An Eye, Yes...But NO Caffeine The Much Sought-After Interior Designer, Paula McCormick

by Chandler Stevens

She moves at lightning speed. She speaks at warp speed, her thoughts tumbling out in quick succession. She works quickly, deftly, professionally because she possesses a unique sense of knowing what her clients need, and she gives it to them.

She is without a doubt, one-of-a-kind and at the very top of her field. And...she has never had a cup of coffee in her life!

Meet Paula McCormick, THE interior designer and much sought-after by an exclusive clientele all over the Eastern seaboard and beyond. Mc Cormick, who has been designing, renovating, and making commercial and residential spaces unique for more than 20 years, lives in Loudonville and has for more than 15 years. But her very varied and much-valued client base extends from the Capital Region and well beyond.

With a new design center housed in the luxury retail space of Starbuck Is land located along the Hudson across the bridge from Green Island and downtown Troy, McCormick’s expertise and unique talents unfold here in her office suite/showroom with esteemed clients on a strictly “by appointment” basis.

McCormick encompasses every phase of full-service interior design “from the planning stage forward,” she begins. She does it all by working only with the very best construction teams, choosing stone, appliances, flooring, even exterior materials. She does it all for an upscale clientele that doesn’t have the time to be phoned multiple times a day and asked questions about minute details. This woman absorbs each client on an individual basis from an initial meeting and amazingly is able to schedule and complete six to eight meetings per day. She doesn’t waste precious time, but knows how to get down to what a client wants and needs to attain their desired result. “I have an eye for it,” she says.

Her skill set as a designer is immeasurable, for McCormick first and foremost has that “eye for it” which translates not only to a high degree of creativity but to her attention to detail...every detail in every project. In order to craft cohesive spaces she focuses on both the little details and the big picture simultaneously and innately knows how to balance them to achieve maximum results. She speaks of being on top of every new trend as they appear and develop. Although most trends tend to come and go, Paula McCormick is always ahead of the curve. Her ability to identify and predict trends is just another way she keeps relevant and much in demand. Paula also prides herself on being able to take two different style preferences in a home and make them work. “Most residential jobs involve couples, and when you have two people who don’t share the same taste, you quite often have two dif ferent ideas and wish lists of what they hope the end result will yield. I am skilled in being able to put their ideas together and give them a beautiful result that they both love.”

McCormick also points out a fallacy many decorators and designers incur, that being “they don’t personalize the end stage. They do a good job of creating the design and working with the big picture but forget the needed accessories which personalize the space and add the fin ishing touch to the job. In addition to my services, I sell a high volume of accessories for just this purpose, and it always makes a real difference in the end result.”

Because Paula McCormick Interiors operates at such a high level, much of her residential business comes from referrals. “Over the years I have done two or three homes for the same clients because they may have a primary home here and another, say, in Naples, Florida. When they’re pleased with my work, they want me to do their other homes as well. This then brings a natural progression to referring business.”

Presently, Paula has ongoing projects in Princeton, New Jersey; New York City; the Catskills; and St. Petersburg, Florida. Of her residential work she offers, “To me, the palette in a home is big. I like to match the interior of the space to the exterior.”

When it comes to renovations and commercial design which has amounted to 40% of her business in the last five years, Paula has several crews she works with and only carries exclusive lines of home furnishings, wall décor, lighting, and accessories. Names such as Uttermost, Arteriors, and Mitchel Gold + Bob Williams will be familiar to the clientele accustomed to only the best for their home or business. Recently, she started carrying additional lines perfectly suited for apartment living.

Clients like Joseph Marrello, he of the Marrello Restaurant Group with a myriad of restaurants and counter stores from Albany to Saratoga and everywhere in between like Jacob & Anthony’s, Bellini’s, Bellini Counter, etc. Last summer Paula worked with stone designers and engineer Enzo Sofia and his team to add a venue room and patio to the landmark restaurant and is much in demand for what she brings to every project, completing 187 projects in 2022. In 2022, she garnered twelve design awards alone, and is a sought-after personality at the Saratoga Showcase of Homes, and speaker for college and high school classes in design, and everywhere there are people who enjoy her style, her dedication, and her no-nonsense way of tackling every job, turning problems into beautiful spaces. She points with pride to the fact that she has worked on the personal residences of some of the top construction people in the area. “Working with a builder that you admire is the biggest accolade I can possibly receive,” she says.

Paula appears frequently on local TV as an expert on local fashion and interior design and produces and hosts fashion shows such as Sip

& Saddle with proceeds given to a different charity each year. Sponsored by realtors, mortgage companies, and builders, in the past ten years, Paula has raised more than a quarter of a million dollars for local charities and non-profits.

Early in her career, McCormick recounts she was reticent about asking for money upfront, about retainers, about people thinking she was too expensive. That ended the day she received some sage advice to never be afraid to ask for what you’re worth. “That was the best advice I ever received. Yes, I charge a higher re tainer, but I’m worth it because ultimately I can save clients time, money, and give them the very best of me.

Yes, Paula McCormick is at the top of her field and knows it, but also knows she has to prove it every day. “I have a lot of responsibility, but I love doing what I do. I love renovation, design, fashion, trends, and working with builders. I know I have a good eye for it, and I just thrive on design.”

All accomplished at warp speed with outstanding, exquisite results. She is without a doubt, a true clairvoyant, seeing things that aren’t there yet, running from this project to that, meeting with clients, envisioning beautiful things from empty spaces, and hardly stopping for a minute.

All of that without a single cup of coffee. Ever. Reach Paula McCormick at (518) 986-1196 www.instagram.com/10starbuckdesign www.facebook.com/paulamccormickinteriors email:pmyinteriors@yahoo.com

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