At TLV, we love what we do. The thrill of discovering that special item, be it rare, hard to find, vintage, or bespoke. We also love matching the perfect piece to just the right home – an art onto itself! That’s why we are excited to announce that our friends at DesignDot are partnering with The Local Vault to help you find that special piece that will complete your look – or help you get started on a whole new style! The process is simple – just contact DesignDot through our site and get started with your personal designer to help you find the perfect piece for your home!

Photo Credit Janeivy Hilario

We chatted with Megan Wunderlich, DesignDot Founder + CEO about how she got started in design, what makes DesignDot unique, and the one designer she always looks to for inspiration.

TLV: DesignDot offers approachable interior design service. What inspired you to start DesignDot and what are some of the ways that it is different than other design firms?

DD: After I graduated from the New York School of Interior Design, I secured a position at local design boutique where I gained invaluable experience learning from a talented luxury market designer and was able to take on design jobs that came to me through generous friends and word-of-mouth referrals. I gave each design project my best effort, honing client and design skills with each project.

My internal motivation drove me to figure out how I could create a practice that provided real value for my clients. I wanted to build a firm that offered affordable and approachable interior design that gave my clients a voice. I wanted to find an easy way for my clients to achieve visual and spatial harmony for ideal living in their homes.

With this vision, I began to build DesignDot around a unique product I developed and named the StyleDiary. With the StyleDiary, the client and the designer work together to create a design scheme through online image sharing, digital marketplaces, and the selective use of local boutique resources. The end product is a design roadmap that includes furnishings, fixtures, accessories and color guidance. Once complete, the client can elect to purchase the items individually or with the assistance of the DesignDot team.

Photo Credit Janeivy Hilario

DesignDot is different because our intention has always been to maximize access to resources available to our clients via an online marketplace. And, our practice is structured differently from most traditional design firms. We are a community of independent designers working collaboratively to present our clients with a broad array of style, design ideas and taste. Unlike traditional design firms, we provide our clients the freedom to purchase goods and services at different price points.

Photo Credit Janeivy Hilario

TLV: When did you know you wanted to turn your passion for design into a career?

DD: Our family moved to Fairfield County and I had my first exposure to a consumer market pushing high-end goods, services and a lifestyle that was new to me. I always loved design and seized the opportunity from the move to enroll at The New York School of Interior Design so I could change industries.

As I completed my designer course work, I felt somewhat intimidated by my local design marketplace and began to think this could not possibly be the way everyone wants to live. There must be other people like me who were active in their communities and proud of their homes, but who wanted make their home interiors more personal and pleasing for family, friends, and guests. They simply needed an approachable designer who could guide purchasing decisions and design planning in an inclusive way.

Photo Courtesy of: DesignDot

TLV: What is the most satisfying part of your job?

DD: Making my clients’ day-to-day better, happier and healthier by providing approachable designs for ideal living!

 

Photo Credit Jane Beiles

TLV: What are some of the reasons you enjoy working with antique and vintage sources?

DD: Antique and vintage pieces offer something that is one-of-a-kind and artfully found. The finishes are on many of these pieces are so beautiful and really, really hard to replicate. Often, the shapes of these items are unique as well and appeal to clients that have a very refined eye for design. There’s a value in vintage pieces that it can’t be reproduced. And, these pieces have had lives – it can be really fun to incorporate their “provenance” into a newly designed space!

 

 

Photo Credit Janeivy Hilario

TLV: What is the best piece of advice that has impacted your life as a designer?

DD: Anything Bunny Williams has to say 🙂 but I love this comment she made in a recent interview, “Everyone appreciates comfort, so whatever I design—a grand house, a barn, a room, a table, a chair—I want to be functional, attractive and timeless.”

 

Photo Credit Jane Beiles

TLV: Do you have any design rules you follow?

DD: Proportion and Plan. Whatever the plan, I’m always mindful to specify the design elements and to try my best to lay them out proportionately. Even if it’s just the proportion of space between objects in a room.

Photo Credit Janeivy Hilario

TLV: What design elements are important to keep in mind when creating a space for the whole family to enjoy together?

DD: I think texture is one of the most important design elements because it helps to dictate how a room feels on first glance. It has the ability to add powerful, subtle dimension and balance to any room. I also think it’s really important to plan the seating around the room’s focal point. The best seating arrangement makes it easy for everyone to converse and have a clear sight-line to the room’s focal point, even if it’s a television! By using these simple design principles, you create an inviting environment that appeals to everyone.

TLV: What item in your home makes you most happy?

DD: My Lawrence McRae lamps make me smile every time I look at them! The lines are so clean and simple, yet the open bubble shapes add visual interest that make the lamps a perfect statement piece. And these lamps are handmade in the Lawrence McRae studio in Boston.

For more information about the designer and DesignDot  visit TheDesignDot.com