A Conversation With Austin-Based Interior Designer Audrey Scheck

Interior design that feels current yet timeless is an aesthetic that’s challenging to nail. What’s even more difficult is finding a natural balance in contemporary design that’s intentional and clean, yet has a warmth to it. But, interior designer Audrey Scheck of Audrey Scheck Design doesn’t just shine when it comes to these achievements—she makes it look effortless.

Although she is newer to the business, her raw talent truly surpasses her experience. She even won Austin Home magazine’s 2023 Rising Star Award.

A former Angelino, she moved to Austin, Texas in 2020, but currently works nationwide—leading a team of ten talented female interior designers.

I recently spoke with Scheck about how she got her start, design trends, California versus Texas and so much more.

Amanda Lauren: What drew you to interior design as a profession?

Audrey Scheck: I was drawn to the design industry naturally, as I’ve always been very intentional about my surroundings at home. My parents let me design my own room as I was growing up, and I drew on that experience in adulthood once I had a home of my own. I feel that good design can vastly improve the way we live. Having functional and aesthetically pleasing surroundings helps you to have a clear mind so that you can focus on other aspects of your life. The appeal of being able to help others achieve that is really what drew me into the profession.

Lauren: How did you get your start?

Scheck: I always had a passion for design, and I started selling vintage home decor online while I was working in corporate America. I was also remodeling our first home in Los Angeles, and I started sharing about the journey online. After remodeling and selling two homes on the west coast, we relocated to Austin, Texas in 2020.

A few months after moving into our current home, I had taken on my first paying clients as a foray into the industry. Once I had five established clients, I decided that it was time to name my business and officially launch. Audrey Scheck Design was formed in March 2021, and we have since grown into a team of ten females around the country servicing over fifty active projects.

Lauren: How would you describe your interior design style?

Scheck: Our style is timeless and organic, drawing endless inspiration from nature. We love working with earth tones and materials that can be found naturally in our surroundings such as wood, stone, and florals.

Lauren: What are some of the most interesting projects you’ve recently worked on?

Scheck: While most of our work is residentially focused, we have been able to work on several commercial projects which have been really interesting. We recently completed a year-long design project to build a suite of luxury salons in North Austin. We collaborated with an architect out of San Antonio to bring an empty shell of a building to life. The salon just opened, and it has been so rewarding to see our work come to life in a high-end commercial environment!

Lauren: Tell me about your pop-up shops.

Scheck: We co-host quarterly pop-up shops at our office park in South Austin with Anastasia Casey of The Identité Collective and Claire Brody of Claire Brody Designs. Anastasia and Claire are two of my closest friends, and we all have a deep passion for home design. We each curate our own selection of furniture and decor to sell to the public, and it’s always so much fun. This year, we’re starting to invite other vendors to sell alongside us.

Lauren: What’s the difference between designing for Texans versus Angelios?

Scheck: In my experience, Texans are generally more casual and are willing to take more risks with their design decisions. The cost of real estate in Texas is typically more affordable, so there’s a sense of eagerness to not take things too seriously which makes working with them really fun.

On the other hand, designing for Angelinos is always so inspiring because of their attention to detail. Our Los Angeles-based clients are very intentional about their decisions, and they typically know exactly what they want.

Lauren: What design trends are you liking the most right now?

Scheck: We are loving incorporating large-scale wall installations into our designs. So many of our clients are asking for wall paneling and wallpaper which can really transform a room quickly. They’re an easy way to explore incorporating trendy tones like earthy browns and pinks.

We are also having a lot of fun with curved lines right now. From rounded corners on furniture to scalloped cabinetry and arched doorways, curves are allowing us to incorporate so much dimension into our projects.

Lauren: What design trends would you like to see less of?

Scheck: Fast furniture is something that we are becoming very conscious of. The poor quality of these pieces makes them rapidly disposable which is obviously not environmentally friendly. Instead, we aim to incorporate vintage pieces into our designs any time we can. The charm and character of vintage pieces is unmatched, and they are typically built to last. We also try to donate as much as we can from our projects instead of sending it to a landfill.

Lauren: What are some of your favorite places to source furniture and decor?

Scheck: We love to source vintage pieces from antique malls, estate sales, and Facebook Marketplace. When we’re on the hunt for a newer item, we love supporting small businesses that are passionate about the work they do. Whether it’s a local millworker who can build a piece of custom furniture or a rug manufacturer who is focused on sustainability, we love partnering with other creatives to bring our vision to life.

When it comes to larger retailers, we gravitate toward sourcing from shops that have quality pieces that are both interesting yet timeless. Lulu and Georgia, Serena and Lily, and Burke Decor are a few of our favorites.

The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

This post first appeared on Forbes.com. To see the original, click here.