Our Designers

I love our new Calligaris collection. In fact, I found the perfect piece to put in my own kitchen.

There are some great reasons you should consider C.O.M. fabric in your interior design plan. Elissa demonstrates why.

We have a beautiful new contemporary furniture line and gallery at by Design store in Clive. Come in and see what “Italian Smart Design” is all about.

Late last fall, we were introduced to one of our newest vendors: Oios Metals. Ever since then, the company and their products have made quite the impression… both on us and our clients!

The modern home is always evolving. And, to get an idea of what that direction is — look no further than our new Modern Luxury room at by Design in Clive.

I love this new room!

A Brand New Home in a beautiful setting! We had the privilege to help Christine and Lee design their beautiful new home in the country near Indianola. They wanted their home to be very comfortable and inviting. They share their lives with family, friends, and three dogs. The design and furnishings had to facilitate every [...]

You’ll be amazed at the impact of fixing one small problem in your room! Is something nagging you about your room? Is is really good, but not quite… there? There may be some small element you just aren’t happy with. In fact, I’ll bet you already know what it is. For designers here at by [...]

Seven ways to get the most out of small spaces. Most of us face some kind of space constraint. But, good design and thoughtful choices can alleviate yours. 1. Storage. There are several ways to accomplish this in small spaces. Bookcases in any room or under a staircase are great for storing and displaying. Credenzas and [...]

New Interior Accents Lead to a Fresh, Cohesive Look I had the pleasure of working with a couple to add the finishing touches to their living room area.  They already had the Copley Square sectional and two Perone push-back recliners from by Design and were just looking for some end tables, lamps, etc. to finish out [...]

When Gaming and Interior Design Collide Yes, you read correctly, gaming.  It’s happening!  Finally, a concept that can bridge the gap between stylish interior design and the “man-cave” desire. When adding the finishing touches to a room, consider a gaming piece to fill that empty spot.  Now, I know what you’re thinking (did she really [...]

Are You Ready for the Return of Patterns in Interior Design? Do you like a lot patterns? Well so do I! Sometimes it’s hard to decide on what patterns you want in your space which is why it’s fun to have many patterns mixed together. Some say the rule of thumb is to have up to [...]

…to buy new furniture?? It may be the perfect time. Sometimes it seems as though the second Halloween is over, the Christmas season begins. Now don’t get me wrong – I love the Holiday season! It truly is one of my favorite times of the year because I get to see many of my family members [...]

Creating a whole new comfortable look! I had the pleasure of working with Jan and Bob Prosperi on this project. They had just gotten a beautiful new wood floor for their West Des Moines living room — and they wanted a whole new look to go with it. They really liked the Luxe Sofa that [...]

No Fear! Show your creative side! Is it OK to mix different colors of woods and metals together in the same space? I’ve gotten this question recently. And, it’s a fair question. My answer is YES! It’s very “in” and stylish right now to have a mixture of finish colors. Its a great way of elevating your room [...]

My Design Journey I graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Creative and Technical Design, which led me to my first post-grad job at the Headquarters of Abercrombie & Fitch in New Albany, Ohio. There I spent three years as a Technical Designer (an “engineer” of clothing, if you will), where any given day was spent [...]

Creativity Comes From Inspiration We thought we’d share this blog post from the Apartment Therapy blog. Though you won’t like all of these rooms (maybe any!), there are some interesting things going on here. I think what they all have in common is that they’ve managed to take their rooms our of the ordinary by [...]

No Matter your Decor, there’s a bar to match. There’s something slightly masculine (and very sophisticated) about even the most ornate bar cart, so the hubs will dig the fact that his bourbon is just an arm’s reach away. Back in the day, all the hip hostesses had one. Sure, they’re great at holding their [...]

Loving The New Bar Stools!! I wanted to share a photo I received from my customer Kim, in an email telling me how much she loved her new Bar Stools.  Kim came into by Design asking for an all wood bar stool that was modern — and had comfort.  I showed her this Brownstone Balboa Stool [...]

by Design client’s loft featured in Iowan Magazine. We’ve featured this sophisticated loft in one of our project posts, and now Iowan Magazine has done an article about it. The loft features magnificent views, open spaces and a walk-able neighborhood. When you add in the beautiful interior design that the Faber’s and by Design have [...]

Working with architectural elements is very important in Interior Design. That’s why a rustic loft offers such an opportunity. The exposed brick, concrete floors and exposed beams lay bare the architectural elements that underlie the room. This rustic loft – in Downtown Des Moines – offered that kind of opportunity. Keeping with the rustic theme, we [...]

Two favorite chairs are back at by Design I’m so excited that to have my 2 favorite chairs back on the by Design floor. The McCartney is a wonderful contemporary take on the classic wing chair. I’m far from the alone in my opinion: The McCartney was featured a few years ago in Elle Decor [...]

What do you get when you send two designers to market to purchase new items for the store? Get ready Des Moines, because by Design has some really neat things coming in. In fact, we’ve already started seeing things arrive. After an early morning plane ride into High Point, North Carolina, I finally got to [...]

Ask and You Will Receive. I met my great friend, Nancy, through our sons. Our years-long friendship developed through our shared experiences of raising our boys in Johnston, Iowa. Recently Nancy informed me that she and her family were moving to Dubuque. Her husband, Mark, would help run the family business – Sundown Mountain Resort. [...]