DESIGNER OF THE MONTH – JULY 2010
Missy Pratt
Question: With the current economic climate calling for restraint on expenses while building or remodeling a home, why should people still use a designer?
Missy: When you hire a designer, you take the stress off yourself and place it on the shoulders of someone uniquely educated and equipped to deal with every aspect of the interior and exterior of a home; the lighting, the fixtures, the color flow, and much more. The homeowner doesn’t have to run here and there for paint, carpet or siding samples, etc. The designer will bring everything to you and work with you every step of the way combining your desires and dreams with her expertise. The designer, in most cases, will save the client as much money as what their fee is by using their connections to get the best pricing for furniture, hardwood flooring and so on.
Q: With so many individual styles and tastes in design motifs, how do you go about helping someone who has a strong desire to do something you believe would ruin the look of a room or area?
Missy: I have to be very convincing with out being pushy or snobbish and, to be honest, I have never had this problem. There is always compromise. I don’t always agree with or love everything that a client comes up with for design ideas, but we always work it out.
Q: What has been your biggest challenge thus far in your career?
Missy: My youth has been a big challenge…seems I have to prove myself often. I feel that I am a strong, confident and capable designer but have to defend that now and then. Another challenge is working with every type of personality. Clients come with all different character traits and I need to adjust accordingly. I might add, that’s also one of the enjoyable parts of my business…working with all different types of people.
Q: In regard to hardwood flooring, what finish and stain colors have you specified most often? Are the trends in color going lighter or darker, in your opinion?
Missy: Walnut has been extremely popular. We have a gorgeous pillowed Walnut hardwood floor, from Rivershores, actually, that gets rave reviews. I believe that the medium color tones are very in right now…nothing too dark and nothing too light.
Q: According to a previous interviewee on this website, Grand Rapids has a considerably high amount of LEED certified building projects per capita in comparison to many east and west coast cities. Would you agree with that?
Missy: Because I deal mostly with residential projects, I would say that LEED certified projects are outside my scope of design. Most of my clients have certain desires for their homes, possibly energy efficiency systems, but not always are they looking for sustainable building products.
Q: Do you prefer commercial or residential design? What are your favorite areas in a home to design? Why?
Missy: I prefer residential design and I LOVE designing bathrooms, especially powder baths. It’s so much fun for me to put together a great bathroom layout. The functional parts, the fixtures and the colors…all of it gives me a lot of enjoyment.
Q: Tell me about the company you work with, Benchmark Wood Studio. What are you responsibilities there?
Missy: Benchmark is a wonderful pace to work. Since we deal with custom-crafted cabinetry, millwork and furniture, I am fortunate to be associated with a wonderful, hardworking team of cabinetry, interior architecture and other interior designers. We all work together to perfect the intricate details of each room, which makes it very rewarding to work here. I have a fabulous assistant, Casey, who keeps me on track with all the finish schedules, samples, architectural renderings, etc. We work together to keep the most innovative design ideas and samples available so that our clients don’t need to go on “field trips” to find what they want. My responsibilities lie in meeting with the clients and fleshing out their ideas and wishes into the home of their dreams.
Q: If you had to give your best design tip to a “do-it-your-self” designer, what would it be?
Missy: Start an “Idea Binder”. Go through magazines, rip out pictures of things you like and want in your home. But find a common theme in your plan…it will help you make decisions along the way.
Q: Do you have anything to add about your work or about interior design in general?
Missy: One thing I’ve noticed about this generation is that there is a very eclectic feeling about design and architecture out there. It’s almost like anything goes, many design motifs fit together, where before they didn’t. You don’t hear, “Well, that design is very 2000-ish” like you used to hear, “That house design looks very “70’s or 80’s”. Many architectural and design styles can be found in one home and I like that.
Also, I feel that our industry is changing. We have to fight for our jobs; everything is becoming much more competitive. I feel fortunate working with such a great group of professionals. I think being an independent designer right now would be difficult.