The New Girl

I have come to realize from my many errand runs, that I am can be extremely awkward and clumsy. No, that is not anything I am ashamed of, but it does make things seem a little more difficult, like when I'm trying to find my way out of a showroom at ADAC while the entire staff watches me. I have to ask every time I enter a new showroom where I pick up the memo samples. Most are very helpful, while others look at me like it's a crazy question. Needless to say, I have already made many a trip to ADAC and Lenox. Last week, I dropped off a whole trunk load of return items at Pottery Barn. It took them close to an hour to scan everything in. They asked me, "What happened?" I had to explain to them that all of the items were for an install and the designers had purchased them to accessorize the house, but the client chose not to keep any of it. When an install comes up at Pineapple House, the designers go on a big shopping spree and purchase items that are the "frosting on the cake" for the rooms. Then, when the install comes around they use the pieces that work best and return the rest. I am very excited because we have about three big installs this summer that we will be making purchases for!

My trunk full of Pottery Barn returns.

Admiring the store displays in PB Teen. 

Buckhead Target that is completely underground!

This past week, I have been working on the floor plans for the same house in Canada. It has been very tedious because the house is HUGE, wine tasting room and Nanny's suite included. We have had to transfer all of their furniture from the Canada floor plan to their new home in Boston. Stephen, the owner/designer, and Zach,  the other designer, are heading to Canada tomorrow to give a proposal. So we have been doing our best to gather all the fabric samples and stock/pricing of the furniture.

All this pricing and stock info gathering has allowed me to hone in on my phone skills. I have spent hours calling companies to check pricing and stock, as well as checking on the order status of items. Luckily, Pineapple House has a vast database where you can access all of their account information for each company. I have also answered phones, which can be nerve-wrecking because you don't want to drop the call while trying to transfer it to someone else. Pineapple House values their customers and in our Intern Handbook, they emphasized how important it is to answer each call because you never know who may be calling, especially if it is a new client. 

As far as the social atmosphere at Pineapple House, it is very friendly. You do get to hear about gossip going on with clients. For instance, we found out one couple they have been working on, whose project is almost complete, split up. This was quite the issue since the girlfriend has been making most of the decisions. I have also gotten to know my co-intern Amanda a lot better. We have lots in common and even had lunch together at Whole Foods! I adore that place.

This next week should be super busy as we are getting closer to the installs. The busier the better!

One Week Down

I am proud to say that I landed an internship at a wonderful company called Pineapple House Interior Design. The business is located in Buckhead, Atlanta (where the traffic lives up to its reputation) in an industrial area. I do in fact commute there everyday, adding to the hole in the ozone with my 45 to 60 minute commute one way. But it is worth it.

Sitting in traffic on I-85.

The firm specializes in many areas of design, from residential to hospitality. Right now, most of the projects they are working on are residential. It's going to be an exciting and busy summer because there are a few installations scheduled in the Atlanta area, which I get to be a part of!

I was very excited to find out that I would have my own desk and computer. The office is amazing! It is located in a huge warehouse that houses the main offices, a huge resource library, a drapery room, an artist's studio, and much more. They mostly use AutoCAD for drawings, however I was surprised to find that the 2000 version is used. It's not really an issue though since the main difference is the layout of the buttons. I was outfitted with a brand new monitor this week, which was very exciting. The office has huge windows lining the wall that let in a ton of natural sunlight.

My desk.

The view.

Offices where the main designers work.

Cool warehouse ceiling. 

I report to two of the five designers that work at Pineapple House. Their names are Abby and Zach. Zach has been out of the office because his wife just had a baby, so I will get to meet him soon. Abby is really great. She graduated from Auburn, but she is from the Atlanta area. Everyone that works in the office is wonderful, from the warehouse staff to the people who work in the drapery shop. There is one other intern working this summer with me, named Amanda. She just graduated from FSU and is going back to get her Masters in Interior Design this summer. She is from the Tampa/St. Pete area, so being in Atlanta is a very new experience for her.

We were both basically just thrown into the fire and jumped right into the projects. So far, I have drawn a floor plan and furniture plan in CAD, run errands all over Buckhead, and made purchase calls. I am slowly learning the ordering process and how they keep track of all their orders, as well as finding out pricing and how that whole "designer's price" works. I also learned how work orders are made to the attached drapery workroom in the building. The business is housed in the same warehouse as Pineapple House, but they also provide their service to the trade and other designers. 

The head designer/owner of the company, Stephen, works with all of the other designers, over-seeing the work done on each project. He is very encouraging and discussed with me the plans that I put into CAD. He is a graduate of the Interior Design program at FSU and the Architecture program at Georgia Tech. He has been in business for over 25 years and has been able to really establish Pineapple House as a company. 

It looks like this summer is going to be a great opportunity and I can't wait to see what all it has to offer!