Meet, Katie Rodriguez. A local mom and Interior Designer here in the Bloomfield Hills/Birmingham area. She juggles her design business and her two boys, Max and Dean. On top of her large scale projects she now offers a one-room-makeover service for living spaces, dining rooms, bedrooms, and home offices. When she’s not designing and working with local families you can find her juggling the busy schedules of the boys. Thank you for sharing your passion for design and your family.
How many children do you have and what are their names and ages?
Max (12) and Dean (9).
Where do your kids go to school?
Covington
Tell us more about your design business? And your offerings for our community?
My work is primarily in Birmingham and Bloomfield Hills. Historically I have completed large scale projects, assisting builders and homeowners thought tedious new construction and renovation projects. My involvement can start at the blue-print phase, collaborating with architects, and continue until the last pillow is placed. These projects sometimes last years. I love to see the progression, and really get to know the homeowners, and their families!
However, I am excited to now be offering a one-room-makeover service for living spaces, dining rooms, bedrooms, and home offices. This will allow more homeowners access to expert advice, and selection of designer furniture, custom window treatments, luxe lighting, wallcoverings, luxe lighting, wallcovering, rugs, and décor to transform their homes.
How do you incorporate family-friendly elements into your designs while maintaining aesthetic appeal?
Both my experiences in commercial design and as a mom have taught me a lot about longevity, durability, and where to spend and save. I believe a home should be able to be truly lived in. I work with my clients to really understand their lifestyle and make suggestions on the best pieces and materials for their homes. For families, we are often looking at performance fabrics and investing in a great sofa and dining table that can withstand a lot of use. Additionally, we’re incorporating little luxuries. This may be two washer and dyers, a ton of storage in the mudroom, a great walk-in pantry, or a soaking tub for mom to restore. These are items that, when well thought out, will make family life so much easier and allow our homes to be a retreat from all we are managing as busy moms.
Can you share an experience where your role as a mom influenced your design decisions or approach to a project?
It influences me so much! More than anything I think it helps to bring perspective that while there are a lot of similarities and tips/tricks for family home life, each family is unique. I think I became a better listener and problem solver as a mom.
For instance, for a family of hockey players we needed to design attractive storage that would not make the house smell (if you know, you know), and it couldn’t be in the garage. We got creative and created a mudroom in the lower level (accessed easily from the garage entry). With a gorgeous brass mesh on custom lockers to let things breathe a bit.
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How do you balance your responsibilities as a mom with your career as an interior designer?
I started my business once my first born turned one and knew that I wanted a bit more flexibility. I am fortunate that I can balance my workload, so I can provide a lot of attention to my clients during the day and still spend family time on nights and weekends. But I think more than anything, for me, it’s more than a job. It’s always been important for me to be creative. And is essential for me to keep working, designing, and being creative, to have harmony in my life.
Tell us a fun fact about you.
My first design job was an internship at the Field Museum in Chicago, and I got to work on the traveling Jacqueline Kennedy exhibit.
What’s your family looking forward to this summer? What kind of exciting travel plans do you have?
We are taking a trip to Maine with my family and parents. I am looking forward to that escape after a busy spring!
Anyone special you’d like to thank for helping you through parenthood?
I am so fortunate to have a super supportive husband and parents that are all very involved in my kids’ lives, and equally encouraging to me. My mom even managed the dreaded home-school for us during Covid so I could continue working.
Katie Rodriguez, LEED AP | Interior Designer
248.990.0402
Instagram: @katierodriguezdesign
