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2. What did you love most about the first place you purchased?<\/p>\n
AH: <\/strong>The first home we purchased was in the Calgary neighbourhood of Marda Loop. It was a brand new build and we bought it from a young couple who had likely purchased it as an investment. I remember that they left us a mini bottle of champagne in the fridge to congratulate us on our first purchase \u2013 we were finally adults! I loved that our little one bedroom unit looked into a courtyard with plenty of greenery. It was also within walking distance to a Starbucks, Safeway and other quaint neighbourhood amenities. We still own the condo today and use it for rental income.<\/p>\n 3. How would you describe your interior design style now?<\/p>\n AH: <\/strong>Evolved, exploratory, eclectic, soulful. This evolution through design has been inspired by my studies, personal experiences, travel and joint exploration of design with my clients. My style is eclectic because I love everything from bold patterns found in Morocco to the refined, sensible style of a Japanese or Scandinavian aesthetic. My approach is rooted in story telling as I believe homes should embody our character and echo our individual personalities.<\/p>\n 4. What room do you spend the most time in now?<\/p>\n AH: <\/strong>Probably the kitchen as we generally entertain most weekends and I love to cook during the week when I have the time. However, we also spend a lot of time in the \u201ccozy room.\u201d It was to be a library but was cut from the budget during renovation (gasp! I know – interior designers actually have budgets!). It\u2019s actually the most unfinished room in the house but we threw an oversized down filled sectional in there and it\u2019s our favourite spot to watch Netflix, drink wine and nap.\u00a0 5. What is the #1 feature you\u2019d look for in your next home?<\/p>\n AH: <\/strong>We just completed building our own home and it has certainly enlightened my understanding of what the expectations are as a client versus my perception as designer. It has also given me a new appreciation for the experience of our clients and where I can grow as a professional in the design industry. Given this, the #1 feature I would look for would be very thoughtful considerations for creating public space that encourages entertaining, as well as private space for connection with family members. 6. What does your dream home look like?<\/p>\n AH: <\/strong>I\u2019ve always imagined that my dream home would be single level with a variation on a \u2018U\u2019 shaped footprint so that there are two wings and a central living space that looks into a private courtyard. There would be floor to ceiling windows that would retract, allowing a seamless relationship with the outdoor environment. It would be on the water and have a large garden so I could cook with fresh ingredients. I have no idea what the interiors would look like – perhaps \u201cwell travelled\u201d would explain it best.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Amanda\u2019s favourite property on sothebysrealty.ca<\/a> right now: Inspired by significant cultural and social influences like literature, art, film, music and fashion, Amanda\u2019s design aesthetic is continually evolving. Her recent endeavour includes developing a collection of textiles which will expand to included lifestyles pieces, objects d\u2019art, home accessories and furniture. The brand is available in select retail boutiques and via e-commerce at AmandaHamiltonDesign.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n In addition to her experience in restaurant design, Amanda has designed a range of other commercial spaces including retail boutiques, commercial office space, medical centers, salons and wellness spaces. Residentially, her growing portfolio includes custom built homes, large scale renovations and multi-family developments.<\/p>\n Visit www.amandahamiltondesign.com<\/a> or follow the studio on Instagram<\/a> and Twitter<\/a> @AHIDstudio or Amanda\u2019s personal adventures on Instagram<\/a> and Twitter<\/a> @AmandaMHamilton. She can also be found on Pinterest<\/a> @AmandaMHamilton and Facebook<\/a> @AmandaHamiltonInteriorDesign.<\/p>\n Photography by Cheryl Wallach, Freelance Photographer. Visit\u00a0http:\/\/www.cherylwallachphotography.com<\/a>\u00a0or follow @CherylWallachPhotography on\u00a0Facebook<\/a> for more information.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Known for her playful tenacious personal, Calgary-based Interior Designer Amanda Hamilton\u2019s bold and unconventional approach to design and business earned her the title of \u201cOne to Watch\u201d in the 2013 Western Living Designer of the Year Awards. As the creative director for her eponymous Interior Design Studio, she is relentlessly committed to design education and creative exploration alongside her clients throughout their projects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":11631,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[392],"tags":[4,78,332,333,334],"class_list":["post-11630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-style-and-design","tag-calgary","tag-interior-design","tag-amanda-hamilton","tag-amanda-hamilton-design","tag-at-home-with"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sothebysrealty.ca\/insightblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/2050248.jpg\")
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