Birmingham’s best and brightest: interior designer Betsy Brown
ByJHDaniel
Reading time: 3 minutes
Meet interior designer Betsy Brown, a local resident and well published professional who creates highly sought after living spaces for clients across the country and beyond.
She’s one of us, Birmingham! ICYMI, Brown was recently featured in 1stdibs with a designer spotlight. Take a look at her work and you’ll know why.
Be sure to read the introspective story from 1stdibs, as it defines Brown’s design aesthetic, as well as spotlights her recent projects. (They’re to die for!) The online marketplace connects “the the world’s best dealers, finest shops and most important galleries with individuals,” according to its website.
In addition to the recent piece in 1stdibs, she’s also been recently featured in national publications like House Beautiful and Veranda.
I had the opportunity to interview Brown for Bham Now, and I couldn’t be more excited to share this gallery featuring some of her work.
She’s a master at elegant minimalism that’s inviting, and that is a feat, in my humble opinion! Her timeless design and flawless editing make her a standout on my Pinterest page. Check out her work below:
Brown was also kind enough to let me pick her brain a bit with these five interview questions. I hope you enjoy getting to know this talented Birmingham design professional as much as I did!
Why do you choose to call Birmingham your business home?
“I was born in Birmingham and raised my three daughters here. My office is still located five minutes from their elementary school. Most of our projects are in other cities, but I can’t imagine working anywhere else.”
How have styles changed in Birmingham over the past 10 years? Are you seeing shifts in local interests?
“Our clients in Birmingham are asking for comfortable, authentic interiors that are either modern and eclectic or traditional with modern elements. They want an intelligent mix, and they don’t want their spaces to feel like anyone else’s. That’s definitely a shift from ten years ago. We try very hard to listen so their spaces will be uniquely theirs.”
What’s your favorite design/architectural trend for 2017?
“We try our best to stay away from trends that are moving that quickly. If I suggested one it would already feel like a cliche to me, but if I have to name something that feels fresh it would be the use of modern color photography in traditional interiors.”
What is one piece of advice you can give to interior design students and/or interior designers just entering the workforce?
“That’s easy. Try to get hired where you want to be working when you’re thirty-five, even if it’s doing something you don’t like. A great job in a peripheral field might cause you to stagnate there.”
How does Birmingham and the South inspire you as a designer?
“Birmingham is unusual in that it has a very sophisticated design aesthetic and a number of wonderful architects. Our clients here are so well researched that I learn as much from them as they do from me. Even the clients that aren’t particularly interested in design seem to have very good instincts.”
We’re proud that Betsy Brown calls Birmingham home!
