The Alimond Show
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The Alimond Show
Anna Gibson - Navigating the World of Interior Design with AKG Design Studio
Our recent conversation with Anna Gibson, the creative force behind AKG Design Studio, is one you won't want to miss. We venture into Anna's rich history, starting from the Israeli construction sites of her youth to the heights of her globally acclaimed interior design business. Through her narrative, it becomes clear that following one's passion can lead to extraordinary places. Anna recalls the pivotal shift from her role at Enterprise Rent-a-Car to the vibrant world of design, and she opens up about the invaluable client relationships that have blossomed into lasting friendships. It's a testament to the power of designing spaces that resonate with one's soul and the remarkable impact of having a supportive network.
This episode isn't just about aesthetic appeal; it's a deep dive into how our living spaces can enhance our well-being. Our discussion meanders through the evolution of interior design, where the fusion of tranquility and functionality becomes paramount. Anna sheds light on how her studio tailors each project to the unique lifestyle of her clients, particularly those influential women over 55 seeking solace and health in their homes and workplaces. We also peek into the studio's dual role as a creative haven and a gallery space, celebrating the synergy of art and design. Embark on this journey with us and explore how travel, family, and the yearning to make the world a better place can leave an indelible mark on the spaces we inhabit and the lives we touch.
My name is Anna Gibson. With AKG Design Studio, we provide interior design services to clients in the Reston DC metro area and actually throughout the world as well. We specialize in remodeling and residential, but we also do light commercial as well. So retail, office spaces, restaurants. We love that kind of challenges and fun extra projects as well.
Speaker 2:Okay, and tell me how did you get started. How did you get into this industry, like, what's the journey been like for you?
Speaker 1:Oh, that's definitely topsy-turvy. I guess I would say, yeah, it was. I always wanted to be an interior designer. I grew up on a construction site. My dad is a civil engineer, so every weekend it was a hard hat, you know, checking his latest projects and he does like amazing, amazing projects in Israel, and so I always knew that I wanted to do that college. I didn't feel talented enough and my parents were kind of rushing me so I was like, okay, fine, so I went, got my general degree and that was it. And then I met my husband now ex-husband moved to uh, moved to the U S and did a lot of stuff in our homes and I was very lucky that I had very excuse me, I had very, I had very supportive parents-in-law, so we did a lot of things that that they really supported me to. You know, do it and you know like you're so talented. So I did a career change, went back to school in 2008. So, 2008, I went back to school, I got my associate degree in design and never looked back. Wow.
Speaker 2:And now, how long have you been doing this for since then?
Speaker 1:So that is close to 20 years at this point.
Speaker 2:Oh my goodness, congratulations, that is awesome. Oh my goodness, congratulations.
Speaker 1:That is awesome, good for you yeah. And yeah, I love it, like you know, never looked back. I'm like I left corporate world and I'm like never stepping back in that buildings. What were you? I used to work for when I just came for the US? I used to work for Enterprise Venticar, okay, and at some point I was also working at the leasing department there and, yeah, that was just not my world not my place, not for you, yeah, okay, yeah, I mean, sometimes you have to go through that to discover what your you know your passions are Absolutely yeah.
Speaker 2:So what are you doing right now for like marketing, getting your name out there so people can see the work that you do and the services that you're providing? Are you big on youtube, social media, instagram?
Speaker 1:so we do everything. I know it's probably too much, but we are. So we do have our own youtube channel channel. It's called design tips and sips, so we just relaunched, so we have a lot of new content coming up, so just check it out and follow us. Uh, we're still small but mighty, so we bring other vendors and people from the industry and have conversations with them about design, about anything that had to do to your home, your space, anything that is like I don't know organizing your home fire, your space, anything that is like I don't know organizing your home fireplaces. We even had conversations before with mental health specialists, because there's a lot of things that you know you can do in your own home to make sure that you really create your sanctuary.
Speaker 1:And especially after COVID, we see a lot of in-depth dive of people to bring more health and wellness into their homes. So we're big on YouTube, we do Instagram and we also do Facebook, so Facebook seems to be pretty big for us. A lot of the community groups are really good for us and we have a lot of referrals as well, so we really nurture our client list. So we have a great newsletter, we have a blog, so we just make sure that we cover all our bases and really just the biggest thing is to nurture our client list, because when we get a referral from a client, that's usually a done deal and you know, and usually they're really good people because they're friends of our clients and we love our clients and we really become lifelong friends with our clients. So from we actually have clients that we ended up, they ended up traveling to Israel with us. Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 2:You're like come along.
