Have you faced any challenges as a Black designer?īeing a Black woman in general comes with its own challenges, such as feeling the need to prove your worth unnecessarily and microaggressions from peers. Experience is the best way to introduce young people to the world of design, and it will help them make an educated decision before committing to an expensive school. My advice would be to research as much as possible to find a school that has a great design program and an internship or mentorship module. What advice would you give students who want to enter this field? Colorful artwork adds interest to an understated cabinet. I also have an abstract painting by my best friend, artist Billy Ruiz, which I have had almost as long as I’ve been in New York. These art pieces provide me with a sense of warmth and strength whenever I look at them. I have them both framed similarly, hanging next to each other. I have this lovely photo that my mom gave me of my maternal grandmother and a piece of beautiful artwork that my dad gave me from my paternal grandmother. Is there something in your home that has significant value for you? Each piece in my apartment has a sculptural and unique silhouette so even though the objects are minimal, they still take up space. I wanted to keep that feeling with the overall aesthetic of the space-light, airy, and cloudlike. I have a lovely view of Central Park, and because I’m on the top floor, it feels like I am floating in the clouds. What inspired the design of your own apartment? The idea is to create a “third space” that employees want to work from versus having to. I want my design to feel inspired and to provide a space where the client is able to function at their highest capacity, always feeling happy and welcome. What would you like people to take away from the spaces you create? Next, I begin the design documentation for the floor and lighting plans, elevations, and other details like those. My process is a phased approach starting with the conceptual phase, which includes the creative direction, mood, palette, among other things. It’s like designing multiple typologies in one, which keeps it interesting. I also like how multifaceted start-up programmatic requirements are. They tend to have a strong vision of their brand and company, but they fully trust my expertise when it comes to design. I like how open and trusting the founders are in most startups. What excites you most about designing start-ups? The idea was to really get to the core of how these companies function, what does and doesn’t work, and what could work better. The need for open offices and collaborative areas was an interesting and challenging problem to solve. Designing for start-ups was a niche that hadn’t really been explored. Based on its unique programmatic needs and free spirit, I knew there was a demand for this. The first project I ended up getting through that Craigslist search was Codecademy, a start-up that focused on teaching coding. I managed to find an interior design job at a hospitality firm but knew I wanted to work for myself. When I graduated from school, we were in the midst of the great recession, so I was constantly on Craigslist looking for opportunities that were off the beaten path. What was your entrée into working with tech startups? How do you cater to the unique needs of these companies? Dani Arps, Interior Designer Dani Arps' chic living room.
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