Author Archives: Amanda Hansen

Membership Spotlight: MaKayla Page

Name: Makayla Page
Company/Position: Carlson Veit Junge Architects PC, Interior Designer
IIDA member since: 2018

Why are you a member of IIDA?
I’m a member of IIDA because it offers an amazing opportunity to meet other professionals who are just as excited and passionate about interiors as I am. The ability to learn and grow through others in this field is so important and IIDA offers an outlet to do so. It’s a community that is built around the idea of helping each other succeed and that feeling of support is comforting. It gives members the leg room to focus on learning and to reach further in their work and accomplishments.

Favorite IIDA event:
As I am a new professional in the field, many of the events I have attended were student events. I still love the opportunity that the student design charrette offers to up and coming designers, I will always hold onto the memories I made in the ones I participated in. I am most excited to attend the next Design Crawl. I love walking through spaces and seeing the inner workings of talented designers’ minds.

Why do you support interior design licensing?
There are so many facets when designing our built environments. Ask any designer and they will give you a long list full of different categories and subcategories, about code, renderings, design principles, sustainability, everything down to relationships with GC’s and engineers. The list goes on and on. The more you know the better space you will create. Licensing is important because it informs all these aspects of being a designer. It is continued education and it helps prevent the professional from becoming stagnant. I view it as making our designers better, and therefore our world better.

What does being a designer mean to your life?
I believe being a designer of any kind is incredibly important as we shape the world and society. I am incredibly proud to be an interior designer. I am a first-generation college student who grew up in a working-class family. In lower socioeconomic communities the quality of our built worlds and “the way it looks” are viewed as less important. It’s “a roof over our heads” and that’s what matters. As a designer we know it is not that simple. Our built world is so important and one of the quickest ways to improve quality of life. I get to help build spaces with inclusivity, and wellness in mind, to make EVERYONE feel special and comfortable.

On a typical Saturday where can we find you?
A typical Saturday always includes me at home on a couch or in a theater watching at least one episode of a show, or a movie that I am or a loved one is excited about. I love being sucked into another world and seeing how it was created. An adolescent dream of mine was creating sets and doing set design. I will make mental notes and comments about the color theory used in creating the sets or even the characters. Make guesses at the materials being used. Who they are trying to emulate in the furniture. How color and environment set the tone for a scene and how it makes the characters feel. Listening characters describe their dream home or vacation and how the buildings and interiors are perfect for them. It offers a great amount of inspiration to me and expands my worldview as I get to see and meet people I haven’t met before. Understand them, their cultures, and of course their spaces.

Sponsor Spotlight: Haworth

Company Name: Haworth
Your Name: Jessica Simpson (Becker)
IIDA member since: 2016
Involved on the IIDA Oregon Chapter Board? I am new to the IIDA Oregon chapter but was part of the Southern California Board as VP of Communications. I am excited to learn how I can become more involved in the Oregon Chapter!

Haworth is a privately held, family-owned furniture manufacturer headquartered in Holland, Michigan. We design and manufacture seating, tables, movable walls, panels, storage, and wood casegoods. Haworth has been a global company for over 35 years with offices in more than 150 countries and customers all over the world. We have 8,000+ members and 400 dealers worldwide. We work with over 55% of the Fortune 500 companies and have 700+ registered patents. This year we celebrate our 75th anniversary in the business! 

What is your favorite IIDA event and why?
 Since I recently moved to the PNW, I am still learning about all the events that are put on by this chapter. I look forward to attending the Design Excellence Awards in October! 

What is your favorite product/service offered by your company and why?
Call me a nerd, but I get excited about our workplace research. I love uncovering the science behind well designed spaces and creating solutions that support well-being and enhance the workplace experience. 

What aspect of your company are you most proud of and why?
Haworth has been zero waste to landfill in globally since 2012. When you see that in person—a huge manufacturing facility with ZERO WASTE…it’s extraordinary. We are on the path to achieve net zero by 2050 and have a mid-term goal to reduce actual emissions 42% by 2030, including scope 3 supply chain emissions. 

What value do you see in being an IIDA Oregon Chapter Annual Sponsor?
As a new member to this chapter, I feel that annual sponsorship is essential to becoming involved in the community, meeting new people, and promoting Haworth’s brand. 

What impact do you see the IIDA Oregon Chapter having on the A&D community in Oregon?
IIDA brings our design community together. The chapter unites individuals with common interests to collaborate and create long lasting relationships.

