While our BD team continues to execute and deliver high-levels of creativity from their homes, we thought it would be fun for you to get to know us better; understand our design process, learn what inspires us, and hear our creative perspectives.

Over the next several months we will shine a Spotlight on our BD team providing tips on topics from Biophilic Design to old and new ways to find inspiration through Instagram Influencers. For this edition of INTrend, BD Senior Designer, Bri will share the designer influencers that currently inspire her, how image-based platforms help her produce award winning designs, and how she finds ways to inspire her design colleagues.

Interior design has become a “popular” interest for the general population with the rise of DIY/home renovation shows (ex: Fixer Upper, Design on a Dime, Rehab Addict, etc.), but within the interior design industry, we discover much more by following other talented designers through digital platforms. Creative level of design has heightened substantially as designers are exposed to new techniques and possibilities for customizations through inspiration on social media. Finding inspiration through Instagram allows me to deliver design that is on trend, extremely thorough, and caters to the needs of potential buyers ensuring when they walk through the front door, they have an immediate sense of being “at home”.

I have come to find that there are 2 types of Interior Designers that we see through social media in the industry today: “Industry Design Veterans” & “New Age Design Influencers”. Industry Design Veterans are those that established themselves as interior designers before Instagram even was a thing. New Age Design Influencers are what I call designers who have become famous or well-known solely through social media. Both Industry Design Veterans and New Age Design Influencers have had tremendous growth because they have learned very quickly how to leverage social platforms to instantly share their content and design. The lines seem to be a bit blurred to the general population as to who are the Veterans and who are the New Age Influencers because the newer designers have become famous at an unnaturally rapid pace. Instagram has presented crazy opportunities that never existed before, allowing designers to take their career to new heights depending on how they decide to grow their brand.

I consider Kelly Wearstler, Jonathan Adler, and Nate Berkus to be examples of social media Design Veterans. Very few designers had a presence on social media before the early 2000’s. Jonathan Adler may be the best example of a Veteran because he's been around longer than both Kelly and Nate. As a furniture designer, Jonathan's classic style and quality is always maintained. He is still growing, and not necessarily because of social media.

Sarah Sherman Samuel is another favorite design influencer. Although not formally trained in interior design, she consistently showcases her unique design approach on Instagram and quickly grew her skill level becoming a sought-after designer for celebrities such as Mandy Moore. I see a lot of Sarah Sherman Samuel influenced by Kelly Wearstler, but with a different laid-back California vibe blended with sophisticated modernism that elevates her style to a luxury level.

Influencers like Sarah Sherman Samuel and Studio McGee amp up their brand and presence by not only sharing their work, but also sharing their personal stories of their family's and personal growth journey allowing us to get to know them on another level. As with anyone who is famous, the public wants to know everything about that celebrity: what they wear, their makeup brand, relationships, workout routine, etc. which is why paparazzi follows celebrities to capture intimate and very valuable photos. Influencers have this all figured out and readily share their personal lives with their audience, making them Instagram celebrities in a short period of time.

The Value of Storytelling

People want authenticity and to hear the backstory. They want to know how you tick, why you choose to design the way you do, and what inspires you. Transparency builds trust with your client base; when your audience feels they know you, then they want to work with you. In a nutshell, this is how the popularity of Influencers has taken hold. Watching their professional and personal lives unfold in real time garners the most engagement on social media and is key to marketing success. 

When designing a space using imagery from Instagram & Pinterest for inspiration, I consider many things. I never copy, but rather use images as a tool to guide an overall design. I often pull elements from images, whether it’s the vibe I want to emulate, or a trim treatment or built-in I want to recreate. Scale, color, texture, and the way light reflects throughout the home, are all things I take into consideration.