Local designer Amy Youngblood offers insight into design tips, tricks and trends
Amy Youngblood has been in the interior design business for over 20 years. Youngblood, who has an art background, realized in her mid-20s that she wanted a creative career. She decided to go back to school and get a degree in design—which paired nicely with her communication degree—and launch into an interior design career.
After working with various firms, she finally settled on crafting her own business, Amy Youngblood Interiors, in 2009. Since then, she’s been designing stunning spaces for both commercial and residential use.
Youngblood believes what makes her design firm unique from others is the focus on more modern and contemporary designs, opting to break away from “traditional” aspects of the business.
“I think you see a lot more of a high-end creative flair than you do with the average designer in town,” Youngblood says. “’Modern, sophisticated and unique’ is kind of our tagline. I think that we just are a lot more sophisticated than most designers in town.”
Amy Youngblood Interiors does more than just sell “pretty fabrics and furniture.” Youngblood says her firm also focuses on the entire design process—from helping with contractors to actually designing the space.
“We are really getting involved with the nitty-gritty details of working with contractors, project managing, job sites and processes—the people really looking for someone that can kind of just help guide the project for them,” Youngblood says.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, one design trend Youngblood says she has seen is bringing elements of the outdoors inside.
“We love to bring in organic elements into our projects. Maybe it’s an accessory or a fun table with a branch-like base,” Youngblood says.
Other trends clients are gravitating toward include opting for warmer colors and moving away from darker tones, such as gray.
“People are starting to get away from the gray that we saw just on everything for a while—like walls, even harbor flooring. It’s not necessarily that gray’s out, it’s just not as prevalent as it was. People are getting into some more rich, bold colors, like jewel-tone colors,” Youngblood says.
Even if you don’t have the time or money to hire an interior designer right now, Youngblood still has tips and tricks to help you spruce up your space. Instead of buying new furniture for your living room, Youngblood suggests adding new pillows or a fun throw blanket. In the kitchen, you can paint your cabinets or re-tile the backsplash.
“I always say, in the spring, it’s great to freshen up your bedding,” Youngblood says. “Maybe just even new sheets and some accent pillows can change your color scheme.”