Speaker 1:And they're like okay, no problem, Absolutely that is amazing.
Speaker 2:No, I think that's great that you're on like all types of different platforms to get your reach and make sure that people are knowledgeable in what you're doing. So I think that's great. Keep it up, thank you. It's very important to be, you know, putting yourself out there for social media. Yeah, yeah, sorry, no, it's okay, all right. Those allergies, yeah and um, what do you hope that clients will remember you for, like with your work as far as interior designing goes?
Speaker 1:um, I hope they you know that every time they walk into their space they love it and enjoy it, and also that they, when they walk in there, like oh yeah, anna really nailed it. Oh, you know, like I so love going into my bathroom, I so love walking into my home, or whatever it is that like when they're walking into that space, maybe at some point during the day they'll think about you know, this was a great process and how much I love my space yeah, that is awesome.
Speaker 2:And now tell me a little bit about the collaborative process. Are your clients typically very involved or they're just like here? I want nothing to do with this. You take full control, but this is what I like. Tell me about that a little bit so it really depends on the client.
Speaker 1:So we, I would say we probably have half and half. So we have a lot of clients that, um, our demographic, that our ideal clients are 55 and older, single women, um. So we have a lot of clients that are really powerful women that are really busy. So they're like here's my budget, here's what I need done, and they just give us a couple of maybe inspirational photos and they're like okay, here we go and maybe we'll go back and forth, a couple of little details here and there, get their approval and then here's the keys and the check and let's go.
Speaker 1:But at the same time, we also do have clients that want to be more involved. They enjoy the process, they have the time to look at details and review things more in person, more in person. But again, we want them to follow the path that we put forward for them, because otherwise, like, why hire us? You know you can do it yourself. So they hire us because they understand that they don't know enough and they don't understand enough, and that's why they need us to guide them through that process.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. And now, are there any trends going on right now that you're noticing, where people are asking for this a lot? What are those trends, or what is really popular right now for you?
Speaker 1:So I think overall I think I noted on that before beyond specific colors and shapes and stuff like that, the overall arching trend right now is really strong about health and wellness. I think it's a global trend that is really anywhere, in any industry. It's touching any industry and it is very, very important also, of course, in your home, in your office, wherever you spend a lot of time in your space home in your office, wherever you spend a lot of time in your space, and I think that's really the biggest thing that all our clients are asking for us. So we did a home in Oakton and we revised the architectural plans. We revised the architectural plans so we can go ahead and actually add a yoga room in the back of the house. So it was a beautiful spot. We designed very big windows in there so she has plenty of room and then she can just get up in the morning and just walk from her bedroom straight there, do her yoga, her meditation and, you know, start her days. So this, you know, things like that were important, but not as important before Bathroom, of course everybody's still looking for, you know, to create their sanctuary.
Speaker 1:But even again, we just finished a project in Fairfax and we always talk about different things, including connectivity, right, do you want to? You know the Alexa and all that stuff, and they're like no, this is our bedroom, this is our sanctuary. We actually don't want anything that is electronic or anything we actually want it to be. You know, electric-free piece yes, thing we actually wanted to be. You know, electric free, peace, yes. And the same thing goes also in the kitchen. You know how we were just collaborating on an article in the Washington Post about how you can create a healthier kitchen, healthier eating habits. So that was a very interesting article about how can you design your kitchen, your space, how you keep food, that you keep the healthy food forward and really just create something that. So the lady Amanda was writing the article. She actually came from the path. She had eating disorders, so now that she is past them, it was very important for her that she organize her space in a way that is welcoming to her to cook, to enjoy and be in the space and not feel attacked by food, feel attacked by the media, to be skinnier, to be, you know, whatever it is that you know the media is pushing on us, and it's also important with younger kids.
Speaker 1:So, again putting the healthy snacks, the drinks, the stuff that they want, then able to reach forward versus, you know, maybe hiding the stuff. Or you know we have what we call the junk drawer. It's literally just one tray on the bottom of the pantry which is, you know, the junk drawer. So you really need to make an effort because you need to go to the pantry and go all the way, you know, on your knees. So you're like, yes, I really need that, fighting for this, yes, which you know, try to keep, you know, healthy fruits and vegetables on the countertop as much as possible or in the front of the refrigerator. There's a lot of refrigerator now that has the glass screen on them. So if you, you know, put like healthy drinks instead of sodas or fruit and vegetables. So when you walk by they're like like, oh, you see beautiful grapes and everything. So like you know you're appetizing, yeah, you're gonna be more likely to reach into that, versus go into the snacks on the bottom of a drawer somewhere I think that's brilliant, that's so smart.
