As a proud Midwesterner, growing up in a small town outside of Cincinnati, Carolyn always loved solving problems and has a strong orientation toward creative thinking. She knew from an early age she wanted to leverage these skills in her career. She graduated from Miami University with a degree in Marketing and Entrepreneurship and also has an MBA from Xavier University. She spent 18 years as a Brand Strategist, living at the intersection of business, culture, design and consumer behavior. What she loves about branding is it requires you to connect with people on a human level to move them to action. It is about understanding how and why people make decisions.
A Passion for Art and Interior Design
Carolyn always had a passion for art and design. Her Grandma was an artist and was a huge inspiration in her life. She wasn’t afraid to experiment with color, patterns, texture and layering. She was bold and full of life, and her home reflected her vibrancy and zest. She was the first to model that your home – your choices in art, rugs, wall coverings, draperies, furnishing – reflect your personality and when curated, work together to tell your story. “My career in Branding allowed me to lean into many of these principles, but I always knew one day I would want to try my hand at bringing people’s stories to life through the physical environment. That is why I made the pivot from Branding to Interior Design.”
Heritage School of Interior Design in Denver
“I was extremely attracted to the real-world, hands-on, technical nature of the Heritage School of Interior Design Master’s Certification Program in Denver. I knew I wanted to pivot my career, but I didn’t want to feel like I was starting over or negating all the hard work and experience I’d acquired over the past 18 years. HSID applies a “yes and” approach to their educational program. “Yes” they honor where I’ve been and what I’ve learned … “And” they are teaching me the industry skills I need to be a successful Interior Designer in Denver. This program is purposeful, highly curated and intentionally focused on preparing students to be high performing from the moment they graduate.”
Designing Spaces that Tell Stories
“For the first time in my life, while I know the path I am on, I am keeping an open mind about how the details of my story will unfold. What I do know, is that I want to create spaces that make people really FEEL something deep in their soul. I want my designs to resonate with people on an emotional level and I want to help individuals, families, brands, and companies tell their unique stories through the physical world.”
Inspiration and Interior Design Style
“My Grandma taught me your aesthetic should morph and change as you evolve as a person. So, I feel like my inspiration is drawn from the life I have lived (so far). I love learning and have an insatiable curiosity. Every experience I have and every person I meet is an opportunity to gain inspiration. If I was to gather everything that inspires me onto a piece of paper, it would look very eclectic and highly curated. But in many ways, that is also my design style and a reflection of how I’ve chosen to live my life.”
Carolyn and her husband, Sam, are celebrating their 14th wedding anniversary this summer and are proud parents of two birddogs – Nigel the Vizsla and Elsa the German Short-haired Pointer. She is also an avid reader, loves to paint, and coaches 6 and 7 year old girls in soccer! Since she grew up in the Midwest (aka the land of gray sky), you can find her outside any chance she gets – skiing, cycling, hiking and generally embracing the 300 days of sun Denver, Colorado offers.
