Week 9: Final Week

Summer Supper MenuAalto vase at Summer SupperThe mission/ purpose of Knox Heritage

The mission of Knox Heritage is to restore and maintain historic buildings and homes. I have known this mission since the beginning of my Knox Heritage internship. During my internship I have been able to experience what this really means. I have also learned that Knox Heritage is not just a business but an organization with a passion for history and beauty. Everyone I have met at Knox Heritage from office staff, board members, and volunteers all have so much joy when working on projects or talking about historic structures. Knox Heritage is a place where everyone always seems to enjoy their job and gain excitement from working. The work environment is one of the most positive environments I have experienced.

This Week (and Last Week)

I am combining this week and last week in this blog because I went on vacation in between. Last week I got to spend time in the Salvage Room working with clients. I got to help them choose the correct items for their needs. For example one lady wanted to find a door for her historic house. I helped guide her to one that was the correct size and style for her home. I also labeled the measurements on the doors so customers could easily find the correct size they needed. I took inventory of all of the items at Nostalgia so it would be easier to answer questions customers had about items and so we would know what we need to take to Nostalgia when the supply is low.

Door Entrance From Keller HouseBeth and I went to Lenoir City last week to document items from the historic Keller home. The Salvage Room will be having a sale in Lenior City two Saturdays later in the month. We measured, organized, and photographed items there. One of the most interesting items there was an entire staircase. Throughout my internship I have seen many spindles, treads, and risers from old staircases but I have never seen all of the parts to a single staircase together and not assembled in a house. 

Last week I also helped pack up the Westwood house. It was one of the most interesting things I have gotten to do so far in my internship. I mostly packed books and magazines. Many books were given to the first family family members that lived there as gifts and they had personal letters in them. Most of the books and magazines were from the 1800s and early 1900s. Some of my favorite books included art books from the 1800s and a set of Charles Dickens novels printed in the 1800s! I also got to see some of the plans for the renovation!

Summer Supper FruitsThis week I got to help with another Summer Supper. It was at Marleen and TK Davis's house. It was interesting to see a house that an architect lives in. Everything seems like it is just the right item/ material in just the right place. The home was built in the 50s by Barber McMurry Architects. The supper theme was 50s and 50s music was played throughout the home. I went the day before the supper and met with the rental company. The day of the supper I helped set up, served during the dinner, and helped clean afterwards. I enjoy working at the Summer Suppers because I get the opportunity to meet new people and to learn about the history of a home in Knoxville! 

New People

I am introducing two new people this week because one week I was not able to introduce anyone.

Melissa CharlesI have been able to work with Melissa Charles who is one of the committee leaders. She plans the Knox Heritage Summer Suppers. She is one of the hardest workers I have ever met. The Summer Suppers are one of the most enjoyable Knox Heritage events because of her dedication. She is a part of the special events committee in Knox Heritage. She is also a Knox County teacher at Holston Middle School. She aims for perfection and cares about those she is planning events for. Melissa's attitude reminds me that it does matter to pay attention to details when designing and to always aim for a happy client.

Mark DonaldsonThe next person I am going to introduce is Mark Donaldson. He and his wife Pat volunteer with the Summer Suppers. The Donaldsons have a pet cat and currently live in Knoxville.  Mark is the Director of the Metropolitan Planning Comission. He is originally from Minnesota. I have family in Wisconsin not too far away from where Mark is from and he was familiar with where they lived. Mark became interested in the Summer Suppers when he moved here because he wanted an activity to become part of the community. Mark is also half Finnish! His mother is Finnish. Mark has never lived in Finland but he has visited and said it was a wonderful experience! Since I am going to go to Finland soon this was great news. 

The End of the Beginning

This Week’s Activities: 

Tuesday office meetingWow! I can’t believe how fast the summer is coming to a close! It has been 9 weeks since I started at Lauderdale Design Group, and this will be my last blog post. I feel like I started yesterday, but at the same time I feel like I have been working there for ages. I was immediately welcomed into LDG with open arms and I have learned so much in just the short 9 weeks that I have been reporting back to y’all about my experience. I have met so many wonderful people, been introduced to endless great products, and gained knowledge in the professional interior design work environment. 

