"My designs are very unique because my clients are very unique,” says interior designer Annette Rogers of AMI Design. “I’m a very practical designer and will use the correct applications for my clients’ lifestyle – the house, the home that they have – one design definitely doesn’t fit all. I will design for them.“
Rogers has more than 20 years of design industry experience and began her career in commercial design. She has completed many notable projects in Orange County, including the Allergan corporate offices in Irvine, work for the Newport Mesa School District, Edwards Theaters Newport Beach, and many schools and other public works.
She has been focusing on the Temecula area for the past 12 years. “I originally came from Orange County and I love being out here,” Rogers says. “I’ve worked on homes in tracts, wine country, Deluz, La Cresta – all over. I just finished a project in Deluz and am currently working a 901 square foot ADU in Santiago Estates and just started another project in Sommer’s Bend.”
Locally, Rogers has done commercial work for Parlay Café, The Empressa tea house, Shoup Legal and ABC Senior Care. “I’ve really enjoyed being able to contribute to my community,” the designer says.
Unlike many others in her field, the married mom of three also has a degree in architecture from Cal Poly as well as a degree in interior design from F.I.D.M. “I have a degree in architecture and can get into the construction side of things. Many clients hire me for that. I can move walls, windows, doors, design lighting – a lot more than just decorating or furnishing.“
With ever changing design fads and trends, the designer says she doesn’t have a signature style. “I definitely stay current, but I’m not trendy,” Rogers says. “What I’m seeing now is a move toward warm – warm neutrals. The stark white kitchen is going a little bit warmer to like a warm white. The true grays are now going toward warm taupes. The cooler colors are out, and I’m definitely seeing the move toward warm grays, warm taupes and creams for paint color, wall color and cabinetry. I’m seeing the incorporation of natural woods into cabinetry and quartzite on countertops. We’ve definitely moved away from granite and quartz.”
On some of her favorite design elements at the moment, Rogers says, “I’m a big proponent of using mixed metals – everything from brushed nickel to black and even gold and gold and black. I’ll incorporate many different mixed metals as cabinet pulls and accents. I’ll mix brushed nickel fixtures with gold handles or a combination of gold and black hardware….I just love using mixed metals – in lighting too. Sometimes when a client wants to go in one direction, I’ll show them some mixed metal pieces and they usually love it. Nobody needs to be matchy matchy! What fun is that?“
As far as future trends in the industry, the designer is firm on one point: “Farmhouse is gone….nobody wants farmhouse anymore. Nobody needs to have farmhouse anymore,” she laughs. “What we’re calling it now is ‘refined farmhouse’ with a little bit more of the natural woodsy feel. But it’s not the old rustic, Joanna Gaines-type farmhouse. I will still use shiplap, but it’s painted shiplap or installed vertically with a painted finish – maybe in a dark, moody color.”
Rogers wants potential clients to know that it’s easy to get started. “I’m very easy to work with,” she says. “I start every client off with an in-home consultation – which is a way for me to see the spaces they’re looking to do, it’s a way for me to talk with them and get to know them and for them to get to know me and also to explain the process. Then I put together a design contract which outlines the scope of work and then we do 3D renderings of the space and put together the package – what their spaces are going to look like, what the materials are that we propose, the furniture.”
“Most of my clients are well traveled and pretty savvy, not the DIY type,” Rogers says. “They’ve usually worked with a designer in the past and now they want design for their new home. I’ve worked with everyone from Millennials up to people in their late 70s. The people who need me are usually people in transition – who are moving to this area, are building or buying an existing home, empty nesters – a lot of forever home buyers. And people divorcing, upsizing or downsizing.”
While she enjoys working with clients who let her truly design, Rogers is happy to give her clients plenty of choices. “I will bring them samples – samples of the flooring, samples of the tile, samples of the paint, the metal finish, fabric, so they can see the materials in their space. We want to see what the stone will look like on their wall….and I always bring options! Sometimes clients don’t love what we think they will love, so I always have other options. If they don’t love the particular handle we’ve chosen, that’s ok because it’s their home and I’m designing for them.”
For more information on Rogers and her design offerings, visit amidesignassociates.com.