What gets you excited about design?
 I love that good design has the power to connect people with space. As designers we can transform mundane spaces into environments that foster productivity, collaboration, and well-being—that’s magical!  

Interesting fact?
I recently got married in July and am perfecting my best autograph signature as “the other” Jessica Simpson.

Sponsor Spotlight: Absolute Resource

Company Name: Absolute Resource
Your Name: Jayson Gates
Local Rep’s Position/Years?: Owner / Principle 14 years
IIDA member since: 2005

At Absolute Resource, our mission is to build enduring relationships with design professionals and the most creative, innovative brands in the world. Based in the Pacific Northwest and celebrating over 10-years in operation, we are an internationally recognized firm collaborating and servicing clients in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. Our team is dedicated to your success. As an independent agent/representative Absolute Resource offers a full range of support, including detailed product presentations, brand expertise & advocacy, product sustainability, and sampling on behalf of our trusted partners.
Additionally, we provide resources on durability and budget, along with specialized design scope and material sourcing for sophisticated specifications. We are here to support and assist as you build your professional legacy through partnerships with prestige, innovative brands including: RBW lighting, Naughtone, Turf, Spacestor, Leland, Montisa, Miran Spaces and TextileMania. Our passion lies in working with creative, fun and interesting people who are changing the world through the transformative power of interior design. Thank you IIDA Oregon.

What is your favorite IIDA event and why?
The annual celebration as it’s a great event celebrating the creativity and commitment of our design community and IIDA members. What is your favorite product/service offered by your company and why?: Brand advocacy that includes domestic and international travel. We love exploring our brands and introducing the unique culture of our partners to the community in the PNW. We love to travel!

What aspect of your company are you most proud of and why?
We are proud that the design community in the Pacific Northwest has allowed us to thrive and work as partners on such memorable and creative projects through the years. 

What value do you see in being an IIDA Oregon Chapter Annual Sponsor?
IIDA has been part of our journey in the design community since the start of our career. We are proud to support an organization that supports the professionalism of interior Design and our community. 

What impact do you see the IIDA Oregon Chapter having on the A&D community in Oregon?
We see IIDA Oregon continuing to provide community and support to emerging and seasoned designers and firms. To provide a place for designers to thrive, grow, and to be inspired to create projects that are Innovative, healthy, safe, and transformative. 

What is your personal mantra?
What you seek is what you find. 

What gets you excited about design?
The intersection of digital and real life in the creative process. More human, less commodity. 

Favorite design magazine/blog?
Alcova.xyz (check it out and thank me later) 

Interesting fact?
I recently traveled to Sumba Indonesia and visited a Marapu village. I was gifted and accepted an offering of betal nut to prevent a “war” between our families. Disaster averted; you can call me “Indiana Jayson” now!

Sponsor Spotlight: LRS Architects

Company Name: LRS Architects
Services: Architecture, Interior Design and Master Planning
Number of years in business: 47
Involved on the IIDA Oregon Chapter Board?
Britney Hale, Director of Membership 2023-2024
Amalia Mohr, President 2011-2012

LRS Architects is an award-winning practice driven by a passion for good design that goes beyond aesthetics to create vibrant communities and spaces that support he well-being of those who inhabit them. Our 139-person firm is the largest majority woman-owned architecture and interior design firm in the Pacific Northwest, with offices in Portland and Bend, Oregon. We work throughout the United States and internationally in China, Canada, and Nicaragua. LRS projects have been recognized with dozens of awards and featured in hundreds of publications, including Architect, Fast Company, ENR, and Office Snapshots, among others.

What is your favorite IIDA event and why?
Our favorite event is the IIDA Design Excellence Awards Ceremony, celebrating our accomplishments in the industry with our design peers. It always promises an invigorating evening full of interesting conversation, inspiration, and excitement for the future of design. 

What is your favorite product/service offered by your company and why?
Collaboration is the most important service we offer at LRS. We love to collaborate with our clients, working together to find the best design solutions for their needs. It is a privilege to earn clients’ trust and learn from them about what inspires their community so that the design we generate together can unite their community in a way that is unique to them. 

What aspect of your company are you most proud of and why?
Happy designers make happy projects! Our firm culture is one of a kind, deeply rooted in the belief that empathy and creativity go hand in hand. We are proud to have built a firm differentiated by remarkable people who care deeply about their colleagues’ aspirations and hopes for the future.

What value do you see in being an IIDA Oregon Chapter Annual Sponsor?
Even though it is a group of competitors both within architecture and interior design firms or products, you would never know it when you attend an event or come together as a team.

