Honoree Profile

Ian Preston

Partners by Design

Title: Senior Interior Designer
Tenure at Firm: 7 years
Nominating Principal: Jennifer Nelson, Principal
School: Columbia College Chicago
Major: Interior Architecture

Inspired By:

My colleagues – everyone just does such great work on a daily basis, it’s inspiring to work with such a great group.

Keys to a Successful Project:

A happy client who’s needs/wants are reflected in the design along. Everyone feeling that they are apart of the process and valued. And I think a critical piece is being able to document and celebrate successes but also taking a minute to reflect on things that could be opportunities for improvement on the next project. Could detail be different? Could another layer of light be added? Another layer of texture? etc.

Which experiences have most influenced how you approach design?

This is a second career for me; I spent 18 years in retail management and hospitality management – industries where you are constantly having to think on your feet, juggle multiple tasks and be in a place where no two days are alike. Similarly, the design and architecture fields echo those environments. From a design perspective, I learned very early on what makes a space work the best from an operations perspective and am always critical on a daily basis of how the spaces I am designing are going to function and support its occupants.

“Ian is a genuine Rock Star and team player. He is extremely creative with an analytical perspective on how he approaches his projects and design challenges.“

Jennifer Nelson
Principal

Favorite Haworth Collection Piece & Why:

Cardigan Lounge Chair. I had the pleasure of sitting in this chair in our studio recently. Such a lovely silhouette but the secret sauce is that knit upholstery that almost hugs you while you’re sitting in the chair. A great piece!

Your current favorite color (RGB, CMYK, or HEX#):

Just color drenched our bedroom in Sherwin Williams Raisin SW7630 – I’m obsessed!