The creative force behind Ivey Design Group in Richmond, VA, Jamie Ivey leads an award-winning interior design firm with an impressive portfolio of projects spanning the country. From rural escapes to urban residences, restaurants, and even custom yachts, Jamie has established herself as a respected member of the design community. Skillfully layering rich color palettes with clean lines and elegant details, she creates sophisticated, bold, welcoming spaces that inspire. Get to know our latest Interior Design Crush!
Tell us a bit about your background and your
I am an Air Force kid, which means I’ve lived in many different places: Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and eventually Virginia by the end of grade school. In 2001, I graduated with an engineering degree from Virginia Tech (go Hokies!) and moved up to New York City to be an IT management consultant.
I fell in love with design in New York City — the restaurants, museums, luxury stores, nightclubs — it was all so eye-opening to me, a sheltered suburban young woman. I was immediately intrigued and learned everything I could about interior design, not only as a side hobby but as a real career.
After seven years in the corporate world, I went back to Virginia Tech to get my interior design degree, which was the beginning of a new chapter for me. It is much more common now, but in 2008, my friends and family thought I was a little crazy for quitting a successful career. Best decision of my life!
After graduation, my now husband and I moved to Southern California to work for a luxury hospitality design firm. Working on four- and five-star hotels around the globe was very inspirational and gave me great technical and foundational design experience.
After our son was born, we moved back to Virginia, this time to Richmond, to be closer to family. It was here in Richmond where we started our business together — him doing custom high-performance yacht design and me doing interior design.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
Between my childhood in the southwest, my time working in New York, seven years living near D.C., and my years in Southern California, I’ve been exposed to many different design styles. I like to call my aesthetic “modern warmth,” but really, I love many different design styles: modern, contemporary, transitional, eclectic, glam, you name it.
When I’m designing, It’s more about the architecture, the purpose of the space, and the client’s wishes. That said, I gravitate toward a cleaner look with balanced contrast, deeper colors, and refined lines. My designs are inviting and comfortable, eye-catching, and definitely not boring!
We love with your moody, colorful interiors. What colors intrigue you most right now?
I go through color phases. Right now, I’m into the terra cotta, deep orangy pinks — very earthy, very warm. I tend not to have a signature color; I let the home, whatever is intriguing me at the moment, and, of course, my client’s preferences, shape the color palettes. I always want to try something new if my clients will let me!
What makes Virginia’s interior design distinctive?
Virginia is in a unique place in the country; we’re in the mid-Atlantic and have influences from all over the globe. Between northern Virginia, Tidewater, central Virginia, and southwest Virginia, there are many distinct population types and, as such, different influences of home types and home styles. Virginia is a great mixing bowl of cultures, which makes it distinctive in that there is no one Virginia “style.”
I wouldn’t say my style is very “Southern,” but I do love Southern hospitality and try to incorporate that in my designs. The homes we design are comfortable and inviting.
What piece of design advice can you offer us to elevate our homes?
If your home looks like a catalog or just like your neighbor’s house, it’s time to add some personality. Find one-of-a-kind art, reupholster a chair in a colorful fabric or pattern, or add a vintage case piece. Those personal touches elevate your home and make it feel bespoke and unique. Don’t just decorate your home to look like a Pinterest board; have a little fun. It’s okay to be different!
What is your favorite space in your own home, and why?
Our living room has been a constant experiment. We’ve rearranged it so many times and added pieces as the budget allows. We’re getting a curved sofa in a couple of months to replace a too-large sectional, and I am so excited! I love the non-permanent decisions of decorating — adding a side table, moving a plant across the room, reupholstering a side chair. It’s my own lab! My next splurge will be a new rug to go with the curved sofa.
If you could collaborate with anyone, be it another designer or a dream client, who would it be?
I would love to have a client with an apartment in the city and a country home. I would be able to fully design the homes, from the interior architecture and space planning to the furniture and decor, designing custom millwork, furniture, and lighting pieces. They would trust our design process and let me have a little fun, creating something bold.
What design elements are you most excited to experiment this year?
My husband and I designed and fabricated a custom desk for the Richmond Symphony Designer House last year, which was so fun! We’ve designed a few custom pieces, and I hope to do more of that, as it’s one of my favorite parts of the job.
We also have a project we’re wrapping up in a couple of months. We’ve gotten to include some contemporary European furniture, which has been fun. That’s not very common here in Richmond.
We helped design a wine room that has a curved vaulted ceiling wrapped in a wine-colored cork, with wine-colored walls and dark oak paneling. It’s going to be moody and gorgeous!
Can you describe your design philosophy in five words?
Thoughtful. Tailored. Unique. Experimental. Practical.
Thank you, Jamie!
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