Heritage: Fall 2021

Valerie Patterson
’04, BA Interior Design
Senior Designer, Furniture Marketing Group, Houston, TX

Research shows that a happy workplace results in increases in employee productivity. Creating friendly, safe, comfortable places to conduct business is Valerie Patterson’s area of expertise.

With a growing focus on work and life balance, most office environments today are learning to adapt and think more about employees’ physical and emotional wellbeing. Helping to support those priorities while turning visions into reality, Patterson knows how to pair an organization’s business goals with facility objectives to devise a plan that ensures success.

“I love walking through the construction space and seeing my design concepts come together on a site visit,” Patterson said.

Patterson gained valuable lessons that prepared her for the professional world while studying interior design in college, including the many courses that involved design critiques.

“The critiquing process from professors allowed me to build a great foundation of experience for the corporate project reviews I deal with every day on the job,” she said. “I encourage students to embrace those critiques. This will prepare you for the unfiltered feedback your future clients will unleash on you.”

Looking ahead in an ever-changing business, Patterson predicts design work becoming completely virtual.

“Designing space concepts in real time with the client, regardless of location, and embracing new digital platforms will be necessary,” she said. “Enhanced skills in rendering and understanding the bidding process, for the commercial aspects of design, will be vital in the future of the interior design industry.”