Meet designer Nicole Brown, who joined Talmadge Construction in the fall of 2013. Nicole is a native of Santa Cruz, a 2007 Harbor High School graduate who had long aspired to become an interior designer and chose to attend West Valley College on the strength of their highly respected program. She earned her degree in Interior Design with a Certificate in Computer Aided Drafting and Design in 2012 and already brings a wealth of experience to Team Talmadge: she discovered a knack for drafting at West Valley and tutored AutoCAD students during her last three semesters there, she worked as a design assistant and drafter for Ayelet Designs from 2011 to 2013 and as a drafter for Ellen Bauer Interiors from 2012 to 2013. During that time she also worked independently as a designer, completing residential remodels as well as a restaurant remodel and expansion. In addition to her work here at Talmadge Construction, Nicole guest lectures each semester in West Valley’s Introduction to Interior Design class.
Nicole has an innate interest in design that bloomed when she turned 10. “Growing up, I was always around design and remodeling. My grandpa was a structural engineer and my grandma was a realtor, and they used to buy houses to fix up and sell. Grandma always had French design magazines around that I loved to read. We also watched BBC design shows. She recorded the whole first season of “Changing Rooms” that we watched over and over again. I still have the VHS tapes!”
Nicole helps break stereotypes of interior designers with her strong technical skills, practiced eye, and down-to-earth personality. She works on many different phases of remodels from site visits to helping choose finishes. “A lot of what I do is technical,” she explains. “Space planning, drafting, and permit plans.”
When she’s not working Nicole loves to hike – look for her and her dog Charlie (a 4 year old Tibetan Spaniel mix) hiking in Nicene Marks on weekends. Welcome to Team Talmadge, Nicole!