What type of home did you live in growing up?
I grew up in a classic Colonial style, new construction with columns. My mother had everything decorated with Baker furniture.
Were you always changing your room around?
Yes! And I always wanted to change the paint color. I hated the yellow paint my parents chose, but they never let me. I joke that this is why I became a designer.
Who inspired your love of design?
I think attending Cranbrook Kingswood [Bloomfield Hills, Michigan] for middle school and high school really inspired me and created a love of design. Every single moment of school was designed to perfection.
Although you studied law, you changed your career path and became an interior designer. How did that happen? Was there a real “aha” moment?
As the daughter of Korean American immigrants, my parents said I had two choices of career: doctor or lawyer. Since I wasn’t very good at math, I went to law school. The first week of school I knew I didn’t fit in at all. My husband, who went to school with me, was driving me to take the bar exam and said: “You know you don’t need to do this. This isn’t for you, and you’ll probably never practice law.” He was right! I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do, and then I met an interior designer at a cocktail party, and a lightbulb went off. This was what I wanted to do.
Does your background in law help you run a better business?
I think the law does help me in the sense that I am not afraid of contracts, contract negotiations and just generally always having a sense of liabilities and responsibilities. It also helps me think in a way that is not really natural to me, which helps me understand clients better too.
What enticed you to enter the IDAs back in 2011 as a young designer?
DJ Carey!! She really encouraged me. I was so, so scared. I had never won anything in my life. I am so glad that I listened to her.
Why is giving back to the industry so important?
What is a better feeling than giving back to the community that helped you? Also, it’s a chance for me to help young people and encourage them the way DJ encouraged me.
What’s your best advice for anyone interested in entering interior design?
Interior design is a trade that can take a lifetime to perfect, so start learning from someone who has been in the industry.
Where do you find design inspiration?
Sometimes it’s from reading books and seeing pictures in my head from the words. Sometimes it’s travel, art. I get a lot of inspiration from my team. Their creative energy keeps me inspired every day.
What’s your personal credo?
Integrity is so important to me. Do what you say and say what you do.
Your debut book—A Mood, A Thought, A Feeling: Interiors—is due out early 2026, published by Rizzoli. Tell me about that experience.
I am so excited to share my debut book. It has been four years in the making. Kathleen Jayes—my editor—reached out to me in the middle of Covid. I thought about my process, and I wanted to illustrate how I use moods, thoughts and feelings to create spaces. It took me a long to time to organize it, but Kathleen and Doug Turshen were amazing to collaborate with.
I see forewords by Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott? How did you end up working on their home?
An editor at Hearst recommended me, and they called me sort of out of the blue. But it was truly a match made in heaven. They are so wonderfully creative and open. Funny and warm. The best human beings.
What’s next for you?
Our book tour! We can’t wait to share the book with the world! We are working on a new hotel in Turks and Caicos called The Point that we are really excited about that has just broken ground. We also have so many wonderful residential projects to share!