Our Designers

We are finally welcoming warmer temperatures here in Iowa. It’s time to move the party outdoors with some of our favorite outdoor furniture ideas! This Canyon outdoor sectional is jaw-dropping! Woven teak, faux hyacinth, charcoal color cushions that are weather and sun-resistant scream warm and inviting! Add a few accent tables to hold your cold [...]

Now that the kids have moved out… This is an opportunity staring you in the face! Not everyone would recognize that. My clients, Melissa and Dave did. This is a lower level space in their Ankeny home. They decided that they wanted to maximize the seating and create a cozy space to watch sports or movies. [...]

This new home interior design project offered opportunities for learning and discovery for it’s Des Moines teacher and homeowner.

Long-time BY DESIGN clients Tracey & Greg of Waukee loved the existing living room furniture they purchased from our store years ago, but they were ready for an update. They stopped in to do some browsing and met with Jessica who was eager to help with a new design. BEFORE One aspect they always loved [...]

How one Des Moines couple discovered their personal sense of interior design style… and the choices they made in their new home. Introducing the new Melhus home! Brad & Casey just purchased the cutest Beaverdale home! They are returning customers to BY DESIGN so they knew they were in good hands when looking to furnish [...]

When I first met Rita, we found a shared fondness for color. You should consider using colors in your home’s interior design. Here’s why: Rita was looking to liven up the living room of her Urbandale home. As is often the case, her living room is the first room you see when you enter. And [...]

My client, Nancy, recently purchased a new home in Adel. She completely remodeled the home to give it a much-needed contemporary update. All the dark trim was painted white with light gray walls, new carpet and flooring throughout. Modern black accents and light fixtures were added. Now she needed an interior design that reflected her [...]

Sometimes clients are like old friends. You feel like you have known them for a long time. Rosa & Mel would certainly fall into that category. Their design style is what we refer to as New Classics. Modern lines, materials and colors with a nod to traditional. I have been working on their interior design [...]

The new year means a buzz of 2021 interior design trend predictions on what will be the most important styles and colors in the world of furniture and home décor. Here’s a snapshot of some the more prominent forecasts we are watching. Let’s start at the basics: color! Pantone surprised us this year by having [...]

Better relationships lead to better design

Angela falls for the Kaden group – a BD favorite from American Leather

Take a look at Jessica’s Style Board featuring New Classics design style

Changing tastes reflect a changing life

Great design choices years ago yield a wonderful upgrade today.

Tracy stopped in to BY DESIGN with a mission to refurnish her living room – she is working on remodeling projects throughout her Windsor Heights home. Before Functional Considerations One challenge of her living room was that it has a split focal point. This issue is not unusual! Her fireplace is on one end and [...]

Kaden Sectional, Stephanie Swivel Gliders, Lilly Ottoman and Oona Rug When Jayne stopped into BY DESIGN she was looking for comfortable furniture to refurnish and refresh the lower level of her Clive home. Our challenge was to find pieces that compliment the colorful and sunny walk out basement. She had a lot of space to [...]

Rapport makes the difference in creating your perfect room When I first met Linda in the store we connected right away. She had told me about a major remodel that her son had completed on her Pleasant Hill home. She wanted to make sure it was furnished beautifully to complete the look they had worked [...]

My recent client, Tammy in Ankeny, had shopped at BY DESIGN a few years ago and purchased a recliner that she loves. So when she recently built a new home, she knew she wanted to come back to BY DESIGN to find the perfect pieces for her new living room. Perone Recliner Her Perone recliner [...]

Jessica and Angela introduce the Louise Variations Collection Variations styles like the Louise are important tools to help us create your perfect room. Here’s why: We have a Louise sofa and two chairs on our floor – each in a different configuration. We also have an arm variation display. You can sit on each and [...]

Deborah teaches art at Iowa State University. That could be daunting for a designer. Or… you could choose to look at it as a terrific collaboration opportunity. I choose option two! She was looking to refresh her living room. She wanted a modern, sleek update. Like so many, Deborah’s search began online. After searching BY [...]

MODERN… BUT COMFORTABLE. It’s really not too much to ask, is it? A room with modern lines, colors and textures that is so visually inviting and so physically comfortable that you love to live in it? And yet, it is a concern. Deanne, Angela and Laura took that challenge head on. Practical needs included living [...]

Here’s a new twist on furnishing around that fireplace with the shelves on both sides. Laura’s longtime client Shelly wanted a different look to her new Johnston home. Since we have furnished several living rooms in different homes over the years, we wanted a fresh take. She knew she wanted warm whites and the ultimate in comfort. We paired [...]

As we going roaring into the 20s of this century, we are excited to explore new design trends… and some that hint of the past. Botanicals & Bold Colors For this trend, we give a nod to American Leather’s recent showroom at the Fall High Point Market. Here at BY DESIGN we have always been [...]