Welcome to our second Designer Spotlight, where we shine a little light on the tastemakers and interior designers who inspire us visually and creatively.
Please cue the applause for one of our very favorite clients: local designer, Anna King. Anna's a frequent visitor to Huff Harrington and we've had a pleasure getting to know her. Not only is she completely adorable but she has a sincere and kind energy to her that we just love. Not to mention: wow, is she talented.
Her style is conficent and clean, uncluttered, neutral and beautifully textured. She effortlessly creates spaces that look easy to live in - but that are chic and timeless. We're all kinda obesessed with her!
Love how clean and uncluttered this gorgeous room is.
Let's see what makes Anna tick:
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from, how long have you been in Atlanta, what neighborhood do you live in?Hey! I’m Anna King, founder of AK & Co., I am originally from Williamsburg, Virginia, and have journeyed through North Carolina, Fort Worth and San Francisco before finally settling in Atlanta in 2013. My family and I reside in Brookhaven.
The people, our family is here! Big city/ small town feel! Airport accessibility, we can fly just about anywhere around the world! (Agreed: you gotta love our airport!)
Tell us about your career trajectory and how you came to open your own interior design business?Before venturing into interior design, I spent three years with a New York-based tech hedge fund, Coatue, where I played a key role in designing their office and establishing their people operations infrastructure as they expanded into Silicon Valley.
Following that, I spent another three years with an Atlanta-based startup and social media app, Yik Yak, as their Director of People Operations. Yik Yak was later acquired and left me searching for a new start-up to dive into.
I have always had a passion for interior design, whether it was designing a company's culture and creative office environment or spearheading an office renovation. I soon realized this was the perfect opportunity for me to pursue my dreams of starting my own interior design company. I took the leap of faith and started AK & Co. in 2017. (That is quite the trajectory, Anna!)
Just one. Courtney Silva joined our team in October as the Director of Design Operations. In this role, she oversees client selections, manages vendor relationships and communications, coordinates ordering logistics and furniture schedules, and handles sourcing and project management. And much more!
What does a regular workday look for you?I’m very proud to say we’re a mom-run business. On a typical workday, I start with a early morning workout at 6:30am, get the kids ready for school, and drop them off. After enjoying two cups of coffee and some quiet time, I begin my workday. I work from home and I love the flexibility it allows me! In the afternoon, I pick up the kids from school and then spend an hour or two finishing up work for the day. Generally, we divide our time evenly between working on the computer and conducting field or site visits.
My dream project is to renovate and restore a historic home. A dream client is someone who fully trusts us and the design process. With over 7,000 decisions involved in building a new home, we strive to ensure our clients feel that we genuinely understand their design goals and can effectively bring their vision to life. (We love that you put an actual number on the decisions. Sometimes it also feels like 70,000!)
One of our favorite questions: have you ever had something go wrong with a project or installation and if yes, how did you solve it? (I'm thinking window treatments that didn't fit or a painter who painted the wrong color.)Absolutely, it’s inevitable! However, what truly matters is the ability to think on the fly and find solutions to fix or even improve whatever went wrong or what you're installing. One of our biggest challenges is dealing with delays in furnishings and ensuring they arrive on time for our installs. There is only so much we as designers can control - furniture delays are not one of them! (And sometimes the fix on the fly ends up being the best outcome anyway, right?)
Three designers whose work you follow or inspire you. Amber Interiors, Katie Harbison, Lauren Liess and Sarah Sherman Samuel.
Do you have a secret skill?I’m not sure if it counts as a secret skill, but I was a collegiate swimmer and competed for over 17 years!
Name three interior design tips that you incorporate in your work:Organic, earthy, white and timeless.
I enjoy antiquing, playing tennis, working out, and spending time with my family and friends!
Three favorite Instagram accounts you follow:@amberinteriors, @devolkitchens and @Sarah Sherman Samuel
Where do you find everyday inspiration?Through traveling, antiquing, instagram, and magazines/books.
Anna, thank you for your time and we can't wait to see the next project you're cooking up. And for a final peek at Anna's work, look at this precious pup. What a model!
