The Designer behind AMA Designs

October 7, 2016 amandaamato

Hello my friends, since I noticed new followers, I thought I would share a little about myself and the designer behind AMA Designs.

Tell us About Yourself

My name is Amanda. I am from New Jersey and I am the Owner of AMA Designs & Interiors LLC. Interior design has always been a passion of mine. Since I was a little girl, I was always surrounded by design. My family owned a construction business for several years. My Father and Grandfather would show me blueprints and I learned to draw in their trailer. Some of my earliest memories were of me on the job-site fascinated by the capacity of the buildings and the large machinery.

When I went on play dates, I was more interested in designing the Barbie Dream House. It's funny to look back at those early beginnings of me designing Barbie's dream home to designing my client's dream homes. The feelings haven't changed.

I continued my education at Berkeley college where I graduated with a Bachelor degree in Interior Design and Management. My internship was at an International wallpaper company where I had the opportunity of collaborating with the product development team to design the patterns for wallpapers that are available for the home today (super cool).

I moved on from product design, to residential interiors because my passion is to help others. I believe your home is your sanctuary and should reflect your unique personality. I help people find their style and OWN it.

What People Don't Know About Me

I am extremely organized. When my desk is in a disarray, I simply cannot focus. When everything is scattered, my thoughts are scattered. I am *that* girl who can't walk by a picture frame that is hung slightly crooked on the wall without having the urge to fix it. I have a slight obsession with post-it notes and I color-code everything, mostly because I just enjoy the pretty colors on my paper ;) I am so Type A personality and I attribute that to my success as being a solo-preneur.

I actually got my first "job" organizing other people's closets when I was in middle school. It was during a play date (not typical for average children), and I opened the closet and saw all the toys tumble out of it... and I asked, "Why is this here? It would be so much better like this..." and from there, boom, entire closet organized. Let me just say, all the moms started to call me to come over to their house.

What do I do when I am not designing?

This is a trick question. I feel like I am always designing or at least thinking about it. When I visit a new place, I am instantly drawn to the details. I notice things that most people don't. For example, when I goto a hotel, I remember what floor I am on because of the color of the carpet (Side Note: I actually got lost in Atlantic City with my friends and I helped find our way back to the room because I remembered the colors of the carpet and wallpaper pattern).

But to answer the question, when I am not designing; I simply just like to chill. I am such a homebody. The low-key nights having a glass of red wine with my boyfriend, friends, or family, really make me happy. My mind is always turning wheels during the day so when I have a moment to simply relax and enjoy the moment .... those are the best moments for me.

Other activities that I like to enjoy during my spare time are: hiking, yoga/hot yoga, running, snowboarding, painting, and crafting.

Giving Back to the Community

Volunteering my time to help out in the community is very important to me. Someone recently asked me, "Why is giving back so important to my business model?" For me, giving back and volunteering to help others is a no-brainer. My first taste of volunteering my design services was over 6 years ago, and I have continued ever since. My work is so gratifying on many levels. Since I was little, I always dreamt of having a career in which I would help people. I believe your home has an energy, it lifts you up when you are down, and it is there to welcome you after a long day. Everyone deserves an environment that they feel inspired to be in. To be able to bring this experience and share with others who may not have the financial ability to achieve it themselves, is incredibly rewarding. This may sound corny, but seeing the happiness on other peoples faces, makes me happy, and I LIVE for that!

I not only volunteer my design services but I also volunteer with the homeless youth at Covenant House locations. Volunteering with young people and listening to their stores, brings me back down to my roots and strips me down to the bare bones of what is truly important in life. Connecting with these beautiful young people brings me experiences that I will never forget.

What do I have planned for the future

In the near future, I will be launching my first EVER Online Course. I will be launching an e-course to teach homeowners the fundamentals of Interior Design so they can decorate their room from start to finish. I created this course to help the homeowner who needs the design help but may not have the ability to hire a professional designer. Leading up to my launch, I will be hosting Live Webinars so stay tuned... Reserve your seat here.

In five years, I plan to expand my design business and to have my own team of creative individuals. At this time, I would like to explore creating a line of products for the home including decor, fabrics, and furnishings.

I hope you found my story interesting. Want to know more about me? Ask me a question. I would love to hear from you.

Stay connected with me and all things design by following me on Instagram!