All right, we are here with the newest addition of our team, Ms. Amanda Johnson, who has a very knowledgeable past in the world of design.

 

And we worked with Amanda for many years, just subcontracting out to do a lot of design work.

 

And then just recently, we begged you to come on to our team.

 

What was the difference between working with Kingdom as a contractor, you know, here and there, versus now coming on board full-time with us?

 

Well, I feel like I was doing everything by myself.

 

So I was trying, I didn’t wanna give up that control, and I don’t know why I felt that way for so long.

 

It got to a point where I couldn’t do everything by myself.

 

Things were slipping through the cracks, and I just, I needed a team behind me.

 

So that was like the main draw to convince me to come over.

 

But I feel like what really made the difference was I started working on three new builds with you guys, but I wasn’t like an official member of the team.

 

So I was still doing kind of all the stuff by myself.

 

And at the same time, I was having a baby.

 

And so imagine like the day I was having her, they were like pouring the slabs for these new builds.

 

And I was like, how am I gonna do this?

 

So just going through that process alone, I was like, I need a team behind me.

 

Absolutely.

 

That’s, I mean, I think people who aren’t in the industry, just they completely underestimate how many decisions ride on your guys’ shoulders.

 

And yeah, without support, it’s so easily can become overwhelming.

 

You actually went to school and have a formal education in design.

 

Walk us through that, what that was like, and then what it was like getting into the field.

 

Going way back, I feel like I’ve always loved design.

 

I remember as a little girl, me and my sister, like we would stay up late and we’d get in trouble because we were like sketching floor plans.

 

Like we would like space plan.

 

Yeah, like we loved it all the way back then.

 

But what’s weird is when I went my first year of college, I didn’t go knowing I wanted to be a designer.

 

And looking back, I’m like, I was so dumb, but I think I just like wanted to go and just have that first year experience.

 

Like didn’t really know exactly what I wanted to do.

 

But it was the summer after my first year that I was home and I was like, I need to figure out what I’m gonna major in.

 

I was talking to lots of different people and it was actually my future mother-in-law, which I didn’t know she was gonna be my future mother-in-law at the time.

 

She was like, why don’t you go to design school?

 

Like she just thought maybe that would be a good fit for me.

 

And then I was like, why don’t I do design?

 

Like I’ve always loved it.

 

And I was looking back at a senior project I had done and they made you pick like three possible career paths you wanted to do.

 

And one of them was interior design.

 

And so looking back, I just am like, I wish I didn’t waste time, you know?

 

Yeah, that’s interesting that gravitational pull was always there from a young age, that’s really cool.

 

And so where did you go to school?

 

So I went, when I finally decided I was doing design, I went to LDS Business College, which I think it’s called Enzyme College now.

 

So they have a two-year program.

 

So I did their program, which it was really great.

 

I feel like you learned enough of the tools you needed to be able to do the job.

 

But then after that, I don’t know why, but in me, I always wanted to get a bachelor’s.

 

And I went, so then I transferred to BYU and they didn’t even have a design program.

 

I don’t know what I was thinking, but in my head I was like, I want a bachelor’s.

 

So while I was working there, they actually have an interior design department that does interior design for their campuses.

 

Okay.

 

So while I was going to school there, I had a job working as a designer and we did commercial design for the BYU campuses.

 

So I had a little taste of what commercial design was like.

 

But when I finished my bachelor’s there, I knew that I didn’t want to do commercial.

 

I loved residential.

 

So I started looking for internships, different places, and I interned for a place, this was up in Utah.

 

So I had my first residential design internship and I loved it.

 

But then BYU offered me a bigger position and I took it.

 

But then I just knew that I wasn’t happy doing commercial.

 

So I was actually in New York visiting a friend and she was like, have you seen, there was like this popular design firm.

 

She was like, have you seen their website?

 

And I was like, yeah, I have.

 

And she was like, my friend works there.

 

Like you should apply.

 

And I loved their style.

 

I felt like it was similar to what my personal style was.

 

So I applied and I got the job.

 

So I worked for them for a couple of years.

 

Yeah.

 

And, you know, Amanda’s kind of, you know, being modest, but this is a very well-known designer.

 

If you’ve ever watched Netflix, you’d recognize the name.

 

Oh, you were pretty early on in that company, right?

 

Yeah, I wasn’t there at their beginning, beginning, but I was there when they were still kind of figuring, they still had a big following, but it wasn’t as big as it is today.

 

It’s huge.

 

Yeah.

 

Okay, what was it like working in a really, in a firm like that, that had that much reach, you know?

 

Right.

 

It was really fun.

 

I mean, it was fun because the clients that came to them loved it, came to them because they loved their style.

 

And I feel like it was a style that we all loved doing.

