“To me, an inspired space is personal, one that truly represents the people who live within… their values, what they love, how they live. I listen carefully to my clients’ needs, goals, likes, and dislikes (which are equally important!) to provide creative and informed design solutions that ultimately result in the creation of their own inspired space” ~ Cillesa Ullman
Cillesa, how did start your career in interior design?
I have been practicing professionally for 22 years, but I’ve always had a flair for design. As a girl, I doodled for hours sketching my dream home and floor plans. I was the girl who saved my allowance to buy furniture instead of clothes, and I constantly rearranged and repainted my room. My parents were hippies and my dad is a painter, so I grew up with my easel next to his. My parents had always encouraged the fine arts and creative side of me, but they had not identified the things I was doing, such as sketching floor plans or re-arranging furniture in my room, as “interior design” activities. The obvious connection wasn’t made for me until I got to college; it was then I learned there’s a whole career of Interior Design out there, and it was a happy surprise for me.
My degree is in Fine Arts and Design; after college, I focused my career exclusively in the interior design direction. Soon thereafter, I wanted to get my national Interior Design Certification. I learned that I needed a minimum of 8 years of field experience (since my degree wasn’t interior design specific), so it wasn’t a fast track for me… Happily, I passed both the national and state exams, and I’m a certified Interior Designer, which allows me to stamp plans for permitting.
Who are your favorite clients?
I love helping young families that don’t have a lot of time but have a sense of style and maybe aren’t able to articulate it. I consider a huge part of my job to serve as the visual interpreter. I always ask: “How do you want your space to serve you? How do you want to feel in your home?” Our environments affect us so much, and I think in many ways, interiors are like people – having a character and mood… I always ask my clients: “What personality do you want your kitchen to have?” For me, I want my kitchen to feel fun and energetic, that’s why I’ve chosen red cabinets and such a rhythmic backsplash.
I’m extremely sensitive to my environments, and I think a lot of people are as well, perhaps without realizing it. In addition to being focused on general design concepts like function, composition, layout, color, and texture, I also think of myself as a steward to creating the perfect space for the individual client. That is my way of helping people to create beautiful and functional spaces that support them.
What’s challenging in this work?
The first thing that comes to my mind is the talent pool. The most talented contractors and tile installers are booked way out, and that can drive prices up. I also find that clients may have unrealistic ideas for how long projects can take, so I like to advise my clients on what to expect in terms of time and cost for their remodel projects.
Communication can sometimes a be a challenge, too. I find that when discussing visual concepts, language can be limiting. A client may say they like “modern,” but modern can mean different things to different people. So I encourage the use of tools such as Houzz and Pinterest to help clients gather visual examples of what they like. I want to make sure we have a clear dialogue and we’re speaking the same language when it comes to their style.
What keeps you excited?
Travel is a BIG one—I always get inspired when I travel and see how other people are living. I get excited when I see exotic textiles and tile, or see exquisite craftsmanship and buildings that have lasted hundreds of years.
I’m super passionate about color. I love learning about the new Color Forecasts. I’m curious about the impact of color on psychology and brain chemistry and how certain colors affect people’s moods—most people don’t think about that. I have a client whose son has ADHD. He loves the San Francisco Giants, and when I met them, his whole room was painted orange. It was definitely overstimulating for him, and he wasn’t able to concentrate to do his homework in his room. We repainted the walls of his room a soft green, and we kept some orange accents to honor his passion for the Giants, such as baseball gloves, orange frames, etc…, but with the softer green hue, he is able to concentrate and relax in his space.
My own house is my color lab. I love experimenting and taking big risks with color in my home (and thankfully my husband is game, too). For example, I have peacock colored cabinets and tile in our downstairs bathroom, and I’m on my second red kitchen. Sometimes clients are afraid to commit to the big stuff in color, like cabinets, sofas, etc… I just love it when a client is willing to risk and have fun with color. I have these clients who are fun, urban professionals; when they purchased their new home we ended up having 18 paint colors in their house—it is so great! Their color choices communicate their vibrancy, spunk, and fun. I give my clients the confidence to try bolder colors. I say: “Paint it—if you don’t like it, I’ll buy new paint”.
In my work, I also play with Ying and Yang principles. For example, in my kitchen, I love how the sharp backsplash herringbone lines reinforce the geometry of the A-frame of my roof/ceiling line and represent masculine energy, while my decorative lights introduce a softer organic, female form, almost like fabric material. It is exciting for me to play with concepts of opposites: light/dark, hard/soft, texture/quiet in interior design. It brings a richer and deeper structure to the final product.
Can you share your experience with ART TILE?
I love Art Tile for their variety of tile styles and manufacturers they represent. The Art Tile staff is always friendly and knowledgeable, and I can always depend on them to assist me with the answers I need when I’m specifying tile products.
“Cillesa brings an extraordinary total package to her work. She is exceptional in three ways:
(1) She has an amazing eye for a possibility. Big picture. Big change. She walked into our kitchen and saw possibility we had barely glimpsed. (2) Her attention to detail is unceasing. From the first measurements, to paint chips, to her final intense walkthrough before the contractors were paid, she was “on it.”(3) Her people skills are fantastic. She gently pushed us in some directions, and we had to say “you were right.” Yet she always knew it was our house and respected our choices. And her relationship with the other professionals (architect, engineer, GC) was kind but always strong. And the workmen all respected her and worked well with her. She is THE BEST” ~ Daniel Mulhern, via Houzz
P.S. Portrait Photos by Sam Breach, Projects – by Dean Birinyi