Speaker 2:I never stopped to think about something like that. But the more like. If you have all your junk food like out in the open and easy access, well, of course you're go eat that. So it's the way that the kitchen has been designed and structured, and bringing all the health food there to the forefront and now tell me about the new artists that you have.
Speaker 1:Okay, so we just finished. So we actually use our studio also as our gallery for artists, and we had Marguerite Miller, but we're closing her show this week and we're really excited. It has a beautiful art. She actually sold a couple of pieces from showing in our studio and now we are going to have Julia Malikoff. She's a bit more on the 3d and dimensional art, so we're really excited to have her, and it's Friday, the 25th, I think.
Speaker 1:So check our calendar. We have our calendar on our website. Check our calendar. We have several events coming up, but we really are exciting to have her as our new resident artist. We usually switch our artists every three months, so her probably. We're just going to keep it into the fall already through the summer, and then we're always looking to connect with artists in the community, so feel free to reach out to us if you want to have your art display in our studio. We always do a beautiful event with wine and cheese and invite the whole community to do the gallery opening, so we're really excited to have Julia with us.
Speaker 2:Wow, that is amazing. And so tell me about this space where you offer to show all these artists' work. Is that where you work as well and you display it, or is it separate, or how did that come to be?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it's our studio. We just took advantage. So we try to keep our studio very neutral, as far as you know what we're displaying, because when we work with our clients, we want to make sure that they concentrate on their selections and not really just be affected of what's going on around them. So the way I design our studio is very neutral and we have some really beautiful vignettes and displays, but really everything is. We have a huge island where we put all our samples and everything when the clients are coming in and we really just play with that.
Speaker 1:So because, even if they approve everything, I really like them to see everything in person and touch and feel and really see, you know, how they're going to, how it's all coming together. So we have a lot of blank walls and I decided, instead of just putting random stuff on it, why not invite fantastic artists from the community and give them additional exposure? So we have beautiful art that we get to see every day. Our clients usually like to buy art for their homes as well, so that's another opportunity for them to come and see beautiful art and purchase it for their projects, and so it's a win-win situation for everybody.
Speaker 2:I think that's brilliant, that is so awesome. And you're like, hey, these Waller Bear, why not just bring in up and coming talent and give them a chance for some exposure? Absolutely, yeah, that's great.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we'd love to be involved in a community and do everything we can to, you know, give back and really just be involved.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. And now I know you said your studio space is neutral, but do you have like a particular style that you like to lean towards? I know it's different with each person, but personally for you, like, what is your style Like? If you were to design your own home, you'd be like oh, I definitely want this.
Speaker 1:Well, I did design my own home.
Speaker 1:Okay, it was on the cover of a magazine what magazine? My own home, okay, it was on the cover of a magazine what magazine? And on top of the building it's kbb magazine, which is a it's a specific industry uh magazine. But we were on the cover and the they launched it during our conference two years ago. So it was really fun because it ended up on all their marketing uh stuff. And then I came out of the conference and like literally on top of the building there's like 20 foot billboard billboard with my kitchen on it. So people are like why are you screaming? That's my kitchen.
Speaker 2:That's great. How many people can say that about their kitchen?
Speaker 1:not a lot of people no um, I think I you know my style. I always joke that that it's like my daughter, my husband and my dog, like they're the one that has to suffer through it, but really I think my personal style is warm, contemporary. I try to create spaces that are timeless. It's I hate to say, the word, timeless but at the same time, we create unique spaces for our clients. Most of our clients that come to us want spaces that are more on the clean side and the contemporary side. You probably won't see people that looking for maximalist design, that like a lot of pattern, a lot of design, a lot of only of different materials Probably not us. There's definitely better designers out there to create those spaces. It's funny we just happened to be in two different design shows this week. Yeah, it's been a crazy week.
Speaker 2:Oh my goodness, From New York to DC, oh New.
Speaker 1:York been a crazy week. Oh my goodness, from New York to DC like oh, New York Okay. Everywhere. And I have to tell you there's two rooms that I walked in and I'm like they were beautiful, but I'm like, okay, I can only be here for about two minutes and I need to leave. Oh, my goodness, it's just like I don't know. It just like, totally just like, kills my like, I don't know, it's just like, too ADD for me.
