Designer profile: Jamie Ivey

Warm and welcoming interiors are by no means a trend, it's not a look you can even really call a style, it's more a feeling you get when you walk into a home. But while this 'feeling' may not be a trend in itself, over the last few years there has been a decided shift in design trends, away from very sleek, minimalist homes to spaces that instead feel very lived-in, characterful and inviting. Still elevated and considered but with plenty of personality.

And that's exactly the style designer Jamie Ivey looks to achieve in all her projects. She describes her style as 'modern warmth', which perfectly encapsulates that balance of chic yet characterful.

H&G sat down with Jamie to find out more about her coveted interior design style, her favorite projects, and what's next for the Ivey Design Group.

How would you describe your design aesthetic?

My design aesthetic is what I like to call modern warmth. I design with clean lines, rich color palettes, and refined details. Our spaces have tons of texture and balanced contrast. I don’t like fussy or cold interiors. Rooms should feel inviting and comfortable.

How did it all begin?

Even though I was constantly rearranging my bedroom growing up, I didn’t know interior design was a career (I grew up in suburbia in the 80’s and 90’s!). I graduated from Virginia Tech with an engineering degree and moved up to New York City to work as an IT management consultant. It was in the city where I found and fell in love with interior design. The more I researched it, the more I knew it was for me.

After seven years in my well-paying but tedious career, I decided it was now or never, so I pretty much hit the reset button on my life. I sold my townhouse and moved back to Virginia Tech to get my interior design degree. After graduation, my now husband and I moved to southern California to work for a luxury hospitality design firm.

After working in hospitality design for seven years, my boss at my last IT job contacted me about designing their new corporate office. That was the first Ivey Design Group interiors project, and it felt like a full circle moment for me. But it wasn’t until my first residential project, a small kitchen here in Richmond, that I found my true passion.

I love the intimate, casual nature of residential design. No stuffy conference rooms, no business suits, and I really get to know my clients and how they live. Every day I get to help create truly bespoke homes that are perfectly suited for my clients. I’m living the dream for sure.

What kind of work do you take on?

We take on all types of projects: from custom new home construction, to renovations and additions, to decorating projects. I love a good space planning challenge and optimizing floor plans to our clients’ needs. I also love decorating projects where we can design custom pieces, such as sofas, rugs, tables, and drapery. My husband is a custom high-performance yacht designer and we co-own the business together, so we frequently collaborate on furniture designs and room arrangements.

I look for projects where we can flex our design muscle and try different things. I don’t want to keep doing the same design over and over. Getting to design things that I haven’t seen before really excites me.

We aim for high quality, lasting design. There is so many good looking but lower quality products out there now, it’s mind numbing. Quality furniture and building materials might cost a bit more in the beginning, but they will function better and last longer. It’s my biggest challenge: getting clients to see the value in higher-end products, especially furniture, lighting, and hardware. Sometimes I win, sometimes I don’t!

When we get to have a hand in all aspects of a home is when we truly shine. For our Modern in the Woods project, I was there through it all: from reconfiguring rooms, to selecting every finish, fixture, and piece of furniture. I worked very collaboratively with the client, flying through our 3D model to show layout and finish options, traveling to High Point to walk through upholstery factories, visiting showrooms to test out appliances and plumbing, and going on lots of site visits to make sure things were getting installed the way we had drawn them.

The result was a cohesive, well thought out, modern family home. The selections weren’t super trendy (not every piece of furniture is rounded and white boucle, ha!), so it won’t look dated quickly. It was collaborative, distinctive, and overall a truly enjoyable experience. We’re working on their vacation home now, and we’re right back in the groove.

What’s your favorite project you have worked on?

We’re working on one now that has been a dream so far (fingers crossed it stays that way!), and I can not wait to see this one cross the finish line next year.

We were brought in early in the process, which meant I could collaborate with the architect on space planning and floor plans, in addition to being able to take my time with custom design features (wait until you see the wine room!). The builders are super organized and respect our input, and the clients are receptive, friendly, and easy going. It’s going to be a stunner!

Who inspired you when he started, and who inspires you now?

While I was contemplating a career switch in my 20s, I was inspired by what I watched on TV: Sarah Richardson, Tommy Smythe, Thom Filicia, Nate Berkus…all such great TV personalities and designers. Lately, I am inspired by designers that are creating something unique in a sea of sameness: Bryan O’Sullivan (BOSS), Studio Shamshiri, Flack Studio, Pierre Yovanovitch, Jamie Bush, Noz Nozawa, to name a few.

Who are your dream clients?

My dream clients are folks who appreciate quality design, know that good design takes time, have a sense of humor (life’s too short to be serious all the time!), and most importantly, trust me and the process. They know that while the process can be messy, the end result will be worth it.

I would love to design a modern home in California, one that feels warm and casual, but a bit eclectic and playful, where we get to design custom millwork and furniture. I would also love to design an apartment in New York city, marrying the existing traditional architecture and details with more modern decor.

What’s next?

We use 3D modeling during all phases of a project, not just during final presentations. It really helps us work through space planning, scale, materiality, and helps clients visualize their spaces, giving them the confidence to make decisions and move the project forward. We’re trying to see if some type of VR would enhance this client experience, really giving them an immersive look into their future homes. Stay tuned!

We’re wrapping up a few custom new construction homes in the near future, one of which is five years in the making.

I always want to stay on the forefront of design, so I frequent High Point Market and go to New York City to see the latest showrooms. We’re also planning a trip to Italy in the spring to attend Salone, to see the latest in European furniture and design.