This week's Q + A is with Bridgette Adams, Unscripted Rockstar since February of 2019 and Senior Designer for our Commercial Design Studio. Her extensive background and curiosity for all kinds of inspiring avenues has shaped her into the talented and spunky designer we know today—and we couldn't be more lucky! We recently asked her to share her perspective on design, life, and of course, being a good human!
All Things Unscripted
Q: Tell us about your role in the company. What does a day in the life look like?
A: My role at Unscripted Interior Design is that of Commercial Senior Interior Designer, and I have been with the company for a little over four years. A typical day is usually pretty design heavy, dependent on project phase and work load. If in the Schematic phase of a project, I may spend most of the day concepting and idea dumping into an empty presentation. However, if I am in the Design Development phase of a project it is more likely that I am having collaborative meetings with our Commercial Director of Design, Sven, and gathering information from reps and consultants in order to hone the design more precisely. The Construction Documentation phase typically has me working on CAD from sun up to sun down, documenting, detailing and finalizing any missing elements of the overall design. Or I could be rounding out a project’s design within the furniture and merchandising phase. I love this phase, where I can thread the entire design together by sourcing the perfect furniture pieces, art, accessories and soft goods to complement the overall design.
Q: What does being a good human mean to you?
A: Being a good human means treating others with respect and kindness. We use these words a lot in our house as we are raising two little good humans in training. Raising little kids truly reminds you of what is important and how we can all re-calibrate sometimes to slow things down and just be kind to one another.
"Being a good human means treating others with respect and kindness."
Q: What has been your favorite project since working at Unscripted?
A: I take a lot of pride in the work I have done for the new flagship Toll Brothers Design Studio located in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. The client needed us to create a uniform design that could be implemented across the country in every new design studio opening. My teammate, Alyse Hages, and I designed the new interior brand image for Toll which was inspired by Earth’s elements of water, air, light and fire. Additionally, we conceived new ways buyers could use the studio space; most notably within the selections galleries. Working very closely with the client, we created a space that brings new technologies into the home designing process. We also challenged the old model of creating design studios that are somewhat open spaces filled with cold and impersonal finishes by reinvigorating them with warm and inviting semi-private experiences. It was a unique challenge to design this project holistically with the Toll Brothers brand image at its backbone.
Q: How have you evolved as a designer since working at Unscripted?
A: I have become more confident in my design voice. I can better discern when a design just isn’t working and move onto the next big idea rather than trying to force something. This has been crucial in developing a better end product.
Design
Q: What is your favorite type of room to design and why?
A: I really enjoy creating social spaces, typically great room spaces within clubhouses and multi-family buildings. I enjoy the challenge of trying to always bring something new and unique to the design. While gathering inspiration from the buildings’ architecture, I also really enjoy collaborating with the architect to invite more architectural elements into the interior. I embrace the challenge of giving these spaces multiple functions. For example, the design brief might be to create a space that can function as a co-working space by day and transition into a social and gathering hub by night.
Q: Where does your design process start?
A: Our design process starts with the client. We interview on needs, wants, and constraints and get a sense of the project based on these factors and various others like the building’s architecture, population demographics, etc. After all of this information is gathered I start to concept very big picture until slowly a design takes off. Ultimately, it might be one tile, or one concept photo or one rug that starts that spark of inspiration and helps charge the entire design forward.
Q: How would you describe your personal interior style?
A: I tend to gravitate towards the more masculine when it comes to design. Men’s suiting-inspired textiles and prints are my favorite mixed with darker woods and masculine knubby textures! I love the mix of this with vintage pieces, taxidermy, and antique rugs. Think Sean Connery era James Bond + Ernest Hemingway design inspirations.
Q: If you could design a celebrity home, whose would it be and why?
A: Not much of a celebrity chaser, but if I had to pick one I guess I’d like to work with director Wes Anderson. He is a genius with visual interpretations and truly I would just want to learn all that I could from him.
Q: If you could buy one piece of furniture or artwork (with an unlimited budget) what would it be?
A: These Percival Lafer Modular Sofa Pieces from the 1960’s. They have this ugly/beautiful vibe that I find very inspiring.
Personal
Q: What artists, makers, or interior designers inspire you and why?
A: I absolutely love the work of the LA based Commune Design Group! Their work spans from residential to hospitality to commercial and hits all the right notes of mid-century warmth, quirky eclecticism, and cool California vibes.
Q: Outside of work, what are some of your favorite passions or hobbies?
A: Trying new restaurants and breweries is top of the list. Even better if we are riding bikes to them on a warm Colorado summer afternoon.
Q: Tell us about a favorite trip you've been on or a favorite place you've been?
A: My honeymoon in Belize was the trip of a lifetime. We slept in a jungle to the sound of tropical birds, dove in underwater caves where we saw ancient Mayan artifacts, hammocked on a jungle beach and ate lobster for a week. It was perfection!
Q: Where do you find your biggest inspiration?
A: My husband. He always challenges me to go out of my comfort zone and experience new and different things!
Q: How does interior design intertwine with your personal life?
A: For instance, whenever I travel for personal I am always trying to find hotels, restaurants, and shops with inspiring interiors that I can experience first hand. On a recent trip to San Diego my family and I discovered the sensory overload in the best way brunch spot called Morning Glory.
"The interior design is so inspired and crazy that it almost hurts how cool it is."
Q: Tell us about any upcoming projects you are excited about + describe the design direction!
A: I am currently working on a project for M3 developers for the Valor Social Club in Idaho. It features a bar, dining, golf simulator and pro shop experience. The design is routed in the agrarian livelihood of the land it is being developed on and has been really fun to work on so far.
Thanks so much, Bridgette for spending some time with us! Want more? Follow our blog to keep up with good humans, good design and get to know our Unscripted Rockstars!