In our “Meet the Maker” series, we’ll introduce you to local personalities from each of the towns where Nest offices are located. In our technology driven world, it’s nice to meet people who are still physically making tactile things by hand. These makers enrich our communities and color the landscape of our towns. For this installment, we visit an influential interior designer from Fredericksburg, VA.
“It’s a lost art form,” explains Stacey Lampman, Co-Founder and Principal Interior Designer at Spaces Design Studio, LLC in Fredericksburg, VA. We’re sitting in her chic downtown design studio, discussing the lost practice of hand-drawn design renderings. This once crucial step to the design process has now been replaced by computer-aided design (CAD) programs. While Lampman appreciates the efficiency that technology can offer, she believes there’s still value in the tactile practice of creating a rendering by hand—using drafting pens and architectural ruler on drafting paper. She still creates them for all her projects.
This connection to the past and commitment to moving forward keeps Lampman at the forefront of design in Fredericksburg. That’s not to say she’s outmoded…she’s spirited and youthful with a brilliant smile. There’s a familiarity and lightness about her.
Her team stops by during our interview; they’re fun and vibrant— laughter comes easily. It’s a strong crew that clearly enjoys working together. They’ve recently enjoyed a surge of commercial design requests from local breweries. As the craft beer movement continues to thrive, the need for well-designed spaces increases. Spencer Devon, Adventure Brewing Co, and 6 Bears & A Goat Brewery are among past and current clients. For some in-depth market research, Lampman recently took the whole team to visit an array of Colorado breweries to garner a better understanding of how they are designed from a functional standpoint—what’s working versus what isn’t.
Lampman is committed to thoroughly understanding a client’s wants and needs, and then presenting a cohesive design solution. “Do the research first, then design. Take your time, get to know people, know their business,” she explains. Whether it’s an upscale restaurant like Kybecca, for which she designed the expansion in 2012, or a historic building, Lampman is completely devoted to making sure each project meets and exceeds expectations. She’s comfortable with the specific challenges that come with historic preservation, “It’s like peeling an onion, pulling back layers and layers.”
Both history and travel have been a big influence on Lampman’s design. Growing up with a father in the Navy, moving was a way of life. Lampman jokes that they were, “military hippies.” She attended three different high schools in California, Mississippi, and Hawaii. For college, she attended the University of Mississippi, and went on to receive her Interior Design degree from Marymount University.
When she isn’t creating modern masterpieces, she enjoys spending time with her husband, three kids, and their large golden retriever named Emma. She craves the coastal life—hiking, fly fishing, and exploring far off lands to soak in fresh inspiration.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
We ask each of our makers to share what’s in their toolbox—the five things they can’t live without:
1. Design Vibe Compilation
2. Drafting Pens
3. Tape Measure
4. Floor Plans
5. Architectural Ruler
To learn more about Lapman and Spaces Design Studio, visit fredericksburgspaces.com
We shared this story with you in our Fall/Winter 2016 Issue of NEST Magazine. To view the full issue, click here!