Interview with Palmer Weiss
San Francisco-based interior designer, Palmer Weiss, incorporates her Southern roots to create a design aesthetic that bridges traditional, modern and eccentric styles. We sat down with Palmer to discuss her influences, background in business, and what advice she would give to someone making the career switch to interior design.
How do your Southern roots influence you as a designer?
As a very general rule, I feel that Southerners are wonderfully adept at embracing their family heritage, formality and tradition in their homes but are also not afraid to express their eccentricities as well. I was also fortunate enough to grow up in Charleston, South Carolina, which is a very special city with an incredibly rich history in architecture and furniture making. I was certainly influenced by the classical architecture, Mediterranean quality of light and color as well as the prevalence of English furniture and Chinese porcelain. To stereotype, Charlestonians respect history, have an innate appreciation of design and still embrace their eccentricity and sense of fun. It is a great combination!
How has your background in the business world helped you in your design practice?
My background in the business world has proved invaluable for my design practice. As important as inspired creativity is to the process, all of the great ideas in the world ultimately mean nothing if you cannot put them in to place in a timely and financially viable way. You cannot believe the amount of project management, financial decisions and exacting paperwork that can go into the smallest of projects. In addition to the client work, there is also the business of running a business—lawyers, insurance, managing a staff, overhead, etc.—which could seem daunting without prior exposure. There are many incredibly successful designers that do not have a background in “traditional” business, but for me the financial and management training has been very valuable.
What tips would you give someone making a mid-career switch to interior design?
I would remind them that any change like this is ultimately a leap of faith, and one worth taking. You can research and speak to many people about the pros and cons of the job—which I do recommend—but ultimately you will never know if you will enjoy this career without diving in and trying first-hand. I would also not recommend school or classes as a way to gauge your interest or ability. For instance, I dropped my Color Theory class, not once, but twice within the first weeks of class! While extension courses can be a good way to gain some knowledge, I would say hands-on is much more useful, both in terms of actual knowledge and giving a sense of what this career would actually feel like.
For more information on Palmer Weiss, visit her website.
