Young designer finds niche with pre-purchase clients
These days, the kitchen and bath design industry is brimming with young, talented designers who
regularly push the envelope with new ideas. Brandie McCoy should know, as she is one of them.
After earning a degree in Interior Design at the Art Institute of Chicago, she chose to work at a small family owned kitchen and bath design firm rather than pursue another opportunity in commercial interiors. She spent six years there, was promoted to lead designer and earned a CKD designation in the process.
Three years ago she hung out her own shingle, Ember & Brune, and has developed a niche that has helped her young business thrive. McCoy specializes in helping clients who are looking for a home to remodel.
It began with a couple who wanted to visualize what a particular older home in a nice neighborhood would look like with a new kitchen and master bath. It worked.
Today, most of her clients are looking for homes to buy. She will
walk the homes with them and ultimately help them see the possibilities. It is a role she’s comfortable with because she’s careful to get paid for the work, regardless of the outcome. Clients like it, too. It’s a practice that is popular with young clients making a move from the city to the suburbs. And Ember & Brune is riding the wave with a slew of word-of-mouth referrals.
