***** This is a repost from April 2014 in honor of the Design Bloggers Conference 2015 going on now in Atlanta. Alexa Hampton is the speaker for today. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it to see her again, so I thought I’d share our last encounter. Enjoy!
Alexa Hampton and Veronica Solomon at Houston Design Center
Have you ever had the preconceived notion about someone without good reason? You expect them to be a certain way and when you meet them they are actually the total opposite? Well that was the case this week when I met Alexa Hampton. I guess because of her major accomplishments and contribution to Interior Design, I expected her to be intimidating, and somewhat a diva. But instead, she was very funny, energetic, charming, self-confident, and really down-to-earth!
Alexa Hampton, whose award-winning firm is based in New York has completed a wide range of design projects in the United States and China, including large residences, apartments, private airplanes and yachts. She is A Perennial member of Architectural Digest’s AD100, and House Beautiful’s Top Designer list, as well as a member of Elle Décor’s A-list. Her well sought after design style in Traditional, Classic and Eclectic has graced the pages of many of these publications, among others.
Alexa has many more accomplishments under her belt including a furniture line with Hickory Chair and a fabric and upholstery line with Kravet. You can view the pieces here in PDF format
Her second book “Decorating In Detail” is a beautifully illustrated book where she shares the development process for eight elegant homes in locations from New York City to New Orléans. Walking readers through each room, she describes how she and the homeowners chose all the elements, from textures to fabrics to furniture.
Her visit to the Houston Design Center this week was very inspiring for me. The first part of the day’s events was a panel discussion about how to get published, which also featured Jay Jeffers (A published Interior Designer based in San Francisco) and Michael Imber (A published Architect)
Panel Discussion at Houston Design Center: Michael Imber, Alexa, Jay Jeffers
The second part of her visit was a more intimate, informal sit down conversation with a handful of Houston Designers including myself, where we had the opportunity to pick her brain about anything and everything interior design. This is where her charming personality came shining through. It was as if I had known her for years. I was very comfortable talking to her and asking questions. She offered ideas and inspiration and even some insider information about the business side of her Interior Design practice – how she charges for her services and dealing with difficult clients.
She spoke a lot about her family and her home, and even the apps she uses and what social media channel she enjoys the most. She gave us all some great advice about seeing ourselves as a brand and encouraged us to work on packaging our brand and heading in the direction of getting published. She had some specific advice for me when she discovered that I write a daily blog. She encouraged me to seek opportunities to write a decorating or lifestyle column for local publications. Now why didn’t I think of that? 🙂 She is clearly as savvy a business woman as she is creative!
Despite being Interior Design royalty, as the daughter of the late Mark Hampton, who founded the firm back in 1976, I really got to see that she is a regular wife and mom, who has worked really hard for all she has accomplished. It gives a young Designer like me hope and inspiration, that my dreams too are achievable.
You can read more about Alexa Hampton by clicking to her website here
Here are a few of her designs that I just adore
Source: Alexa Hampton
Source: Alexa Hampton
Source: Alexa Hampton
Source: Alexa Hampton
Source: Alexa Hampton
I just love these classically beautiful rooms, especially the last one pictured with the beautiful Gracie chinoiserie wallpaper. Just beautiful!
I just love her work and it was a pleasure meeting her.
This quote by her famous father really resonates with me. Sometimes the profession of Interior Design is seen in a negative light. But those of us who work in this capacity know very well that there is nothing frivolous about Interior Decoration. Each project takes a lot of hard work, passion and dedication.
“We all know that interior decoration is seen by many as a frivolous career full of ruffles and flourishes and preposterous fashion statements. Yet to transform the bleak and the barren into welcoming places where one can live seems to me an important and worthwhile goal in life. Sometimes this transformation can stun the eye, sometimes simply gladden it, but these are not frivolous pursuits.” Mark Hampton
Source: Alexa Hampton
Now it’s your turn:
Is there someone who you look to for career inspiration? Have you ever had the chance to meet that person? Were they what you expected? Please leave me a comment below.
Thanks for taking the time to read about my most recent Celebrity Encounter!
You can read more about past Celebrity Encounters here!
Have a fantastic Friday and do something fun this weekend!! 🙂 🙂
Be Inspired!
Veronica Solomon, Casa Vilora Interiors VeronicaSolomon.com
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