Our Designers

A great Eclectic Modern Design project

A second home in Arizona offered a great opportunity to use the Desert Modern design style

Cottage style interior design evokes ideas of sand and shells and sun. There are a million great ways to do cottage style. Here is q quick look at ours. We renovated an old fishing cottage in 1996 at Spirit Lake.  It was tons of work.  My husband did most of the work – with an [...]

Let’s talk project scale! We can tackle any size of home project you need. From a single end table to a whole home: our designers are up for the challenge! Jessica was presented with one such challenge with a recent client project. The clients were building their custom dream home in Cedar Falls and needed [...]

When Sally set out to find new furniture for her condo in Urbandale, she wasn’t expecting to find any interesting options due to her smaller living space. She quickly realized that would not be the case when she stopped into BY DESIGN for the first time. Jessica helped her create a design that was practical [...]

I LOVE THEM>

Modern Luxury. We love it and we love homes that speak it with style. Madison’s thoughts on how to achieve it.

Ottomans have emerged as a design focus feature along with their obvious function. Some things to consider about ottomans.

I first met Cynthia to help her pick out a new light fixture for her Great Room in her Marshalltown home. With her interesting ceiling design, it could not be just an ordinary chandelier. That wood framing detail calls for attention and demands something special. Once we connected on the perfect light, the rest of [...]

Comfort. Designing a space that rides the line of Organic Modern style fully encompasses the word “comfort.” Organic Modern style is dependent on texture and shape. It generally pieces together a blend of the Scandinavian, rustic, and mid-century modern designs that we all adore! I was inspired by the Harrison Sofa and a wonderful Feizy [...]

Jessica’s client was looking to replace some old furniture in their great room space when she came to BY DESIGN. She fell in love with the Milford sofa which turned out to be the perfect scale for their large, open living room in their Urbandale home. The Inspiration: Milford Sofa Jessica made a house call [...]

Furnishing a historic home can be daunting! How do you bring modern comfort to the home without completely clashing with its original charm? Jessica’s client, Melinda, faced that challenge. How do we honor her lovely craftsman era home in Des Moines? Our Fabric & Finish selections The client wanted a space that was comfortable for [...]

Within a couple months of completing their main floor living room, repeat clients Tracey & Greg decided they wanted Jessica’s help with their lower level family room project too. So we were on to another level!

The question is: How do we do modern interior design in a traditional home? Here is one answer. This beautiful, historic home is nestled off the square in a small town outside of Des Moines. It is amazing. We wanted to breathe new life into this living room while adding a modern twist. We stuck with [...]

Recent clients of Jessica’s have been long-time BY DESIGN fans. As they say, their “whole house is from BY DESIGN.” So when they were working on a large-scale remodel of their home in West Des Moines, they decided they wanted a new look for their furniture as well. Naturally, they returned to BY DESIGN for [...]

Planning Ahead Paid BIG Dividends For This Couple How exciting to see this great organic-modern style home emerge from the hopes, dreams and ideas of a wonderful couple. We had the opportunity to start our process in the first days of the project. They came in early and just visited with us. This gave all [...]

We are finally welcoming warmer temperatures here in Iowa. It’s time to move the party outdoors with some of our favorite outdoor furniture ideas! This Canyon outdoor sectional is jaw-dropping! Woven teak, faux hyacinth, charcoal color cushions that are weather and sun-resistant scream warm and inviting! Add a few accent tables to hold your cold [...]

Now that the kids have moved out… This is an opportunity staring you in the face! Not everyone would recognize that. My clients, Melissa and Dave did. This is a lower level space in their Ankeny home. They decided that they wanted to maximize the seating and create a cozy space to watch sports or movies. [...]

This new home interior design project offered opportunities for learning and discovery for it’s Des Moines teacher and homeowner.

Long-time BY DESIGN clients Tracey & Greg of Waukee loved the existing living room furniture they purchased from our store years ago, but they were ready for an update. They stopped in to do some browsing and met with Jessica who was eager to help with a new design. BEFORE One aspect they always loved [...]

How one Des Moines couple discovered their personal sense of interior design style… and the choices they made in their new home. Introducing the new Melhus home! Brad & Casey just purchased the cutest Beaverdale home! They are returning customers to BY DESIGN so they knew they were in good hands when looking to furnish [...]

When I first met Rita, we found a shared fondness for color. You should consider using colors in your home’s interior design. Here’s why: Rita was looking to liven up the living room of her Urbandale home. As is often the case, her living room is the first room you see when you enter. And [...]

My client, Nancy, recently purchased a new home in Adel. She completely remodeled the home to give it a much-needed contemporary update. All the dark trim was painted white with light gray walls, new carpet and flooring throughout. Modern black accents and light fixtures were added. Now she needed an interior design that reflected her [...]