the kitchen actually function for the people who use it every day? Is there enough storage where it's needed? Does the lighting support how the home is used? Will the layout continue to work five or ten years from now?
Those are the questions I enjoy solving.
Good design begins by understanding how people actually live in their homes. It means listening carefully, asking thoughtful questions, and creating a plan before focusing on finishes. Once that direction is established, every decision becomes more intentional because it supports the overall vision rather than competing with it.
Whether I'm designing a kitchen, remodeling a bathroom, planning a new home, or helping a family adapt a home for changing mobility needs, the goal is always the same: to create spaces that are beautiful, functional, and thoughtfully designed around the people who live there.
I also believe good design should feel personal. I'll gently challenge assumptions when I think there's a better solution, but I'll always explain why. My role isn't to impose my style on your home. It's to help you discover what feels right for you and create a home that reflects the way you live.
Universal Design with a Personal Perspective
Universal design became deeply personal when my own mother moved into my home.
Experiencing that transition firsthand gave me a new appreciation for how quickly a home can stop supporting the people who live there. Decisions about bathrooms, kitchens, lighting, circulation, and everyday routines suddenly carried a different weight because they weren't simply design choices. They were choices that affected independence, dignity, comfort, and family life.
That experience reinforced something I already believed: accessibility and thoughtful design should never feel like competing priorities.
Whether I'm helping someone plan for the future, adapting a home after a health change, or designing an ADU for a family member, my goal is the same. The home should continue to feel warm, welcoming, and beautifully designed while quietly supporting the people who live there.
Done well, universal design doesn't call attention to itself. It simply feels like a home that works beautifully.
Experience & Credentials
I earned a Master's Certificate in Interior Design from Heritage School of Interior Design and continue to expand my expertise through professional education, including advanced training in Universal Design through the National Kitchen and Bath Association.
Before founding One Madrona Design, I spent more than two decades leading marketing for nationally recognized brands including L'Oréal, Coty, and Nordstrom. That experience strengthened my ability to evaluate complex decisions, manage large projects, and bring clarity to situations with many moving parts—skills that continue to shape how I guide residential design projects today.
Today, One Madrona Design works with homeowners, contractors, and architects throughout Olympia and Western Washington on kitchen and bathroom remodels, whole-home renovations, new construction, and aging-in-place and universal design projects.
Let's Start the Conversation
Every project starts with a conversation.
Whether you're planning a renovation, building a new home, or simply trying to understand what's possible, a consultation is an opportunity to talk through your goals, ask questions, and determine the right path forward.
If you're not sure where to begin, that's perfectly okay.
We'll figure it out together.
Reaching Out is the Easy Part
Here’s how it works:
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation
We talk through your project, your vision, and what you’re hoping to create
We’ll outline the right next steps together — no obligation, no pressure
Not sure if your project is the right fit? Reach out anyway.
We’d rather help you find clarity than leave you wondering.
Or, reach out directly at:
