Designer pays it forward with charitable endeavors
Although Erica Islas’s career as a professional designer began in 1994 with her first position at an interior design firm, her love for design and remodeling began far earlier. From playing with a Crayola interior design drafting kit at age 10 to spending time on jobsites with her family’s general contracting business, Islas absorbed design and construction almost via osmosis. Fast forward to 2000, when Islas finally opened her own design firm, Los Angeles-based EMI Interior Design – where she pursues both her passion for design and her desire to pay it forward.
Islas favors a modernist design flavor, with a function-first approach. She is always eager to tackle a challenge, from overhauling small, previously unusable spaces to full-home renovations. Her design efforts are not limited to her paying clients, however – Islas has also participated in pro bono work for those in need, most notably participating in a 2010 project to remodel the new Upward Bound House Family Shelter, a former budget motel. The effort, which enlisted the services of 16 designers, took place over the course of two weeks, and, when complete, could house four families at a time for three-month periods.
Over the years, Islas’ work has garnered plenty of attention from publications and brands alike, with a shelf of awards including Viking’s Kitchen Design of the Year and coverage in Architectural Digest. Her work has also appeared on HGTV, and her charitable work has been featured in The Los Angeles Times.
