By Loren Kessell

 

As a young girl, Aimee Inouye ventured through showrooms with her mother, who was on the quest for her “dream kitchen.” Now, Aimee is the one designing dream kitchens.

“All of my memories are favorites, but my most memorable experience was going to the Ferguson design showroom back home and spending hours there walking around and looking at every fixture and every appliance that they had,” Inouye said.

She grew up in Honolulu, in a household where her mother and father educated her and her brother on what it’s like to work in a well-organized kitchen that’s properly laid out. Inouye’s mother had 35 years of Food Service and Food Science experience that laid the groundwork for Inouye’s passion.

Inouye, now 29, is a 2018 Thirty Under 30 recipient who owns her own business, AI Design + Drafting, in Oakland, Calif. She has her AKBD, is a member of the NKBA Northern California chapter, and is working toward earning her CKBD certification.

Inouye initially attended architecture school and later studied furniture design and woodworking, but a year after graduating, she chose to follow her passion for kitchen and bath design and went back to school. She said the kitchen and bath realm always excited her more than anything else, so she attended NKBA Affiliate School Century College in White Bear Lake, Minn., to earn her next degree.

Inouye talked to the NKBA about life after Thirty Under 30 and her career.

NKBA: What has your professional experience been like since becoming a Thirty Under 30?

AI: It’s been great! I’ve developed some really great friendships with fellow Thirty Under 30s and we’ve collaborated on a few projects together. I’ve been working on two interior design projects with fellow 30s classmate Lindsay Cerilli of Cerulean Concepts. Lindsay does a great job in providing full specification packages for clients, and for these two projects in particular, she wanted to provide 3D renderings of these selections. We worked together on how to best illustrate her designs and color palettes to her clients. The 3D visuals gave her clients a better understanding for the aesthetics in each space and ultimately helped carry the projects through to completion.

NKBA: How did you decide to open your own business?

AI: I wanted to help educate others with the design process and create an enjoyable experience along the way. A good amount of times, clients are hesitant in making such big investments because they have a hard time visualizing the space. By providing them with colorful design boards and 3D visuals, they feel more comfortable and at ease.

NKBA: How do juggle both your career with a design/build company and your own business?

AI: Very carefully. Quite honestly, it’s difficult and sometimes stressful, but being able to help my clients with my organizational skills and design vision is what pushes me through. For them, it’s one of the most stressful processes, whereas for me, it’s the most exciting and fun!

NKBA: What is your design philosophy, and what is your favorite thing to design?

AI: It’s a balance of simplicity in design and function in its form. My favorite things to design are kitchens and bathrooms with a clean and modern aesthetic.

NKBA: What challenges and accomplishments have you experienced throughout your career?

AI: My biggest challenge has been finding my niche. I’ve worked for a lighting design company, a construction company, and a kitchen and bath designer prior to working for a design/build company and owning my own business. Through it all, I was able to see my strengths and weaknesses. My biggest accomplishment was being recognized as one of the NKBA’s Thirty Under 30. It’s a huge honor!

NKBA: What are some trends you’re seeing currently?

AI: The biggest trend in the area has been gray and white shaker cabinets with a heavy farmhouse influence. Another big trend that I’ve seen are dark blue and black cabinets with brass or gold pulls.

NKBA: What helped you get to where you are today?

AI: Having the mentality of not being afraid to fail.

NKBA: What do you like to do outside of work?

AI: When I manage to sneak away from work, I love creating new dishes on a whim and spending time with my partner and our Basset Hound. I’m also training for an upcoming marathon, which will fall on my 30th birthday!

NKBA: What advice would you give to aspiring designers?

AI: Ask yourself why you’re diving into this profession. Something that I’ve learned while in this industry is that everyone has their own reason why they’re in it. Sometimes it’s for the passion and sometimes it’s for the money. I can honestly say that if you’re aspiring to be a designer based on your genuine passion for the industry, then you’re in the right field. How you interact with clients and how you manage their projects will be affected by your passion for the field.