I currently work at Dawson Design Associates in Seattle. The company’s main focus is hospitality projects with an occasional residential or healthcare project. At DDA every project is unique and has a different story; it is the designer’s job to work with the client to tell that unique story through the design. The projects range in location from being local to all over the country. As a designer, every day is different and what I do depends on the phase of the specific projects that I am working on. My day can range anywhere from writing specs, putting together spec and finish binders, doing custom drawings for furniture and light fixtures, doing AutoCAD drawings, product research and much more. I also spend time networking with sales reps and arranging presentations with them. I am constantly learning and being challenged to grow as a designer.
As I began working as an interior designer after graduation I realized that everything I had been taught in the interior design classes at SPU I had already started to put to use! The instructors did a wonderful job at preparing us for the “real world” of design. The knowledge I gained at SPU was a good foundation to build upon with the work experience I am now gaining after graduation.