about me
professional bio and experience
I have an extensive interior design background & foundation, practicing with design studios in Los Angeles & Chicago before freelancing here in North Carolina. I have focused on residential design & space planning for the most recent 7 years (since 2018). I also have 13 prior years of design experience in corporate office spaces, retail stores & hospitality/hotels.. I am passionate about the form, function and balance of the spaces around us!
I bring to you:
Education:
Experience:
Michigan State University;
BA in Interior Design &
BA in General Business
• a naturally keen eye for balance and proportion.
• a strong background and training in the elements, principles and concepts of design paired with a working knowledge of the required construction and ADA codes.
• a powerful midwestern work ethic that drives me to achieve the highest standard in all that I put my name on.
• and lastly, a detail oriented mindset that pushes me every time to fight for those incremental adjustments that make all the difference in the end.
...and the not so stuff
Serious
salty tortilla chips
background sounds?
love to hike... there is something SO healing about the crunching sounds of the trail under your feet while surrounded by silence and nature
brisk outings with my two large goofball dogs...
their antics certainly keep me laughing!
definitely prefer music!
not big on TV, but do sometimes collapse at end of long day with my hubby and a show
late night snack?
weekend indulgence?
daily sanity check?
most likely to?
travel?
family?
yes! blended family with four older kids who are all over the place...
two in high school and two off in college!
yes please!
ANY time we can escape to explore another culture or region, we are quick to jump on a plane or head out on a roadtrip in our campervan! BIG fans of "the journey" rather than the final destination
embarrass my teen kids in public (isn't that part of the job description?)
what clients say...
K.D & P.D., homeowners (Project: whole house design: interior and exterior, Linville, NC)
My husband and I had the pleasure of working with Tracy on a full exterior and interior transformative make-over on our mountain house. There was no detail left untouched - shingle color, windows, trim color, sashes, grilles, hardware, countertops, fixtures, floors, furniture, rugs, linens, paint, pillows, EVERYTHING. She begins by understanding the feeling, environment, living needs, and style the client wants to evoke. Then she dives in and brings ideas to life visually utilizing her design software. Tracy offers a few directions so the client can choose. One of her superpowers: an unparalleled sense of color harmony. She drove to our home several times (two hours away), met with the general contractor and several subcontractors, combed through price quotes, traipsed through slab yards, and even stood outside (and in the bushes) at several times throughout the day to check changes in light to achieve perfection. We love our home. Thank you, Tracy!
F.S., homeowner (Project: interior design, Seagrove Beach, FL)
I hired Tracy Warren to design my newly renovated beach home on the Florida panhandle. I decided to hire Tracy mostly because I was drawn to her energy. After meeting her, I knew she had an impeccable eye and unique taste that set her apart from other high end designers I had previously encountered in North Carolina. Tracy tackled my project with ease; she was organized and efficient in every way, financially and otherwise. She designed a second home for my family that is practical, yet stunning. Most importantly, she brought to life the simple boho beach cottage I had always envisioned. Tracy followed my project from beginning to end and tended to every detail along the way. I could not have asked for a better experience and look forward to working with her again on future projects!
A.S. & K.S., homeowners (Project: space planning & kitchen renovation, Winston Salem, NC)
We came to Tracy to help us envision what our new kitchen space could look like. In addition to opening up what was formerly a galley kitchen to the living room, we also wanted to re-incorporate the house’s 1912 history back into the space—a history that had been stripped away from the kitchen over the decades. We wanted the kitchen to feel seamless with the rest of the historic home, and also extremely functional, as people who spend a lot of time cooking and entertaining. Though we had some aesthetic ideas to start, what we were really struggling with was spatial design. Tracy more than delivered. She did an incredible job working to understand our house and its era, and how that could meld with what we were inspired by and our personal aesthetic. She has a particular knack for understanding the opportunity for a space, and did a fabulous job of seeing what was available and achievable. This was absolutely critical for us.
What’s more, she presented multiple spatial design opportunities for the space! She gave us smaller, medium, and larger versions of what these plans could be—a true variety of options that could be scaled to our budget. Tracy came with opinions, but was not overly opinionated—her guidance helped us make the decisions we needed to make. She is so kind, creative, and easy to talk to. She was communicative and always stayed in touch about timeline and expectations so nothing was a surprise. We couldn’t be happier with the final result. Hire her!!
J.M., homeowner (Project: space planning, Winston Salem, NC)
We bought our house knowing we would be doing a major remodel of two bedrooms into a master suite, but had no idea how our vision was going to come to life. That all changed when we met Tracy. She took into consideration our living space, needs, requests, and the pre-existing elements, and then she completely transformed our home in a way that made sense. We are so thrilled with the final outcome. Tracy not only helped us envision our space, but her plan turned our house into our home.
B.K., homeowner (Project: single room interior design, Winston Salem, NC)
Tracy Warren was a delight to work with on a tricky family room design. In addition to having an excellent eye, Tracy was meticulous about planning and understanding our space. She gave me sound advice on all aspects of our family room, from functionality and comfort to sight-lines and flow, all while adhering to my particular style. Tracy is responsive, professional, and just a pleasure to work with. She’s a refreshingly good designer and I recommend her to anyone looking for a wonderful designer with a friendly approach.
J.D., homeowner (Project: closet design, Greensboro, NC)
My husband and I wanted to organize our master bedroom closet in order to maximize the space and have easy access to all of our clothes. Hiring Tracy to direct this project was the best money we spent. She is gifted in handling details.. She measured everything we wanted to store in the closet to know the exact amount of space needed for each garment, shoe, and accessory without wasting space. These are things I don't have the patience for, so I was thankful she does. She also reviewed sketches and emails from the supplier and was available during the installation to answer questions. It's been months since the closet was completed and we still comment as we get dressed in the morning about how happy we are.