Insider Interiors: Amy Vroom, The Residency Bureau

March 02, 2023

INTERIOR DESIGNER FEATURE

This month we are pleased to feature the perfect balance of playfulness and poshness in the spaces of Amy Vroom! Interior designer Amy Vroom of The Residency Bureau is a color and pattern enthusiast bringing life to the gray Pacific Northwest. A believer that client stories provide the best blueprint for interior design, she collaborates with homeowners to take risks, push boundaries, and have serious fun with color, pattern and more. Adding unexpected joy along the way. Sounds like our kind of gal!

Q & A with Amy

What importance do textiles play in your designs?

Textiles are where the magic happens. It’s adding patterns, texture or a sense of whimsy to a design. Every client calls for a different approach, but textiles layered into a room in many different forms are how a curated space comes together. It’s one of my favorite parts of my job.

Where do you take risks in your work?

I love using color because of the impact it can add to a design (and the joy it can bring to a homeowner). It sets a tone for the room. It embraces a mood you want to convey. It evokes an emotion. Not everything has to be a go big or go home moment, but having a little fun with color adds some soul and personality to a home. I’ve been lucky to attract color-loving clients even in the grey Pacific Northwest. I think people are tired of white and gray everywhere and want more visual stimulation in their homes.

When should a home-design enthusiast enlist the help of a design pro?

Hiring an interior designer is a committed investment in your home. We’ll make sure your money is getting spent on items that improve upon the functional demands of your home — not only solving for whatever you’re asking, but also surprising you along the way. (Hearing a client say, wow, I never would have thought of that — brings a smile to my face.) We also come with a depth of knowledge about products and a lengthy contact list of skilled trades people. Whether your house demands bullet-proof materials for a growing family or a creative solution to your storage woes, hiring an interior designer helps you get it right the first time.

Why make custom goods instead of purchasing "off-the-rack" from retailers?

Sometimes a one size fits all approach isn’t the right solution. Your home is unique to you, so creating a design that works best for that space might require a custom element. Off-the-rack retailers design furniture around average human sizes — but if there is a homeowner who is really tall (or short), a custom piece of furniture is going to be more comfortable. I find custom storage solutions — whether it’s an entry cubby or a complete kitchen — typically maximize the amount of usable space in a design, as every inch is considered. Window coverings are another example where custom is a good investment.

How much of being a great designer is innate and how much is learned?

When I was considering a career change from advertising into design, one piece of advice I received from a seasoned designer is that you can’t teach taste. She said, “If you got it, you got it.” I went back to school to get my MFA in Interior Architecture & Design, but if you’re not able to put interesting ideas and colors and patterns together, your designs will fall flat. I think it’s an innate skill. That said, I’m still learning something new every day.