Reflections on Designing the Primary Suite at the 2026 Pasadena Showcase House

Looking back over the past several months, it’s hard to believe how much this experience has shaped me—not only as a designer, but as a person.

When I first applied to participate in the Pasadena Showcase House of Design, I saw it as a personal challenge. Interior design at this scale was well outside my comfort zone. My background is rooted in architecture, construction, and design-build, but creating three fully realized interior spaces—each layered with custom furnishings, materials, artwork, and styling—was something entirely new.

More than 200 designers expressed interest in participating, and only 30 were ultimately selected. We each presented our vision to the selection committee, explaining not only what we wanted to design, but why. I called my concept Arcadian Sanctuary—a quiet retreat inspired by Clara Baldwin, the surrounding landscape, and the artistic optimism of early twentieth-century Czech and Viennese Modernism.

From that moment, the real work began.

Unlike a traditional client project, every designer is responsible for assembling the team, securing sponsorships, managing budgets, coordinating fabrication, and overseeing construction. Suddenly I wasn’t only designing—I was fundraising, negotiating, project managing, coordinating vendors, scheduling installations, and making thousands of decisions, all while continuing to run my own practice.

The months that followed became an exercise in persistence.

November and December were spent refining the design through sketches, renderings, and presentations before the committee. Once the concept was approved, I began reaching out to companies whose craftsmanship aligned with the vision. I was incredibly fortunate to partner with remarkable brands including Gracie, Sherle Wagner, Visual Comfort, California Closets, Dulcet Tile, Mission Tile West, TOTO, Arizona Tile, Corston, Custom Comfort Mattress, and Dunn-Edwards, our legacy sponsor, among many others. Their belief in the vision allowed the project to become far richer than I could have imagined.

Construction began in late January, followed by months of demolition, fabrication, custom cabinetry, tile installation, wallpaper, lighting, paint, upholstery, drapery, plumbing fixtures, and countless finishing details. Coordinating three interconnected spaces simultaneously—the bedroom, bathroom, and closet—was one of the most demanding professional experiences I’ve undertaken.

Then came what may have been the most difficult part of all: styling.

Styling taught me that great interiors aren’t created simply by selecting beautiful furniture. They emerge through editing, restraint, balance, and storytelling. Every object had to earn its place. Every layer needed a purpose. It was a lesson in patience and refinement that I will carry into every future project.

Before the house opened, the suite began attracting media attention from Pasadena Now, California Home + Design, ABC7, and several other publications and interviews. Then the doors opened, welcoming thousands of visitors over five weeks.

Watching people experience the rooms became the greatest reward.

Visitors spoke about the calmness of the spaces, the simplicity, the warmth, and the way the materials and colors made them feel. Many lingered far longer than expected, asking questions, sharing stories, and simply sitting quietly to take everything in.

Those conversations reminded me why design matters.

Design is far more than arranging beautiful objects. It has the ability to slow us down, reconnect us with nature, honor history, celebrate craftsmanship, and create spaces where people feel seen, protected, inspired, and restored. Good design can quiet an overstimulated mind, encourage reflection, and bring a sense of balance to our increasingly busy lives.

This experience has strengthened my confidence in my own design voice. It reinforced that meaningful design isn’t about following trends—it’s about creating places that enrich people’s lives and leave them feeling just a little different than when they arrived.

That is the greatest compliment any designer can receive, and one I will carry with me long after the Showcase House has closed.

Thank you to every sponsor, artisan, trade partner, volunteer, visitor, and friend who believed in this vision and helped bring it to life. This project would never have been possible without your generosity, collaboration, and trust.

I leave this experience with immense gratitude—and with even greater excitement for what comes next.

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