The Inspired Intermedia digital book collection
Issue link: https://inspired.uberflip.com/i/860776
I N T E R I O R D E S I G N 247 Waldron Designs Forget what you think you know about home styles when you sit down with Rachel Waldron, principal and owner of Waldron Designs. Instead, she'll ask you to talk about how you want a space to feel by using emotionally-driven adjectives to describe your ideal home. As Rachel says, mid-century modern or transitional mean something different to everyone, and they don't provide the full story of a homeowner's desires. So instead of focusing on a specific style, Rachel encourages her clients to think a little outside the box, to get creative about describing their ideal home. She then draws up a design based on what those words represent to them. For instance, if "warm" means physical warmth, then she'll ensure there is ample candlelight and plenty of luxurious pillows in the space. The unconventional approach yields inspired results and homeowners discover aspects of themselves that they had never thought of before. Inspired by everything around her, Rachel has always had a passion for great design. As a girl, she drew up floorplans for fun—sometimes altering her families' room use and function on paper so well that they took her advice and loved the results. Quite by accident, Rachel began working with a local architect when she was 18. When he realized her talent, he encouraged her to pursue her passion. She was enrolled in design school the following week of realizing this passion herself. With the same enthusiastic drive and an endlessly effervescent spirit, Rachel guides homeowners through the design process in a way that makes them feel like she's their best friend. Plus, she ensures there's always a surprise for the owners in her final designs. It might be in the form of a secret room, an unexpected collection of art, or the juxtaposition of a modern fixture against a whimsical tile, but one thing's for sure: there's nothing quite like a Waldron Designs home. LEFT: Maple cabinets combine with window trim in a driftwood-inspired stain, while white oak floors ground the space and pay homage to the wooded areas seen just outside the windows. A leaded glass insert was reused in the updated cabinetry at the owners' request; it was one of their favorite accents. Along the wall that runs behind the long island, recessed niches and under-stair storage hide a roll- out bar cart and barware. Photograph by Catie Bergman Photography VASHON