Danielle Degen

As an interior designer, my mother had a huge influence on me becoming a kitchen designer. She always emphasized how much your environment affects how you feel, how productive you are, if you feel comfortable or not, whether you feel rested or agitated. Kitchens are the heart of the home- it is where we congregate, where homework is often done, where we sit and have coffee over a phone call, where we socialize and entertain.

It is also where we work, doing the daily not-so-fun chores like the dishes, cooking the lunches, planning for the week ahead. Being able to help create a space to be proud of, that gives people joy to be in, that is unique to them and allows them to have a space that functions well is where its at for me. Also I love beautiful, unique spaces- it doesn’t matter if it is ultra modern, traditional, contemporary- if it looks good I love it.

I believe that every project, small or big, has the opportunity to become something special, beautiful, and functional. The first thing I learn is my client’s ultimate wish list and work back from there trying to tick off as many of those boxes as possible, ensuring that the overall design is a combination of style and function – but most of all meets their budget. The balance is determined by the client – it is critical to respect that.