This week, we sat down with the wonderful Ashleigh Weatherill, an interior design pro who has been featured in numerous publications including HGTV Magazine and Houzz.com. Ashleigh has been blogging since 2008, but her standout design skills have been highly recommended for years; well before her blogging adventure began. Meet our featured blogger of the week, Ashleigh of AshleighWeatherill.com!
Ashleigh Weatherill
How did you get your start blogging?
When I started my design firm it seemed like a good way to talk to potential clients and fellow design enthusiasts about what inspires me and what is happening in the world of design.
What do you love about interior design?
Oh, where do I begin…
How did you get your start in the industry?
That depends, my stepdad has his own contracting business so you might say I’ve been in the business from a very young age (I think I started drawing rudimentary floor plans around the age of 9). Although, I returned to school officially in 2005 and started professionally working on projects that same year.
What’s your favorite design style?
This varies by the day. One moment I’m completely in love with a danish modern piece, then the next I’m falling for an updated bergère.
Which look that you’ve designed has been your favorite to date, and why?
This is hard to say since every project is different and I love them all for different reasons. For me, it’s a successful design if 1) the client loves it and 2) it successfully mixes different design eras and elements.
Which renovation or design has been the most challenging, and what did you learn from it?
Again, they are all challenging and educational in their own way. I’ve been blessed with wonderful clients who trust me with a very personal part of their lives. I guess overall I’ve learned that the cliché “expect the unexpected” holds true in almost every project.
If you could only give one piece of advice when it comes to home renovations (in 140 characters or less), what would it be?
Hire a professional.
What’s your favorite Pfister Faucet and why did you choose it?
I love the Zuri.
A professionally styled faucet like the Zuri is at home in any design style, and is a very deliberate choice. I think it’s my personal favorite because I consider myself a fairly decent cook and any decent cook – dare I say chef – deserves a little bling in the kitchen.
What’s been the biggest accomplishment of your career to date?
I’ve had a pretty good start to 2013. My work was featured in one national magazine and one local, and is soon to be featured in another. To see your work in print is pretty thrilling.
How do you balance your vision with the client when you do not see eye to eye?
At the beginning of any project, I always tell my clients that there will be some decisions that I will go to the mat for. Fairly quickly my clients learn to trust me and know when I am certain about a choice, and when I just have a preference.
Where do you get inspiration for your work?
It always starts with the client. I have a questionnaire they fill out that helps start to create a concept.
eDesign services are unique, tell us more about yours.
It’s a really affordable solution for someone across the country or even across town who wants the guidance of a professional, but wants to either manage the project on their own, or just needs a general roadmap to get where they want to go.
Thanks so much to Ashleigh for sharing her design savvy with us. We can’t wait to see what her next project will be!
I really love Ashleigh’s designs and am happy to have found her blog as well! I love the faucet she picked out above and the one (the Pasadena) that she is giving away, along with you guys, on her blog! It would be such an amazing update to my new-to-me but 10 yr old kitchen! The current faucet sits so low that you can hardly wash anything in the sink without banging it, or your hands, up against it!