EL Questionnaire 2021

Name: Sarah Burrows
Company: Perkins&Will
Concentration: Interior Design / Corporate Interiors
College/University: Endicott College
Year(s) of Graduation: 2016

What is your strongest personal quality?: My strongest personal quality is my intentionality. I dedicate a lot of time to self-reflection and living in the moment.
What is your strongest professional skill set?: I always say design is in my blood. Both my father and uncle are architects and my father even teaches architecture at a university in NY.
How would you describe your personal style?: I am a minimalist in all areas of my life. When it comes to design, I love simplicity, neutral colors, and saying more with less.
What three things do you most geek out on?: Beautiful branding, red wine (specifically California Pinot Niors) and photography.
What are you looking forward to as an IIDA Emerging Leader?: Getting to know people in the industry that I maybe wouldn’t have otherwise met and learning from them!
What has been your go-to for de-stressing this year?: Cooking – anything from homemade pasta to fish tacos. Creating new dishes helps me be present and use my creativity.
What Advice do you have for designer students graduating?: The best advice I can give is keep asking questions, and 5 years from now, ask even more questions. It’s never a sign of failure, it’s simply how you learn.
What is your favorite annual IIDA event?: The IIDA Fashion Show. I’ve been participating (and even modeled a handful of times) since 2012!
How would you explain the difference between a professional Interior Designer vs Interior Decorator to a stranger?: We do so much more than pick out paint colors and pillows. We are required to understand and coordinate with architecture, electrical, mechanical… and the list goes on!