I feel so lucky that I was given the opportunity to work with Lauderdale Design Group. Joy, Deborah, Dani, Cathy, & Jess have become my greatest mentors and a great second family. I am honored to say that I have been offered a job with Lauderdale into the fall as a paid intern. I am so excited that I get to stay on the team and be part of the amazing work Lauderdale Design Group is producing. 

Cleaning out the textile section of our materials libraryThis week I made great progress with getting our materials library in order. Since Neocon, we have been getting tons of new products in from reps that were showcased and we started to run out of room to store them. We have a limited amount of space in our library so this week I went through all the sections of our library and weeded out the stuff we would never use, duplicate items, and discontinued products. I was able to clear out enough products to make room for the new updated items.  

I also did quite a bit of work on our Salon Project. I helped Deborah select ceramic tile for the back of house and hair station flooring, as well as help her order some luxury vct for the retail portion of the building. I made a up to date finish key and schedule to go along with that using prisma color pencils for the final finish presentation as well. We are also trying to match a wall covering to the existing chain curtains that the Salon has. This became one of my tasks and I ordered around 10 different options for our upcoming meeting this Monday.  

Jess and I spent some time at the UT Music Building. Our task was going through each room and making sure that the furniture ordered for it was in place. This was a long and grueling task because many of the rooms are locked so we would have to call UT maintenance to open each door for us. Luckily, he was very understanding and helpful when it came to helping us out that afternoon. 

Knox Heritage Summer Supper at Marleen Davis's House, Setting upSaturday I volunteered on behalf of Lauderdale Design Group for the Knox Heritage Summer Supper at Professor Marleen Davis’s house. It was so much fun and I absolutely loved meeting all the great volunteers. It was amazing that almost all the stuff was donated and the event looked amazing. I was so happy because I got to work with my close friend and classmate, Monica Cota. We had so much fun and it was great to spend some time with her before she leaves for Finland to study abroad. We spent the better part of the morning setting up for the event. This included moving tables and chairs from the carport into the room the dining was taking place. We also set the tables up and prepared everything presentation wise. We then headed to Fresh Market to get some last minute groceries for the event. We spent some time doing food prep, cutting lemons, butter, and plating items for easy use at the bar. When guests started to arrive we were the appetizer servers. My tray had bacon wrapped water chestnuts with a barbecue glaze and Monica’s tray had cream cheese, chive, and sausage stuffed mushrooms. 

Monica and I in our serving apronsOnce the guests were seated Monica and I made sure everyone had the beverages of their choice. We served cocktails, red and white wine, coffee, and water throughout the four course meal. We also helped clear and rinse dishes throughout. After the guest finished their meals, we were able to help clean up the dining room and start packing up all the dishes, tables, chairs, etc. Luckily, we didn’t have to clean the dishes, we only had to stack them up in the crates to be taken back to the rental place Monday morning. It was a long night, but so gratifying. I really enjoyed myself and hope to continue volunteering with Knox Heritage in the future. They were even kind enough to give me a floral centerpiece as gratitude. It was just such a fun event to be a part of! 

This Week’s Focus:

Lauderdale Design Group’s design philosophy is to create timeless spaces that are current. They strive to work with their clients to create the perfect space that is both functional and stylish. They love to “design local” and choose to hire local artisans and order most their products from companies whose warehouses are within 500 miles, but most certainly in the United States. Lauderdale Design Group aims to please and always designs with their clients in mind. 

This Week’s Introduction: 

Lori Wilson, Project Manager for Capital Projects at UTKThis week I am introducing Lori Wilson. I met Lori my first day as a design intern with Lauderdale Design Group, so I think it’s a great way to end my blog with her introduction. She has been a constant during my time at LDG and I think she just might be the most fun too. Lori is from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She went to college right here at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville. She is currently a Project Manager for Capital Projects at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Any of the projects Lauderdale Design Group does with UTK involves Lori. Lori is momma to two handsome sons that she is extremely close to. She is very involved in Knoxville’s design community and has tons of friends that she is so close to she calls them family. She is a great friend of all the ladies at our office and we love working with her! She has become a great mentor for me since I have been with LDG. Some of her hobbies include reading, traveling, and gardening. Lori’s job keeps her extremely busy though!