Speaker 1:Okay understood and there was like really beautiful features in the room and I could appreciate the design and the hard work behind it.
Speaker 2:It's just not me, yeah no, I mean, you know what you like, you know what you don't like, and just that's who you are.
Speaker 1:So yeah, and if you see on our website, I think you see that there is a theme of very clean, contemporary design, warm space and we're not scared of color. Don't get me wrong. We've done beautiful Southwest-inspired bedroom and a bathroom, a primary suite, with crazy reds and orange colors and really beautiful colors. So we're not scared of color. It just needs to be done right. As far as you know, my style goes Gotcha.
Speaker 2:No, I love that. I love that you know what you want and what you are going to accomplish. So, good for you for knowing that. Yeah, absolutely. And now tell me a little bit about yourself. When you're not doing interior designing, helping the community out and getting the names out there for some artists, what are you doing? What do you like to do to relax, to have fun? Tell me.
Speaker 1:That's a good question. I used to do triathlons. I'm actually an Ironman. I used to do triathlons, I'm actually an Ironman, wow. But I think I semi-retired for now. But honestly, I love being in nature. So, whether it's hiking or being on the beach, this is where I can just, you know, sit outside, not in this Virginia weather. That's probably why I'm like sick again, because I really wanted to work outside two days ago and it was so beautiful and I knew that I'm going to pay the elegy price for that. But when the weather is not against me, I try to spend as much as time outside. So we go for family hiking. The dog loves it. My husband not so much, but he's a good trooper. On summer, try to go to the beach as much as possible. I can just sit with my book for hours and hours, just listen to the wave, read my book and I'm in my, my happy place.
Speaker 1:so you like to read. Yeah, I love to read, so I'm I'm avid reader and even now, sometimes, when I don't really have time to actually read, read. If I'm really doing some intense design or something, I would probably just put an audio ball, just so I have something in the background to listen to.
Speaker 2:So yeah, and where do you see yourself in the next five years, like as a person and with your business? Any plans to expand?
Speaker 1:or anything. So the plan is world domination. I love that. We are expanding.
Speaker 1:As far as drawing, as I said before, we do service worldwide. So we've done projects with Connecticut in upstate New York. We're actually building a whole division in Costa Rica right now. So if you know anyone that wants to live in Costa Rica, has a land or wants to buy a land and build, just let us know. We actually have a whole team on the ground ready to go. Website hopefully going to be launched in the next month or so. But really it doesn't matter. It doesn't have to be Costa Rica, it's like wherever you are, we'll go with you. Our clients as I said before, we build really great relationship with our clients. So a lot of times they have vacation homes, a secondary home, so after we finish their main homes, we go to Connecticut on the beach with them or we'll go to their you know upstate New York house or rentals in Miami. So we've done those all.
Speaker 1:So I really would like to travel more. I really love, love to travel. That is my second passion. And yeah, I think I've ever been to Australia. I've been to all the continents. So again, that's next on my list. Okay and yeah.
Speaker 1:So the idea for at least personally for me, is to move on within my company, to be more of the creative director and have enough people that they can be there running the day-to-day and then this way I can travel and be wherever I want to be. Also, I only have one daughter. Well, we have a blended family, but it's you know, like I was telling you before, our family is from everywhere. So I grew up in Israel, I'm married to a Scotsman, my stepkids and grandkids live in the UK, my daughter is in New York, so really we're the only one in Virginia, so there's no really particular reason to be here All the time, all the time. So I really just want to create a way that I have a little bit more of nomadic lifestyle, that, yeah, I have my business going on, I can run it from wherever I am, but also spend more time in New York with my daughter, or UK with the grandkids, or Israel with my family. So it's just really, you know they're everywhere.
Speaker 2:No, I love that you have like a little idea of, like, where you would like to be and what your plans are. So that's good for you that you're thinking about those things and planting those seeds?
Speaker 1:Yeah, you have to.
Speaker 2:And now for my last question is if you could leave our listeners with one message, what would that message be?
Speaker 1:It could be, in regards to interior design, anything that's in your heart anything that's in your heart, um, wherever it's interior design or wherever it is, I think my motto is always leave the place a little bit better than what you found it. So, whether it's your community, your family, your home, wherever I go, wherever we go, we try to just leave the world a little bit of a better place. So whatever we can can do to help with that, that's where we are Perfect.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you so much for sharing that with us, and thank you for taking time out of your day to be here with us and chat. Thank you so much for having me, of course.