Today we’d like to introduce you to Emory Mckim.
Hi Emory, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
After graduating from The University of Texas, I moved to Dallas and began my first job at a big-time advertising firm. A couple months in I found myself less interested in learning about the advertising business and instead sitting in my cubicle cutting out magazine clippings of furniture and pasting them on paper to design room scenarios that I would make up in my head. My boss laughingly told me that maybe I was in the wrong profession- turns out he was right!
Once I realized my true passions lied in the interior design world, I started working as an assistant to a fabulous designer in Fort Worth where I dedicated myself over the next several years to soaking up as much knowledge and experience as I could. One day I just woke up and had that lightbulb moment where I knew it was time to take the next step and branch out on my own, I had never been as nervous or excited but I knew I was ready and determined to succeed.
Five years later, I am the proud owner of a full-service design firm with multiple employees taking on projects all over the country. I am always pushing the boundaries and the rules when it comes to space planning and aesthetics. I love bold, neutral, color, texture, contemporary, traditional, and everything in-between. I have a talent for creating a space-based on any type of look, while always pushing my clients’ boundaries and putting my own twist on things. We are at a point now where our clients seek EMD out for our fearless style and unique designs. I am so grateful to get to do what I love every day.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I am so fortunate that from the very beginning I have been surrounded by a hardworking team and inspiring partners that have helped me along this incredible journey. That said, like most small businesses, we have experienced a unique set of challenges the last two years due to COVID. The pandemic has drastically impacted the design world, and we currently are trying to navigate working with long lead times and issues with stock availability that can be limiting from a creative standpoint. It’s a fine balance to make sure I am not comprising my vision for the aesthetic of a space, while also ensuring reasonable timelines and delivery for clients.
As you know, we’re big fans of Emory Mckim Design. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are an office of all females that bring a sophisticated vibrance to our clients’ projects. One thing that we are most proud of is the element of fun we bring to the design process- I don’t have a client that hasn’t become a friend! We like to make this process fun and keep everyone laughing. Designing your home can be such a stressful process financially and also with the overwhelming amount of decisions you make, so we make it a priority to create an enjoyable atmosphere that completely eliminates any of those stress-related feelings.
Another thing that sets EMD apart is our ability to make any “look” achievable and beautiful, which isn’t something every designer can do. In today’s interior design world, you have to be a master of all trades and have the ability to take any budget, any space, and transform it into something functional and beautiful. That is the number one thing we strive to deliver for our clients.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We love collabs! I often find myself sourcing something for a client that may not exist out there. I frequently think “I wish someone had come up with a rug that looked like XYZ…” I am always open to collaborating with furniture lines, lighting lines, fabric houses, etc. because it makes our designs that much more customized and unique.
Contact Info:
- Email: emory@emorymckimdesign.com
- Website: www.emorymckimdesign.com
- Instagram: @emorymckimdesign
