Noting that American designer and architect Charles Eames focused on need as “the primary condition for design,” Katherine believes that a deep knowledge of the way we live in and interact with our environment is paramount to implementing a successful design strategy. She considers how we respond to the textures, light, and spatial arrangements of the built environment, knowing they all contribute to not only our enhanced well-being but to improved functionality.
This lecture will include a biography of Katherine’s evolution from mid-century modern furniture enthusiast to working with Artisans Group, a female owned and operated, nationally recognized award-winning design firm located in Olympia, WA. Katherine will provide a comprehensive overview to Interior Design as a profession, in addition to highlighting the design process. She will discuss the ways in which designers can create opportunities for social sustainability utilizing their specialized skill set to benefit not only their clientele but to serve the greater good of the community as a whole. Katherine will highlight a few of her current and past projects, and aims to give attendees a greater understanding of how a love of great design and aesthetic can lead to opportunities to enhance the lives of others and give back.
Guest lecture given by Katherine McBride at The Evergreen State College on February 9th, 2024.
Katherine McBride is an Interior Designer that lives in Olympia, WA and graduated from The Evergreen State College in 2005. Her work has been featured in Atomic Ranch Magazine, and an upcoming article for Sunset Magazine. Katherine’s passion for design was fueled at a young age as she spent her childhood in the 1980s on the flea market circuit in rural Pennsylvania with her grandparents. Katherine had an early appreciation for mid century modern furniture that at the time was disregarded as junk. Shortly after graduation from Evergreen, Katherine opened her first store, The Mod Fix, a ‘retro-modern furniture boutique’ in downtown Olympia that specializes in selling mid century modern furniture and home decor. It was there where her path crossed with Tessa Smith Bradly, Principal Architect and Owner of Artisans Group Architecture and Planning.
Years later, and after Katherine completed a degree in Interior Design with honors from the Art Institute of Seattle, Katherine and Tessa’s paths crossed once more as Katherine reached out to the firm to help her see out her vision for remodeling her family’s home in Olympia. That connection led to an internship with the company, which quickly advanced to a position with the firm as Lead Interior Designer, and her first project, her family’s home winning Best Remodel of 2018 by Olympia Master Builders.
In recent years, and throughout the pandemic, both Katherine’s personal life and career trajectory have shifted as she is now a single mother of two that has started her own independent design firm that focuses on leveraging her skill set to help provide more people with access to beautifully designed and functional spaces, in addition to taking on passion projects including an upcoming Artists Retreat, and Healing and Events Center both located in Mason County.