Week 8: A Beautiful (Work) Life

This Week’s Activities:

Joy, Cathy, and I collaborating on LDG laundry roomThis week at Lauderdale Design Group was jam packed! It was by far the busiest week yet, and was also my favorite week so far. We had so much going on and I got the opportunity to meet so many great people. I also had a lot of fun this week and got to see some of my classmates who are also doing internships.

Monday involved a lot of prep work for the huge UT residence hall finishes meeting Lauderdale hosted Tuesday. I helped Dani and Jess do some plot and printing, as well as help pull some furniture selections. I also helped Joy write a paragraph long proposal about LDG’s education experience. I am so lucky to work with a company that has experience with such a wide range of design genres. I also did a little research on making materials boxes to keep finish selections in while the projects are on hold. 

Tuesday was all about the UT residence hall finishes meeting. I helped set everything up for the meeting, I also helped clean up and organize the office in preparation for visitors. I helped get together drinks for our guest and sat in on the meeting. When the caterer arrived I helped her get everything set up. I was in charge of taking the notes for the meeting. I got to see one of my classmates, Stephanie Woodle, who was there with her boss Tiffany. They came from facilities planning because this was a UT building. Once the meeting was over, lunch was served, and the meeting ended, I helped clean up. I then typed up all the notes Jess and I had written during the meeting. We also had a rep meeting later that afternoon with Jay Lanier from Interface carpets. Our area rug in the office is an interface product and they have some very innovative products. 

UT Music Building ShootWednesday I was on site at the UT Music Building shoot all day long. In the morning I helped unload all of the props and things brought for the shoot. I ran back to the office to get even more props once we decided we needed even more. We then did a lot of setting up for the shoots and styling of the shots. We were able to get a lot of the shots styled with the help of CBI, who provided out the Knoll furniture used throughout the building. For lunch we went over to the Art+Architecture Building for a rep meeting with Knoll Textiles. They brought us some yummy Zoe’s Kitchen and we reviewed their new products while eating. Then we headed back to Music to style and shoot more photos. We ended up getting 6 shots, and will probably need to have another full day in order to get everything we need. The building is so large that it takes much longer to get all the photos we need. Jess and I packed up all the props and took them back to Lauderdale to unpack and put away everything. It was a long day, but also a great one. Denise Retallack, our photographer is such a joy to work with and I always enjoy spending time working with her at the shoots. I look forward to seeing the pictures!

Edelman Leather Rug SampleThursday was a crazy day in the office. We had rep meetings all day long. Our first rep was with Edelman Leather. She had some amazing new products and it was so much fun to hear about how the leather is made and the process for making their products. She also told us about how to get purses/belts/wallets made from the leather samples that aren’t being manufactured anymore! Which we all would love to get. Their products are truly one of a kind and I am obsessed. We had a lunch meeting with Vicky Colman from Coalesse as well. She had some awesome products to show us and also helped Dani & Deborah with some furniture specs for a future project. It was a lot of fun to get to know Vicky and she has such a great line to represent. We also got to meet the rep for J+J Invision, a carpet manufacturer we didn’t currently have in the library. It was great to get some new products. I spent most my time with reps and in the materials library organizing. I also helped Deb pull some pin board panel fabrics.

Dani's Surprise Birthday CelebrationOn Friday morning Dani, Joy, and I headed over to the Westwood House on Kingston Pike. This will be the new headquarters for Knox Heritage. The house was absolutely amazing and the history was even more interesting. I got to see Monica Cota, one of my close friends and class mates who is a intern for Knox Heritage. I also got to see one of my professors, Sandy Martin. It was a great visit and nice meeting all the other designers collaborating and donating their time to renovate the house. LDG will be renovating all the corridors and bathrooms. I also spent some time pulling poms for a rug in the UT Music Building lobby and space planning for the mailroom. At the end of the day, we surprised Dani after a grueling meeting with a Birthday celebration. It was so much fun and I feel so lucky to work with LDG. They truly love and support each other. Something that I think sets them apart from the other firms in town. They are like family.  

