Periwinkle Porte recently had the delightful opportunity to sit down and chat with Maggie Tandysh, one of Associates III Interior Design’s remarkable senior designers, about her approach to and thoughts on interior design. Here’s what she had to say:

Periwinkle Porte: When you first put pencil to paper for a project where do you start?

Maggie Tandysh: I like to start with the master plan, playing with the style, location and architectural aspects that are already in place, finding ways to integrate the outside with the inside of the home and building on these features by repeating or complementing the exterior finishes and identifying areas for the key details to come.

PP: Speaking of details, talk a bit more about this important design component.

MT: Details show care and attention. It comes down to building things in to the design that have a purpose, are well thought out and provide for great use of space. Take bathrooms, for example, which can become tedious and redundant in a home if the details are not carefully attended to. I personally love designing bathrooms. I enjoy selecting tiles that bring interest into the space and choosing fixtures that are unique so they seem more like furniture rather than hardware.

PP: What else about designing interiors do you particularly enjoy?

MT: Now that’s hard to say; I enjoy so much! I enjoy coordinating the pieces – taking the concepts and big picture ideas and making sure to implement them in a way that everything blends seamlessly and works well together.

PP: With this in mind, where do you draw your inspiration from?

MT: I find inspiration in so many places – from the architect’s words, to the client’s wishes, to finding ways of utilizing different team member’s strengths and expertise. A lot of my inspiration comes from being 100% accountable, knowing that the client and team are counting on me. I revel in knocking a client’s socks off and that definitely keeps me going!

PP:  Describe your ideal team to work with.

MT: A collaborative team is so important. I love working with a team that is open to ideas, seeks involvement, provides feedback and confirmation, one in which each person – architect, builder, client, designer and subcontractors – has a strong buy in on the project and brings their excitement and enthusiasm to their daily duties.

PP: How do you feel when the final piece is in place and the last installation is done?

MT: So proud and satisfied! Thankful to the team that we pulled it together; I love the sense of completion that comes at the end of a project – the period at the end of the sentence when all the i’s are dotted and t’s have been crossed. I find there are always lessons to be learned, a different way of doing things to keep in mind for the next time. Our projects are always filled with high integrity and high quality, which makes the final moments really special and meaningful.

— Periwinkle Porte