 

And so, I don’t know, it just made, whenever your personal style and the client’s style align, it makes it even more fun.

 

Well, and it probably feels a lot less like work.

 

Right.

 

Right.

 

Yeah, you’re all rolling in the same direction.

 

So it was really fun.

 

And I really feel like I learned way more during my time working there than I ever did in school.

 

That’s why I kick myself a little bit.

 

Cause I’m like, where would I have been if I had started sooner or like, you know, figured it all out sooner of what I wanted to do.

 

And I don’t know.

 

I just think you learn way more in the field than you do.

 

Yeah.

 

Lesson to all you young viewers.

 

Yeah.

 

You know, nothing can really beat, you know, that boots on the ground knowledge that you’re going to get learning something, doing it day in, day out.

 

And even doing the stuff at BYU, that’s pretty cool too, that, you know, you’re going to classes there, but at the same time, you’re looking at spaces already on campus and things like that, and they’re putting you to work.

 

Right.

 

You know, I imagine a lot of your work with, we’ll call them the, with the Netflix group.

 

And with, before that has been with new builds.

 

With Keenum, you’re doing some new builds, but also a lot of remodels.

 

Do you have a different approach in how you navigate remodels versus new builds?

 

I definitely think a renovation is its own kind of beast.

 

If you, I mean, there’s always going to be challenges where when you’re doing a new build, you’re starting from scratch.

 

And every detail you kind of have control over, where with a renovation, there’s existing things that you can’t change or you’re trying to incorporate or work around.

 

I prefer a new build any day.

 

A blank canvas.

 

Yeah.

 

But at the same time, it’s fun to see like the transformation of what something was before.

 

Yes.

 

That can be really gratifying.

 

And what it become.

 

Yeah.

 

What advice would you give to somebody who’s thinking about doing a new build?

 

And what advice would you give to somebody who’s starting to consider a remodel?

 

They’re on the fence about hiring a designer.

 

They don’t know if it’s worth the money.

 

And they’re just unsure about that aspect of it.

 

They, and maybe they’re thinking, oh, my sister or my friend or my cousin can do it.

 

And they just, they’re having a hard time getting over that hump of maybe writing that check to get their design contract going.

 

I feel like even if someone knows, like they feel like they have a good grasp on what they like, there are so many details that go into a new build or a renovation.

 

Things I even forget about sometimes as a designer, like there’s just so many details and to have to do it all yourself.

 

And we’re doing this all the time.

 

We’re doing it every day.

 

So we know like the good sources or like where we can get good pricing on something.

 

And so I feel like you’re gonna save money in that way too, like time and money because someone else is doing it for you faster.

 

There’s a huge difference working with a team whose edge is sharp versus somebody who’s doing it on the side.

 

You know, we’ve talked about projects that really align with your personal design style.

 

What happens when you get a client and the design style is completely different?

 

What’s that like?

 

I feel like as a designer, you can design a wide range of styles.

 

So when it is something that’s not necessarily like your go-to and your personal style, I think sometimes it might take a little bit more time.

 

But as long as you get inspiration from the client and really see kind of their goals and like the look that they’re trying to achieve, then you can get there.

 

A lot of the principles have a lot of overlap with space planning and stuff, but there is some nuance to each style.

 

Yeah, and maybe it’s just in light fix, just like those kinds of touches that might be a little different than what you would normally gravitate towards.

 

So a lot of people don’t know this, but Amanda was like the driving force behind, if you’ve been to our studio, Amanda designed that.

 

That’s really a demonstration of her prowess and her ability to do that.

 

As we brought her on board, we were also taking on this new spec home project in Askiah.

 

And so that timing worked out really well, and we actually were able to get her to help us out on the spec home.

 

So stay tuned for that.

 

That’s gonna be amazing as well.

 

I know, I feel spoiled.

 

I think it’s such a fun opportunity to do a new build, especially a spec home.

 

Yeah.

 

It’s fun.

 

Yeah, because without a customer on the other end, you know, there’s really, you’ve got full, but I guess you have harder customers.

 

Mostly, I have harder customers.

 

You’ve got us.

 

Harder clients, yeah.

 

Yeah, and there’s a lot of us.

 

There’s three of us, you know, so there’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen.

 

Right.

 

Maybe it’s not easy.

 

So sometimes that’s a challenge, but I think it’s still fun.

 

Fun to work with a team and try to incorporate everyone’s vision.

 

Well, we look forward to having you on the team and being able to create amazing spaces.

 

And so, you guys, if you are looking to either remodel or a new build, and, you know, come in.

 

We’ll, you can have a consult for free.

 

You can get to know our different designers, and we can align you with the one that’s gonna best suit your project.