This Week’s Focus:

UTRH Finishes PresentationThis week I am focusing on learning about Lauderdale Design Group’s presentation techniques and computer applications. LDG uses indesign, photoshop, and powerpoint to make their client presentations. They always have a hard copy of their work to show clients as well as to mark up with notes during meetings. They bring samples of all their materials to meetings as well. When giving a presentation they use the computer to pull up a digital copy of their work alongside their physical materials. On large projects, they sometimes choose to hire someone to create 3D renderings and movies that showcase their ideas and designs. They set up all their materials on a table and vocally present their projects to clients on a regular basis. 

In general, LDG always presents their ideas and design in a clear, organized manner. They are prepared for meetings and use the aid their selected materials, floor plans, and furniture selections to guide their presentations. 

This Week’s Introduction:

Cassidy Barnett, CBIThis week I am introducing Cassidy Barnett. Cassidy is origionally from Gatlinburg, TN. She always knew she was going to attend college at UTK because her parents went there, and it was always a tradition she wanted to carry on. She majored in interior design because she always had a passion for interiors and decorating, and knew that she wanted to make a career of it! Since graduating from UTK, Cassidy has become a Project Manager for an aligned Knoll dealer called CBI (Contract Business Interiors). She found out about the job opportunity through a college friend who introduced her to Mr. Vance of CBI. Cassidy loves working for CBI. Every day is different. It is a fast-paced environment and she loves the CBI culture. Cassidy is grateful to have been given the opportunity to work for such a great company right out of school. She plans to stay with CBI and look for potential opportunities to grow within the company. 

Cassidy enjoys regularly volunteering at Ignition Church. She also does finger paintings when she has the time. See her website here. Some of her work is currently on display/for sale at the Plum Gallery in Bearden. 

Week 8: HABS

Light at NostalgiaHistoric American Building Survey

The historic American Building Survey is commonly abbreviated HABS. It is a documentation collection of historic buildings. It started during times of depression to give people jobs. The jobs given were along the lines of surveying buildings. HABS has around 556,000 architectural drawings. The documentation for the buildings typically includes a photograph of each elevation, and data pages that tell information about the building. Sometimes it includes architectural drawings, but not always. The Ramsey House, The William Blount Mansion, and the Tennessee School for the Deaf are some of the buildings from Knoxville that are in the HABS collection.

The process is to record each elevation through photographs and research the information for the data pages. This information includes the architect, the date it was built, who owned it, and other historical information. If the drawings are available they are also included in the documentation.

Tongue and Groove Board This Week

This week I hung a tiffany style lamp from the L&N Station in the Nostalgia booth for Knox Salvage. We received a donation of tongue and groove boards. I separated the complete pieces from the broken pieces and measured the linear square feet of the complete pieces. I learned how to remove hardware from an antique door, and addressed letters to donors. I attended a Summer Supper meeting at Professor Davis’s house in Sequoia Hills. I also went to a meeting of the Events Committee. We discussed an upcoming Auction to raise money for Knox Heritage.

Casey at Knox HeritageNew Person

This week I am introducing Casey Fitzgerald. Her title at Knox Heritage is Administrative Assistant. She goes to University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She is Sandy Martin’s daughter. Last semester I had Sandy Martin for my Interior Design Business class. Sandy is on the Knox Heritage Board, and that is how Casey found out about the position. Casey and I share a passion for horses. We both enjoy jumping and like to watch the Rolex Horse Show. We also both went to high school in Knoxville.

Week 7: A New Face

This Week’s Activities:

This was a very low key week at Lauderdale Design Group. Joy was out of the office enjoying some vacation time, and we were so happy to welcome Jess King back for a month or so in preparation for Deborah going on maternity leave. I had never met Jess, though she was in the program at UT while I was a freshman. I was so happy to meet her and she is truly an inspiration for all interior design students. I’ll go into more details later in my introduction!

