From corporate world to creative designer, Wendy Scott is making a name for herself in the Pacific Northwest design community.  We love working with Wendy and her team who are big fans of UASHMAMA's Home Collection. Her appreciation for the multi-purpose functionality of UASHMAMA pieces and the commitment to sustainability thrills us of course. We love the spaces Wendy creates that are such a perfect mix of bright and unique while also evoking a sense of calm and comfortable. It was so fun to sit down with Wendy and chat about her transition from corporate life to pursuing her creative passions and got some great tips and advice for anyone looking to embark on a new design project.

UASHMAMA: How did you get started in design? We know you have a corporate background, so what influenced you to make the switch? 

Wendy: I’ve participated in art contests since I was 4 years old. One of my first prizes was a gallon of ice cream. I have always been drawn to art, in high school and college my only A’s were in art/design courses. I went to OSU on a fine art scholarship and majored in fine art with a focus in graphic design. After college, I went into marketing (website design, restaurant menu design, marketing collateral). During my time at Nike, I shifted towards recruiting while also incorporating design. I contributed to their global design, doing everything from designing their trend magazine to hiring design interns. Later, I worked for Tesla, and tech startups. I look at my corporate career as a 10 year hiatus from design. I left the corporate world and took a two month break in which I started painting again. That, coupled with managing the remodel of my home, got the ball rolling towards interior design.  When I couldn’t find the right piece of art for my mantel, I created my own (with help from my daughter). That was the a-ha moment for Wendy Scott Design (WSD).

Having time and space to escape the rat race and return to my creative roots brought into focus what I am passionate about. The positive feedback from having my home featured in the 2022 Portland Modern Home Tour gave me the confidence to pursue design through WSD.

UASHMAMA: How would you describe your style?

WENDY: Modern with vintage flare. I love incorporating vintage/loved pieces. Fun, playing with color, design without rules, not abiding by “standards”, designs based on a feeling/hunch, very instinctual.

• A finished space has a live plant. The space is living.
• Love mixing patterns and going off palette for a funky twist.
• Gravitate towards blues big time, but bring in a lot of pops.
• Big on function, especially as a mother.

UASHMAMA: If someone is looking to make a small, quick change with a big impact in their home, what do you recommend they focus on first? Drapery, art, or lighting?

WENDY:  None of the above. Paint makes a huge difference. There’s nothing like fresh paint to freshen up a space. Lighting would be second. In my home for example, we crafted the lighting through skylights, canned lights, lamps, and lots of windows.

UASHMAMA: You've done a lot of (incredible) work on your home. What room/project was your favorite to do?

WENDY:  Thank you! The living room. The mix of old and new. The blue couch was a group wedding gift from our friends. One of the chairs was one of our first big purchases as a couple. The big vintage lamp on the pink table, I found on a trip to NYC. Inspired by Rheirloom Design, a friend’s company that lacquers vintage furniture, I decided to paint my old coffee table pink. I made the painting on the mantel with help from my daughter Annie. Very sentimental piece. I loved working with the architect on the fireplace transformation. The most difficult part was creating the gapping in the shelves to the side of the fireplace, and curating the books for the shelves, for the kitchen side vs the living room side.

UASHMAMA: How/where did you first discover UASHMAMA?

WENDY: At a deli, The Market Chef, in Friday Harbor in the San Juan islands. They have a small, well curated retail section with cool pictures, cloth napkins, and outdoor cutlery, bags, etc.

UASHMAMA: Do you have a favorite UASHMAMA product?  

WENDY: The planter bags are a fave. I use them for everything from dog toys, kids toys, plants and napkins to fruit. I love the versatility of them and that I can mold and adjust them how I like.

UASHMAMA: When is the right time to bring in a professional designer to assist/how do you know what projects are the ones to invest in help with? 

WENDY: The key is if you know you will be in your home a long time, and you don’t feel confident about making furniture decisions and walls, then you should invest in a designer/help. For me, it's about if the client is invested, ready for change, and will work with someone who will push their design boundaries and explore creative solutions. I love a client who is open and willing to try new things. It is very much a discovery process. To some degree, I look at it like recruiting. You get the scope of the role/project, get a job/project approved, then start sourcing people/pieces. A lot of my success in recruiting stemmed from sourcing outside the box and finding people who didn’t realize their potential. Design is all about finding those creative solutions.

UASHMAMA: We love the food & wine scene in Oregon. Favorite Portland restaurant? 

WENDY:  How could I choose just one? 1) Quaintrelle, 2) Langbaan. My favorite winery is Penner-Ash Wine Cellars (small cozy, great views). The general food scene here is amazing, I love living within a mile of a local farmers market and how rich the seasonal produce is.

UASHMAMA: What is your dream design gig? 

WENDY:   Someone who is: *Ready for the process & to invest in the project *Excited *Fluid communication *When clients have meaningful things that can be repurposed (painting, old furniture, trinkets) => giving soul to a piece that is a refresh away from being a focal piece *An appetite for surprise *Understands sacrifice and the value of quality/durability over quick fixes *Incorporating sustainability

If you don't already, be sure to follow Wendy on Instagram at @wendyscottdesign or at www.wendyscottdesign.com!  And don't forget to tag us in your Instagram photos @uashmama.usa with #Uashmamastyle. We want to see YOUR Uashmama style!