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amanda finch2014-2016 portfolio

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BIOGRAPHY

Amanda is an interior design graduate at FIDM | Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles where she maintained honor roll status and has been awarded scholarship for her academic performance. Most notably at FIDM, she competed an exclusive design exhibition where she worked with local manufacturer Cisco Home to manufacture her first furniture piece. Her custom chair was featured in FIDM’s Debut runway show and placed second in competition.

Amanda was drawn to interior design through her five-year career in real estate and home staging. During that career, she was a member of the National Association of Realtors and obtained designations in the following: Graduate of the Realtor Institute, Accredited Buyer’s Representative, GREEN Des-ignation, and Seller’s Representative Specialist. Her experience in sales ranges from first-time buyers to luxury homes, short-sales, estate transactions, and more.

Her interest gradually shifted from the selling aspect of properties to the more creative side: the designing phase. Her background in real estate gives her a stout understanding of contractor-agent relationships, client relationships, negotiating, legalities, value assessments, and more. She is fortunate to merge this knowledge with FIDM’s energetic regime and internship experience within local design firms.

Amanda’s strong belief in environmental awareness and healthy lifestyle habits play a large part in her design choices. Her aesthetic can be described as holistic yet edgy… minimalistic yet thoughtful… and strong yet genderless. Her perfectionism is easily seen via her restraint and minimal color palettes. Two design mottos that are constant throughout her design process are “Keep it simple but significant” and “Art isn’t what you see, but what you make others see”.

Amanda can be contacted at amandafinch@me.com

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Work Consort Design | Los Angeles, CA | Design Intern [ Assist designers with presentations and project organization ] [ Design development within team projects ] [ Inter-communication between contractors, sales reps, and clients ]

Abramson Teiger Architects | Culver City, CA | Design Intern [ Assisted designers with presentations and project organization ] [ Maintained company accounting logistics ] [ Inter-communication between contractors, sales reps, and clients ]

Williams-Sonoma | Beverly Hills, CA | Visual Merchandiser & Sales [ Created features and displays for new product/promotions ] [ Maintained company visual standards ]

Paradigm AdvantEdge | Edmond, OK | Realtor [ Prepared and negotiated legal contracts ] [ Evaluated properties and determined market value ] [ Inter-communicated with lenders, title companies, apparisers, ect. ] [ Promoted listings through a variety of marketing techniques ]

Staged & Sold | Edmond, OK | Stager [ Engaged with agents and home owners to asses property marketability ] [ Completed staging installation under tight deadlines ] [ Maintained and organized inventory warehouse ]

Education FIDM | Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising [ Associate of Arts in Interior Design ][ Honor Roll, Scholarship Awardee, Chairing Styles Finalist ]

skillsHand DraftingFloor plansFurniture plans Elevations3D ModelingHand Sketching Hand RenderingAdobe PhotoshopAdobe IllustratorAdobe InDesignAutoCADSketchUpStudo WebwareAttention to DetailFurniture Design

level: industrial ....................................................................................................... 06

Level: rustic ............................................................................................................................... 12

Chairing styles ....................................................................................................................................... 18

pac .................................................................................................................................................................................. 26

ink .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 30

bubbles ‘n biscuits ....................................................................................................................................................................... 36

furniture ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 40

sketches ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 46

einstein study................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 52

photography ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 58

table of contents

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level apartments: industrial study

Autocad + SketchUp + Photoshop

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industrialThere is art in simplicity. Industrial style is recognized for it’s simple and purposeful intent. More and more I am seeing interior spaces focusing on raw elements and restraint. This apart-ment is perfect for a minimalist. The kitchen and dining are combined with an abundant custom island for fami-ly-style dining and entertaining. Neutral elements in the living room bring a warmth to a minimal palette.

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social simplicity

Custom items include: sofa, Einstein rug, coffee table, barstool, family-style kitchen island, concrete bar and corner bench.

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high contrast + sleek silhouettes

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construction as art, concrete finishes, wrought iron, textured surfaces, quirky attitude.

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Level Apartments: Rustic Study

Autocad + SketchUp + P hotoshop

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Rustic Patina finishes, black window shashes, and a deep “Drafting Room Blue” pallete anchor this design. I believe we are most happy and productive in holistic inteiors. A sense of practicality and appreciation for nature adds to the moody aesthetic through the effortless green-ery and laid back design.

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Moody&

Minimal

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Holistic atmosphere, clean silhouettes, natural light control.

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Organic Materials + forms, Distressed finishes, Repurposed elements.

Holistic atmosphere, clean silhouettes, natural light control.

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chairing styles

Autocad + SketchUp + Photoshop

Manufacturer: Cisco Home

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CHAIRING STYLES Chairing Styles is a unique collaboration between three FIDM majors: Textile Design, Fashion Design, and

Interior Design. To begin, the textile student designs a pattern to be used in garment and upholstered

furniture application. After a formal presentation to local furniture manufacturers, each chair is brought

to life for the Debut Fashion Show. Using the assigned fabric as my client, I interpreted the print and

combined my aesthetic wto create a chair. Inspired by the hummingbird species and their figure-8 flight

patterns, I implicated their wing movements throughout the piece. Chrome nailheads and leather piping

showcase modern flair and personality. Named “Infinity” for it’s old-meets-new ambiance, this chair

placed second in competition sponsored by Cotton Incorporated.

