Why I Approach Design the Way I Do
The thread through my career has always been design.
Long before I founded One Madrona Interior 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 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 drawn to 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.20+ years
about one madrona interior design
Leading marketing for L'Oréal, Coty & NordstromNKBA
Advanced Universal Design trainingMaster’s Certificate
Interior Design, Heritage School of Interior DesignThe way of thinking didn’t stay at work. It followed me home.
As I worked on my own home, I found myself paying just as much attention to layout, proportion, materials, and light as I had to customer experience throughout my marketing career. I loved seeing how a relatively small change could completely change the way a room looked, functioned, and felt. Before long, I was helping friends and family think through their own projects, and what began as something I genuinely enjoyed gradually became something I wanted to pursue professionally.
Going back to school was about building the technical foundation to match the way I already thought about design and 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.
I earned my Master’s Certificate in Interior Design from Heritage School of Interior Design as part of that commitment.
Today, my professional experience and formal design education come together in the way I approach residential interior design. 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.
My role is to ask the right questions, establish a clear direction, and shape hundreds of individual decisions into a home that feels cohesive, personal, and genuinely enjoyable to live in."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."
design philosophy
People often think interior design begins with choosing cabinets, tile, or paint colors.
Those decisions 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 with 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, individual decisions become easier because they have a larger idea to belong to.
And then there is the part of design that I simply love. I love exploring materials and seeing what happens when they come together. The warmth of natural wood against stone. The way a particular tile can change the character of a room. How a shift in proportion can make a space feel calmer, more generous, or simply more interesting.
Sometimes the most satisfying part of a project is finding one unexpected element that makes everything else fall into place. Other times, it’s realizing that the room doesn’t need one more thing at all. Those details may seem small on their own, but together they give a home warmth, character, and a sense that everything belongs.
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 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 an idea when I think there’s a stronger solution, but I’ll always explain why. I'll help you discover possibilities you may not have considered, refine them together, and create a home that reflects the way you live.How I Think About Design
universal design with a personal perspective
“Done well, universal design doesn’t call attention to itself. It simply feels like a home that works beautifully.”
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. They weren’t simply design choices. They 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.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 training in Universal Design through the National Kitchen & Bath Association.
Before founding One Madrona Interior 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. Those skills continue to shape how I guide residential design projects today.
Today, One Madrona Interior 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.Experience & Credentials
Whether you're planning a remodel, building a new home, or simply wondering what's possible, a consultation is a chance to talk through your ideas, ask questions, and gain clarity about your next steps.
We'd love to hear what you're imagining for your home.