People can recognize my design through attention to detail, quality, and a sophisticated style of incorporating function and personality. I can source unique or custom pieces that others may not, and my thorough understanding of the design process from start to finish, allows for very little compromise, meaning, what the client wants, the client gets.
I haven't always had the skills or expertise that allows me to design this way. It has been a whirlwind of projects, mentors and experiments that have boosted my skills, knowledge, connections and confidence in order for me to become the designer I am today.
In this post, I hope to shed some light on my experiences to give you a better understanding of who I am, where I come from and how I can serve you.
I have loved to decorate since I was a 5-year-old girl. When family members would leave a room, I could not resist rearranging their accessories. When they came back to the room, they would say “Oh, Melissa was just here!". It has always been my biggest passion, and the only job I've ever had.
My first official job was at age 15. I worked at McNamara and Reynolds, who hired me after my high school co-op. I was doing in-home consultations even before I had my driver’s license! In order to not give away my age, I would have my parents drop me off around the corner from my destination. I had the honour of working for the Reynold family and alongside other incredible decorators, which solidified that this was my life’s path to pursue.
I went for my diploma in Interior Design at Sheridan College and worked part-time at Aristocrat throughout my 3 years of college. I was lucky enough to be taken under their wing and mentored by Aristocrat's Steve Giada. His mark on my life stays with me until this day, 20 years later.
After graduating, I made the decision to stay in the GTA to uncover what opportunities might arise. I was fortunate to work for some incredible design firms such as Kimberley Seldon Design Group as Kimberley's Senior Designer. With her, I managed various projects, traveled to Europe with her on 'Design for Living' trips to the South of France and New York, as well as traveling all over Canada with her on her seminar tours.
I worked for Architect Wayne Swardon, where I collaborated on homes in the Bridal Path which was an incredible experience. I was also favoured to work for Candice Olson both at her own personal firm and worked on two episodes of her design show 'Candice Tells All'. So many more wonderful people have graced my life, and I will share more about that in the future.
I have learned so much over my 20 years and I am so excited to be back in my hometown of St. Catharines and to share my expertise and create beautiful interiors here in my homestead.
The Niagara area has always had my heart and I've always been proud to share where I'm from.
My goal is to bring the knowledge I have gained over the last 20 years to my own firm, Melissa Walsh Interiors. As we begin this journey together, my goal for this blog is to share my tricks of the trade and offer some insight into the amazing world of interior design. I am excited to embark on this wild ride together with you! Want to follow along and be notified when I hit publish on my next Blog Post? CLICK HERE to join my mailing list. I promise no spamming, only truly good design inspiration. Sincerly, Melissa Walsh Melissa Walsh Interiors Inc. #interiordesigner #niagaradesignfirm #GTADesigner
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