Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Thomas.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I was a young girl my family moved to a beautiful small village in Sonora, Mexico to work at my uncle Arturo’s leather garments factory. This was in the 70’s and his factory was filled with artisans and designers… creativity and imagination soared there.
I remember the smell of the leather hides and feeling the excitement of seeing these hides transformed into custom garments that when completed were sent off to one of their celebrity clients. My father was one of the designers and my mother assisted with management and operations of the factory. People who loved design and creativity surrounded me and they passed this love of design and creativity onto me. Eventually, we moved back to Los Angeles and I came back bilingual and with a deep passion for design. But it wasn’t until years later that I would truly understand how valuable these newfound skills would be to me.
As the years passed, I experimented with different art mediums and continued to hone my skills in both interior and exterior designs. When I bought my first house, it was a fixer and just blocks from the Pacific Design Center in west Los Angeles. I was so excited to design and remodel my own house! Living in an area surrounded by so many artisans and creativity inspired the confidence in me to feel free to “color outside the lines” so to speak. It was during this time that my love of nature and the outdoors helped me make the connection that design is a fusion of elements, dimensions, textures and colors we find in nature and we see this inspiration being translated across many artistic mediums. These influences often come together in different disciplines to combine interesting and relevant ways to express creativity and design. Today, I often try to incorporate a global influence in design, breathing new life into spaces, making sure it resonates well with my clients and is a reflection of whom they are.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
As it is with many who are called to create, the road to success is not altogether smooth.
Initially, I charted the traditional path by sending out my resume to all the local design firms in town but I wasn’t able to secure a job going this route. I’ve always been driven and believed in my creative abilities, knowing deep in my core there would be a place for me as a designer.
Then one day, I received a letter on my front door. It was from a neighbor asking me who had designed my landscape. I followed up with her and explained that I designed my landscape and with the help of a local community of skilled subcontractors, we constructed and created the outdoor spaces in my house. She was so lovely and wanted her landscape to look like mine. So, I created a landscape design for her house and that’s how I landed my first design job. As life goes, when you are aligned with your purpose, opportunities present themselves one after another, little by little. In time, I began to accumulate a diverse portfolio of design work and experiences. I’ve learned a lot about design and construction over the last 22 years. It’s taken time to build a team of subcontractor’s that share the same enthusiasm and passion for the work we do and their ingenuity only amplifies what we create together.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
One thing is certain, interior and exterior design impacts the human experience in many ways. Design is at the crux of how we live, work and play and is greatly influenced by our environment.
Lifestyle preferences of different generations and personalities will continue to change the way each engages in their spaces. Connected, adaptable, sustainable and health influenced design will continue to be at the forefront over the next decade. New technologies will continue to not only make houses more efficient, but will also continue to increase the efficiency of the people living in these homes. Growing concerns about sustainability and environmental impacts will continue to increase consumer requests for energy and water conservation devices. Solar and wind power will continue to increase in demand. Awareness will continue to grow in how our interior and exterior environments promote wellness and support a healthy lifestyle.
The other change in the industry will be the ever-increasing need to support our aging population with designs that are tailored to their needs. Some families are remodeling existing residences to accommodate aging family members with mobility issues and health challenges that benefit from smart design.
In the commercial sector, I believe there will be a shift in design when it comes to open office plans. Indeed, open office plans foster collaboration and communication but in some cases, it’s not sustainable. When you remove walls, it’s at the expense of providing spaces for private contemplation and concentration.
Above all else, a designer’s skill set must include the ability to listen, show compassion and be sensitive to a client’s needs and concerns.
Has there been a particular challenge that you’ve faced over the years?
My biggest challenge by far lies in helping people understand the true value and impact a skilled designer brings to a project. The misconception is that hiring an interior designer will be very expensive, when in fact, if people would hire an interior designer at the onset of a project, they would actually save money in the long run. Helping people choose a color scheme, flooring, tile work, furniture, accessories, etc. is just a small part of working with an interior designer / project manager like me.
I encourage my clients to shop around and get several bids for the work they want to do. I then show them the value I bring to the project and provide them with my bid for labor and materials.
More often than not, my clients are surprised at my competitive pricing. Especially with finish materials such as kitchen and bathroom cabinets, countertops, backsplash materials, plumbing and lighting fixtures, flooring, paint and of course furniture, rugs and accessories.
This misconception is further exacerbated in the residential sector with the onslaught of YouTube and other television shows marketed to the DIY generation, which makes construction and design look fast and easy.
This misconception has been proven to me time and time again. Some people think they can spend 30 minutes watching a YouTube video and somehow this qualifies them with the skill needed to do the job themselves. I’m here to tell you that I’ve been called to help correct more YouTube botch jobs than I care to mention. Sadly, some clients call me after the poor planning, poor design, sloppy work, bad paint jobs, misaligned cabinets, faulty electrical wiring, plumbing mishaps, miscommunication with subs leading to costly mistakes and after a contractor has taken off with their money. Sometimes, I am asked to come into a project to rectify mistakes midway through, but my hands are tied because the homeowner is legally obligated to the subs that started the work. It’s just crazy to me the amount of money people waste by attempting to manage the work and trades themselves. The people I work with are licensed, very skilled and experienced in their respective trades. They do the job properly once and going this route always saves money! More than a few times I have heard clients say, “I wish I would have gotten you involved earlier.”
Is there any advice you’d like to give?
The best advice I can offer anyone is to do what you are passionate about, take chances, and persevere by applying discipline, consistency and hard work! It may take years of trial and error, but continue to believe in yourself and work hard at developing your artistry. Keep creating and offer your services even if it is not a paying job. Work at building your portfolio of work and be generous in sharing your artistry. Stay humble and work hard at doing the work! Not all roads are the same…we each have our own road to travel. Don’t be afraid to walk a different path. Sometimes brilliance lies just around the bend.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wendythomas.com
- Phone: (949) 306-5177
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Steve Thomas
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