6 Questions with Brooklyn
1. Why did you start Cult Creative?
To work with people! Coming from a studio that focused on commercial and institutional design, I was always working with boards or committees to create designs that meet a common denominator. While this work is absolutely needed, I think working with individuals and families provides the opportunity for a more focused design approach, more unique styles, and to create a space that is going to truly impact one's life.
Outside of the design and client opportunities, starting Cult Creative allowed us to put work in the right proportion in our lives. In the profession, starting in Architecture school, we are praised for late nights and long hours. Having too much to do and giving it all you've got to meet a deadline is industry standard. For us, that wasn't the lifestyle we were looking to live out. We love our job and the work we get to do, but also enjoy time with family and friends, and maintaining health and energy. Because of Cult Creative, we get to live in a way that feels authentic, balanced, and brings us joy.
2. What do you like best about what you do?
I love working with clients to make their vision for their home come to life. So many clients have a collection of styles and ideas and don't exactly know how they all come together. We get to work with them to focus on their needs and create a cohesive design that is authentically them.
3. Where do you get your design inspiration?
Inspiration comes from everywhere - the places I'm visiting, books I'm reading, movies I'm watching, all of it. Being a keen observer of the world around us allows us to notice how people are living - what is working well for them, and what isn't. When we notice the way the world is working, we have the opportunity to expand on those good things, or design to change or eliminate those which are not working.
4. Describe a favorite project that brought you pride.
Every project that leaves a homeowner with a new space to more functionally live their lives makes me grateful to have made an impact. I'm especially proud of the work we do that surprises clients and solves for a case they thought was unsolvable. We have a client in Park Hill for whom we did a first floor renovation. The layout of the existing home was a 2 bedroom 1 bath, with a small and awkward kitchen, and a lot of closets and hallways. We were able to reconfigure the layout, provide for an open living and kitchen area, and create 3 bedrooms and 2 baths within the same building footprint. The resulting home provided a space for our client and her kids to enjoy, without having to create an addition or sacrifice any of their wants for that space. Definitely a win.
5. Why did you become an architect + designer?
When I was in 4th or 5th grade, I had taken a road trip with my mom up the coast of California. We made it to San Francisco, got some Chinese food in the city, and turned around to drive home. On that trip we went to Hearst Castle in San Simeon. The newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst has this huge mansion on a ranch in Central California that was a hamlet for movie stars and the rich and famous through the early and mid 20th century. I was enamored with this giant Spanish Colonial style mansion, its high coffered ceilings, gothic detailing, statues and furnishings, and most importantly to my childhood self, the pools both indoor and outdoor. The mansion was designed by Julia Morgan, the first woman to obtain an architecture license in the state of California.
After this trip, I started sketching floor plans, often with several pools and sports courts, and by high school I had narrowed in on Architecture as a career. I went to a summer Exploration of Architecture program at USC before my senior year of high school, and was admitted to the university's School of Architecture the following year.
6. What are your hobbies outside of work?
Trying new restaurants, traveling with my husband Ryan, hanging out with our new Saint Berdoodle puppy Rodger, decorating sugar cookies, SCUBA diving