February 2020

Our February Member Spotlight is on Amanda Peña! Amanda has been in the interior design industry for 18 years and currently works for The Community Builders, Inc.

What made you decide to pursue an Interior Design career?

After 10 years working in the “real worlds” of finance, education, and real estate development, I realized that I was willing to continue spending 10-12-hour days at my job, but only if it was a job I really, deeply loved. I took six months off and spent that time working to identify what my dream job looked like... and it ended up looking exactly like interior design. I visited Harrington College of Design and was bowled over by their gallery of first-year student work, thinking, “I want to learn to do that! And that! And that, too!” Then I walked into their library and just above dove headfirst into a bin of fabric memo samples made available for student use. I had such a visceral response to the colors and textures of those fabrics that I knew I’d found my path.

What type of design are you passionate about?

I’m passionate about residential design for low- and moderate-income families and seniors. I worked in Chicago’s high-end residential industry for nine years, and the clients, materials and design were glorious, but I felt strongly that I was making lives better for people whose lives were already pretty great. In combination with my background in affordable housing finance prior to design, I was thrilled to eventually land a job with an affordable housing developer that builds quality housing for people of all incomes. I believe strongly that #DesignImpactsLives and I love knowing that the designs I work on will affect the lives of people (especially kids) who would otherwise struggle to find decent, stable housing.

What do you love about design?

I love its ability to affect human emotions. It can calm or stimulate, soften or energize, comfort while encouraging creativity and risk-taking. I’m currently learning about Trauma-Informed Practice in education and social services, with the goal of identifying residential housing “best practices” for interior design for traumatized residents and communities.

How has being a member of ASID helped you in your career?

It has introduced me to the rest of the Wisconsin design community! My employer is based in Boston and I work from home, so ASID-WI has been my go-to for meeting and building relationships with other local designers, vendors and business connections.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I sing with the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus, I’m a reading junkie, I knit, I walk all over my Bay View neighborhood with my husband, and I spend waaaay too much time on Facebook.