Great addition to LDG's materials library, a book of awesome rugs. I learned something new this week about product manufacturer’s... when once company comes out with new products, they ALL do. Yes, just like clothing stores, product manufacturers have new lines that come out at the end of summer, just in time for the fall and winter season. My inbox was full of emails from product rep’s wanting to set up meetings with the LDG design girls to go over their newest products. I spent a big chunk of time working around everyone’s busy schedule to set up rep meetings. We also had quite a few reps come into the office this week with new products. We had a great lunch meeting with Alli Mair, of mohawk, who showed us some great new carpet samples. We also had a really fun meeting with Jennifer Mullins, the rep for 3form. 3form has some amazing new products coming out and some great design ideas. All of their products have a great story behind the design concept. We met with many more reps than this, but those two had my favorite products! I am so lucky to meet all these great product reps and learn about the different product manufacturers in the design industry. As the student chapter president of ASID, I look forward to using my new connections to make our annual vendor show truly spectacular this year!

Materials for higher education/hospitality projectCathy was out of the office this week so I took over answering the phones, and some of the office chores that she usually attends to. It made me realize how much she truly does for us. I watered the plants, took out the trash and recycling, checked the mail, and emptied staff trash cans. I actually enjoyed doing these small tasks, and the way our office is set up, makes it extremely easy to keep the place in tip top shape. 

I spent a large chunk of time continuing with the LDG laundry room project this week as well. Joy wanted me to present what I had come up with when she returns from vacation this Monday, so I was busy at work. I asked Dani what I needed to have, which ended up being floor plans, and elevations, spec sheets for products used, and a price sheet. Last week I came up with multiple different floor plans using a couple different products. So this week I narrowed it down to one and created a final floor plan, as well as elevations that show what each wall in the space will look like. I also picked out my final products, and printed out the sheets. Pricing the laundry room was fairly easy and I look forward to hearing what Joy has to say about what I have to show her! 

This Week’s Focus:

The relationships Lauderdale Design Group produce through staff/client interaction are the most important that they have as a firm. Much of their work comes through referral and repeat clients. LDG keeps project records for ten or more years after the project is finished. It is their responsibility to maintain the information relevant to a project. Samples are the most important because LDG is the one responsible for archiving the materials used on the projects. Follow-up appointments after project completion are encouraged and clients are always welcome to contact with question or concerns after completion of project. In the design industry, a designer never stops growing and learning. Every project is different, requiring varied skill sets. A LDG client, who oversees many projects always says “I don’t mind learning something on a project. I just don’t want to re-learn it on the next project.” Mistakes are inevitable, but designers should learn from them and avoid making the same mistake in the future. That is one of the many ways LDG designers learn from projects. It is important to LDG to stay connected with clients from completed projects. They like to have repeat clients, and stay on projects. After a project is finished, future updates will be charged as add service or as a new project entirely. LDG works with many of their clients long after project completion. Lauderdale works in corporate, hospitality, higher education, and residential facility types, with a wide range of client types.

This Week’s Introduction:

Jess King, Designer, LDGThis week I am introducing Jess King. Jess has been working as a intern and designer at Lauderdale Design Group on and off for over a year. She has rejoined the team this week to stay for a month in preparation for Deborah leaving on maternity leave. Jess is from Philadelphia, PA. She chose to study interior design not really knowing what it entailed but thinking it could be a fun career path. She visited The University of Tennessee-Knoxville campus and fell in love with the art + architecture building. It was one of the more affordable schools she toured as an out of state student that she was accepted to. Upon her graduation from UTK she decided to go on to pursue a masters degree in architecture at The University of Texas. She has a great desire to teach and was craving to know more about this career path. Interior Design was fascinating to Jess but she needed to know about the bigger picture. She has work experience as a intern for UTK professor Barbara Klinkhammer, doing drawings for Barbara’s book being a color theory TA. Some of her hobbies include reading, traveling, playing the piano, and being with friends.