“I look forward to opportunities to help the team push design forward in a thoughtful and meaningful way.”
DIRECTOR CHAT
smbw is pleased to announce the promotion of Melinda Jeffries, NCIDQ to the role of Design Director. We sat down with her to discuss her design approach, favorite projects, and more.
In her 12 years with the studio, Melinda has been an invaluable asset to the firm, consistently demonstrating unparalleled creativity, visionary design prowess, and an unwavering commitment to mentorship.
Melinda brings a wealth of experience and a unique design perspective that has shaped numerous projects, earning accolades and admiration from clients and peers alike.
What made you pursue a career in design?
From a young age, I had an interest in my surroundings, whether outdoors building forts or indoors rearranging my room and sketching castle floorplans with secret passageways. Practicalities overruled my decision-making at the age of 18 and I pursued a degree in Biology at James Madison University. From there, earned a Master's in Teaching, eventually settling in Richmond to teach High School Biology and Ecology. While I still love teaching and mentorship, my passion for design kept calling me and I made the best career decision to date (besides choosing smbw) to go back to school and achieve my Master's in Interior Environments at VCU. It was a windy road, but I’m grateful for each twist and turn as they all were critical in forming my viewpoint as a designer.
Why were you attracted to smbw?
While at VCU, I had some amazing mentors and professors. One of which was the Director at the time, Christiana Lafazani, who recommended me to her husband, Spencer Grice. From there, I was able to interview with Tamara Van Meter and landed an internship. Lucky for me, I was hired and the rest is history.
How would you describe your design approach?
My design approach is much like my brain: practical, yet passionate. I understand the intricacies that go into the problem-solving aspect of design (or even allow a project to come to fruition). I’m fully committed to delivering a project that is clientcentered and achieves an elevated level of design. want to continue building on the knowledge I’ve gained by experimenting and testing new products, ways of detailing, and working with new partners to create spaces in which people want to stay.
What do you hope to bring to the firm as Design Director?
look forward to opportunities to help the team push design forward in a thoughtful and meaningful way. Every project, regardless of size or funding, has an opportunity to create positive change for a client and try something new in our studio. I am excited to see our team members grow in their design knowledge and to help foster their individual talents.
What are your top project experiences?
1717 Innovation Center
What a team! The project was fantastic as was the group of people behind the work. There was so much running room here when it came to design, so the team was able to differentiate the look and feel in every nook of that building. Although it was a workplace, it had a hospitality appeal and we were able to stay plugged in with the building and its inhabitants for long after the build was complete.
Independent Container Line
I’ve had the chance to work with some great clients along the way, but these were some of the best. We navigated COVID together through design and construction and their flexibility and understanding despite some challenging moments was impressive. In this collaboration, learned how to navigate hard situations with grace as much as they learned about the construction process.
Main Street Station
This was a special project to be able to touch as a native Richmonder. We aimed to create something that would stand the test of time, so I hope this building and its success carry into the future, allowing me to take my family there and share my role in the project.
Residential Work
Though residential projects aren't smbw's focus, I was lucky enough to get to work on a few over the years. All of the clients were true gems and trusted the design team implicitly. With residential clients, the relationship is a bit more personal, and grew to be friends with several. These projects also came with some unique experiences like staying overnight as we prepared for a photoshoot, or working with vendors specific to the residential market. I’ve enjoyed bringing some of the knowledge gained on these types of projects to corporate spaces.
Create Digital
This small, corporate project stands out in my mind because it was one of the first projects I had full responsibility to carry out the documentation for and be in front of a client. Even though was new in my career, the client respected my ideas and took some chances on some changes to the space they weren’t anticipating. That, plus working through a unique slat wall design helped me grow as a designer and showed me how to take an idea from paper to reality, will always be top of mind when I think of influential projects in my career.
What stands out about smbw? smbw is small, which makes it uniquely special. We are a team, but we feel like a family. We treat every client the same, regardless of budget or fee, because we care about design.
What drives you professionally?
Professionally, I'm driven to help others realize their design visions, preserve smbw's foundation, and recognize how the team's individual talents play a critical role in our success. I'm also driven by a desire to contribute to the design world in meaningful ways and earn respect from others in the industry. Across everything I do, I hope to make my family proud.
What are your personal passions or obsessions?
I love running and the outdoors (on nice days). Travel is something that keeps me going, and having a trip “on the books” to look forward to always gives me a little extra pep in my step. I think travel and experiencing new places also adds to the inspiration one feels as a designer; you’ll find me lifting a chair to see the manufacturer or looking at lighting details even when I’m on vacation. Music is a passion of mine that I’ve recognized as an immediate mood-changer. I enjoy curating playlists and discovering new artists on my favorite podcast: NPR’s All Song’s Considered.
Where can we find you on weekends?
You can find me out and about in Richmond, be it a playground or new restaurant.
Melinda Jeffries, NCIDQ Design Director
