Julie Cavanaugh – Julie Cavanaugh

The CCIDC Certified Interior Designers Designation

Julie Cavanaugh is the founder of Design Matters in Los Gatos, California. When she is not driving operations as a senior interior designer at the firm, Julie Cavanaugh engages with professional organizations, such as the American Society of Interior Designers and the California Council for Interior Design Certification (CCIDC).

CCIDC, Inc. operates primarily to manage standards set by the Certified Interior Designers Title Act. Individuals may not be aware, but any designer in California can refer to themselves as an interior designer; the term does not connote any specific education or professional training. Certified Interior Designer (CID) remains the state’s only legally recognized designation for interior designers. Professionals who have achieved this title can provide building departments with various non-structural and non-seismic construction specs.

The CID designation signifies a professional with comprehensive design education, professional experience, and in-depth knowledge of the California Building Code—the certification tests designers in space planning and personal safety, including local access laws and flammability.

How to Build a Tailored Interior Home Decoration for Clients

Julie Cavanaugh is the founder and senior residential interior designer at Design Matters in Los Gatos, California. She is the wife of an Olympic gold medalist, a licensed certified interior decorator (CID), and an American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) member. With a keen interest in providing homes with unique and unparalleled “livable luxury,” Julie Cavanaugh plays her role as an interior decorator by offering tailored home decoration transformations.

Professionals build tailored interior decorations for clients by listening carefully to understand their unique needs, preferences, and budget. They ask questions to determine their desired style – modern, traditional, eclectic – and how they envision using each room.

Professionals tour the home to assess the space, lighting, and flow. They consider factors like the client’s lifestyle, family size, and activities to determine the best layout and placement of furniture. They recommend versatile, high-quality pieces that will stand the test of time.

They create a design plan with 3D renderings to visualize the proposed layout and style for the client. This allows the client to imagine how the space will come to life and request any changes before implementation.

Professionals work with clients to select colors, textures, lighting, flooring, and window treatments that complement the design plan. They recommend accessories, art, and decor that reflect the client’s personality and interests while tying the overall design together.

During implementation, professionals oversee contractors, installers, and delivery of all items. They ensure everything meets the client’s quality, style, and function expectations.

Once the project is complete, professionals provide the client with a manual of care instructions for all items and tips for maintaining the tailored design over time. Next, the interior designer schedules follow-up consultations to ensure the client’s continued satisfaction and make adjustments or recommendations for refinements as needed.

Interior Design for Common Areas in Multi-Family Buildings

Since 2000, Julie Cavanaugh has led Design Matters in Los Gatos, California, as founder and senior interior designer. She is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and holds a Certified Interior Designer license. Through Design Matters, Julie Cavanaugh has completed dozens of interior projects, including one for the 90-unit Sagebrush apartment complex in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Common areas in apartment and condominium developments over the years were often poorly designed spaces containing a few chairs and maybe a pool table, but tenants’ increasing expectations have prompted a change. These areas now can include fitness centers, party rooms, and even movie theaters as residential amenities. Due to this trend, common areas are designed as social spaces that are not only functional, but aesthetically pleasing as well.

In large multi-family buildings, common areas can employ virtually any design, but both modern and traditional designs appeal to the widest range of potential renters. The layouts are often highlighted by inviting colors and uncluttered furnishings usable by everyone. Wall sconces can add a dramatic flair to these spaces. Ambient, task, and accent lights are also popular choices for such spaces.

ASID Awards Research Grants to Impactful Design Projects

The owner of Design Matters, Julie Cavanaugh is a professional interior designer who champions a livable luxury style. In addition to contributing to several design magazines, she has been invited as a university guest speaker. Furthermore, Julie Cavanaugh has been a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) since 2002.

The American Society of Interior Designers comprises more than 15,000 members, joined by interior designers, suppliers, and students who are studying interior design. Established in 1975, the organization aims to promote the interior design profession through education, collaborative projects, and community building.

In November 2020, ASID offered research grants worth $30,000 to two design project teams. The winning projects tackled two key research areas including the healing effects of design and COVID-related adaptability of affordable housing. The grant awardees represented two major design companies: HOK and Perkins & Will. The HOK project focuses on design guidelines supporting people who have experienced trauma whereas the Perkins & Will project assesses interior design tools used to improve affordable housing.

Sonoma’s Iconic Sea Ranch Evolves to Meet a New Era

Julie Cavanaugh is an established presence in Los Gatos, California, where she leads the interior design company Design Matters. Julie Cavanaugh has completed luxury projects in locations ranging from Jackson Hole to Malibu, and coordinated a renovation project in a Sonoma Coast region known for its architectural impact.

A 2019 New York Times article drew attention to another Sonoma County location, Sea Ranch, a “modernist utopia” that has recently been catching up with the new century’s aesthetics. Envisioned in 1964 by faculty at the University of California, Berkeley, the development turned what had been a 5,200-acre sheep ranch into a residential community that derived its fundamental utility and aesthetics from nature.

The wood-crafted Sea Ranch design combined open interiors, slanted shed roofs, and overhead spaces with skylights, outlooks, and elevated sleeping areas. Innovative for its era, this aesthetic has earned Sea Ranch a place on the National Register of Historic Places.

While the development has grown over the decades to encompass 1,769 houses, it still offers residents a unique, immersive proximity to nature. In recent years, some homeowners have broken from the wood-clad aesthetic and opted for more modern materials, such as fire-resistant, low-maintenance, cement fiberboard. Others have used contemporary materials such as concrete and Cor-Ten in ways that take inspiration from the look and feel of old barns in the area. One common goal is to preserve the sense of solitude and closeness to nature, while designing structures that are in much closer proximity than the original developers planned.