RICM: How did you become an interior designer? Girouard: “I always wanted to be an interior designer since I was a little girl – drawing floor plans is something little girls don’t usually do! Then working at Pier One Imports in high school really gave me insight into mer- chandising, how to rework elements and how to create something beautiful. From there, I graduated from New England Tech with a degree in interior design, spent a number of years working with leading home builders and design studios, and finally took the leap and opened my own interior design business.”
RICM: Why did you decide to buy and renovate the Tide Mill Building in Apponaug Village? Girouard: “When I decided to buy the Tide Mill Build- ing and turn it into the location for my interior design business and studio, it was a very depressed time eco- nomically. I felt badly for the contractors who were out of work and the projects just weren’t happening for them. Being a native of Rhode Island, I was interested in making a change and Apponaug Village was the perfect place since I saw a lot of opportunity there and admired the mill building. It was always an inspiration on my way to school at New England Tech and I thought it would be a great place to work.”
RICM: What was your inspiration for the mill renovation? Girouard: “I wanted to create a local neighborhood feel, but also have the design reflect the history of the area. I did that by putting vintage postcards on the walls and creating artwork with the metal, wood and glass already in the building. I got creative and recycled those prod- ucts to create the space. The mill now has a historic, authentic and simple feel, which is exactly what I was aiming for when I started the project. It was a lot of fun going through the process.”
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RICM: What is your favorite part of the mill renovation now that it is complete? Girouard: “My favorite part is being able to work in this space every day and meet with my clients here; sharing this collaborative with them is so rewarding. I also love working with the community and I feel like the building is a portfolio of sorts that showcases my work beauti- fully.”
RICM: What does interior design mean to you? Girouard: “To me, interior design is many things. I think you’re a true designer when you can bring out the unique appearance and functionality of a room by imple- menting a successful design. A good designer should be able to save the client time and money by streamlin- ing a lot of the resources and helping with the decision making during the project. It’s also important to get the contractors to share and stay with the vision that the cli- ent wants.”
RICM: What advice would you give to aspiring or current designers? Girouard: “I would highly recommend interior design for any up-and-coming designer. Don’t be afraid to find your specialty or niche. The industry is so large and filled with so much detail. Going into the future, there is so much work out there. Everyone wants a stylist and I believe the interior design industry will just continue to grow.”
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