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inspiration + design processUnique to all other birds, hummingbirds have a figure-8 wing movement during flight. They move at incredible speeds for their size yet remain steady and focused for their next meal. These sketches show the transformation from a wingback chair to the final chair silhouette.

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detailsAnatomy

leather trim + Welting

chrome nailheads

barrel back

splayed arms wing profile

wings

cabriole leg

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furniture design: amanda finch

furniture manufacturer: cisco home

textile design: Johari Fields

Fashion design: nahal shad

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“A chair is the first thing you need when you

don’t really need anything, and is therefore a pe-

culiarly compelling symbol of civilization. For it is

civilization, not survival, that requires design.”

- Ralph Caplan

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PAC

Autocad + Photoshop

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pac PAC is a luxury boutique that sells high end men’s accessories and beauty services for the man on the go. Backpacks, wallets,

and shoes are the main attraction at PAC. Sleek glass displays compliment rough cement fixtures to create a soft industrial feel

in this crisp shop. A single barber station with cocktail service creates the perfect “last stop” for the jetsetter, while roomy

dressing and lounge areas provide the perfect relaxed atmosphere for the style enthusiast who wants to stay a while.

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Tinted glass, masculine and feminine elements, textured ceiling, tight vignettes.

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Ink RestaurantAutocad + Photoshop

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Ink Restaurant Top Chef is constantly playing in the background in my house. I am a foodie and have been watching the show for over ten years now. Being a foodie, restaurant design is something I would flourish in. This particular design was inspired by Top Chef’s season 6 winner, Michael Voltaggio. He is known for his edgy but loveable personality and perfection in food. A successful restaurant owner in Los Angeles, I aimed to design a spin off his current interior at ink. restaurant that incorporates my “flavor” in de-sign. This restaurant concept is based on mixing bold materials with natural elements to create a dark, moody, delicious aesthetic.

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masculine hollywood regency

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velvet upholstery, leather chester-

field banquettes, live vines throughout,

flashy materials, masculine silhouettes

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Bubbles ‘n Biscuits Autocad + SketchUp + Photoshop

Bubbles ‘n Biscuits Autocad + SketchUp + Photoshop

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Canine convenience.

The inspiration behind this design was Los Angeles itself. Located in the bottom of Level Apartments, this self-serve dog wash is what LA has been missing in the boutique genre. With a ritzy yet playful atmosphere, dog owners can quickly spruce up their friends in a swanky atmosphere, with supplies available for rent and biscuits available for the walk home.

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Bathing accessories available for rent or purchase. Healthy treats, toys, and accessories featured in the retail area.

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Minimal Art Deco

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From suds to studs.Two tub options accomodate for small-medium dogs and large dogs. All stations come with personal driers, feeding bowls, and baskets for miscellaneous supplies and toys.

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Furniture design

sketching + modeling + Autocad + SketchUp

Furniture design

sketching + modeling + Autocad + SketchUp

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ice chair concept

Inspired by the series of iceberg paintings by Zaria Forman, I was inspired to create a chair with the sil-houette of an iceberg. I find comfort in roughly finished furniture pieces. There is the obvious charm of a weathered piece but also a dark side. This darkness is reflected in the inspiration painting and in this chair. Designed with a distressed ebonized oak application and violet velvet cushioning in mind.

technical

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model

sketches

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serrano ave Serrano Ave is a collection concept for the minimalist. Industrial materi-als combined with natural elements create the perfect merge of art and comfort. Frames are composed of wrought iron, concrete, and weathered steel. Down inserts and soft linens bring subtle comfort within the pieces.

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Sketches

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furniture

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still life

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“Drawing makes you see things clearer,

and clearer, and clearer still. The

image is passing through you in a phys-

iological way, into your brain, into your

memory - where it stays - it’s trans-

mitted by your hands.”

― Martin Gayford

pen

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einstein study

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Einstein is most always known for his wacky behavior and scientific theory contributions, but he is lesser known as a humanitarian, violinist, and humble person. He was also a man of style. Looking past his iconic hair, he dressed sharp for his time. In researching images of him, I was inspired by his old journal entries. Rather illegible... they were extremely neat and organized. My minimalist design sketches evolved into two textile designs for interior application. This carpet and chair design reflect the softer, internal side of Albert.

einstein’s style

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e kilim rug

flat-weave, wool + silk blend

custom colorways

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scratch

This textile is shown via sketch as a floor runner and in environmental ap-plicaion as an upholstery textile.

screen-Printed on linen

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“Logic will get you from A to B.

Imagination will take you everywhere.”

- albert einstein

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photoGraphy

photoGraphy

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fashion institute of design and merchandising, 2016