The resources and support that the IIDA Oregon Chapter provides to our local interior design community is immensely valuable and elevates everyone’s work. It is so refreshing to see a tight-knit, engaging group of designers and product vendors from competing firms come together to build community around a shared passion for great design.

What impact do you see the IIDA Oregon Chapter having on the A&D community in Oregon?
Our membership benefits our community of designers and industry partners by providing opportunities for professional development, networking, and positions in leadership. The IIDA Oregon Chapter also offers great support to designers studying for the NCIDQ exam, which has benefitted many interior designers at LRS who have taken their exams. Ultimately, the health, safety, and welfare of the greater community is impacted by Interior Design Legislation, and IIDA’s leadership and advocacy in these efforts is widely recognized.

What is your personal mantra?
The LRS Interior Design Team understands that each of our clients’ stories are unique and deserving of a space that reflects that story. While we stay aware of what’s new and trending in the design world, we know that there is more to creating a space than simply following the latest trends. Our team prides ourselves on being a creative and collaborative group. We work closely with our clients to gain an understanding of their story, their needs, and their vision. By approaching each project with a balance of creativity and collaboration, we’re able to create solutions that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but functional as well.

Interesting fact?
We believe in breaking the status quo by celebrating diversity. Our passion for creating spaces that serve our users best through empathy and understanding of different perspectives stems from our majority women ownership. As a result, we bring fresh, innovative design solutions to every project we undertake. 

We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional service, and that is reflected in our repeat clients. In fact, 80 percent of our business comes from satisfied clients who return to us for their next project. We understand that each client is unique and has their own vision, and we are committed to bringing that vision to life through creative design solutions.

INTERIOR DESIGNER 5+ Years | Opsis Architecture

Interior Designer 5+ | Opsis Architecture, LLP |Portland, OR      

*Full Time   *Hybrid Work Schedule

Opsis Architecture, LLP is a leading Northwest firm combining a commitment to design excellence with a passion for innovative sustainable solutions. Our open and collaborative environment encourages energetic interaction, shared vision making and a strong sense of community. Our practice ranges from Higher Education and Cultural Arts to Community Centers, and Commercial Development, with projects throughout the western states.

As a JUST™ Organization, we are passionate about improving social equity and enhancing employee engagement. The JUST™ designation (through International Living Future Institute) helps us measure and improve our firm’s diversity, equity, safety, worker benefits and stewardship activity. Opsis has been named one of the country’s top 50 architecture firms by Architect magazine.

Opsis is looking for an Intern Interior Designer with 5+ years of experience to work on a wide variety of project types. Opsis takes great pride in our projects and believes that great environments are created by integrated and engaged design teams. Candidates should anticipate working directly with architectural staff as well as interior design staff on multiple aspects of the design. We hope to find an individual who shares our passion for this work, to fill a full-time position in our dynamic Portland studio.

Responsibilities:

  • Contribute to all project phases: programming client needs, project strategy, space planning, schematic plans and conceptual designs for schematic design, refine design solutions for design development, collaborating with multiple disciplines.
  • Contribute to the preparation of construction documents, including plans, elevations, details and specifications.
  • Produce graphic presentations, including 3D renderings, for client presentations.
  • Participate in the selection and presentation of furniture, furniture systems, fabrics, equipment (FF&E), color palettes, and lighting.
  • Generate finish plans, specifications, and material selections needed for construction.
  • Provide design support and documentation during completion and execution of design concepts.
  • Work with external consultants, product representatives, furniture dealers, fabricators and regulatory agencies to achieve project objectives.

Qualifications:

  • 5+ years of interior design in multiple project types including K-12 and higher education, civic, recreation, and arts.
  • Bachelors’ Degree in Interior Design or Architecture from an accredited school
  • Knowledge of building codes and standards
  • Proficient in Revit, Photoshop and InDesign
  • Ability to work on multiple assignments and deadlines.
  • Effective verbal and written communication skills
  • Excellent organizational skills
  • Graphic and visualization skills to effectively communicate design ideas.
  • Knowledge of furniture, finishes, materials, color selections, and specifications

Please visit www.opsisarch.com to learn more about our team, projects, industry recognition, community involvement and generous benefits program.

Opsis Architecture LLP is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Additional Application Instructions

Please submit a cover letter and resume:  Employment@opsisarch.com

*Opsis is currently operating on a Hybrid schedule:  Mon & Fri-Remote/Tues-Thurs in Office