EL Questionnaire 2021

Name: Carly McDougall
Company: Svigals + Partners
Concentration: Workplace, Education, & Healthcare Design
College/University: Paier College of Art
Year(s) of Graduation: 2013

What is your strongest personal quality?: I am a chameleon that works well in any social environment while also staying unapologetically ‘myself’.
What is your strongest professional skill set?: I know a lot about furniture and tend to memorize the available product lines of each manufacturer I specify.  Peers tend to always come to me when on the hunt for a particular product type, and I can point them in the right direction.
Why did you choose to become an Interior Designer?: Interior design has been a passion of mine since childhood- I would’ve rather drawn floor plans on graph paper than color in any coloring book.  I took my first interior design class in high school, and have been designing non-stop ever since.
How would you describe your personal style?: Contemporary & Eclectic
What three things do you most geek out on?: Dungeons & Dragons, Furniture, & Harry Potter
What are you looking forward to as an IIDA Emerging Leader?: Creating connections with like-minded designers who have similar goals within the design community, and getting inspired!
What has been your go-to for de-stressing this year?: My houseplants!
What Advice do you have for designer students graduating?: Expect to learn A LOT as soon as you enter the workforce. There is so much you aren’t taught in school, and your colleagues are usually eager to teach you what they’ve learned as well so everyone can succeed.
What is your favorite annual IIDA event?: The Holiday Gala & Gift Drive
How would you explain the difference between a professional Interior Designer vs Interior Decorator to a stranger?: Both have the same goal of enhancing a space to make it better for the client- though an Interior Decorator is limited to only changing the room’s aesthetic (adding color, rearranging furniture) while an Interior Designer can change the room’s function & form as a whole (build walls, create millwork, etc.).