Bella Designs was founded in 2002, after designer Diane Swenson found her client base growing beyond what she could service as a part-time job. Since then, the company has successfully completed projects for a variety of residential and commercial clients across Southern California / Scottsdale, Arizona / Gig Harbor, Washington earning accolades such as the design excellence award from San Diego Home/Garden Magazine and the Best of Houzz Customer Satisfaction.
Bella Designs differentiates from other interior design firms by focusing on customer service and using a collaborative style that clients welcome. Since design is very personal, Diane begins every engagement by listening to her client’s needs and dreams—which form the blueprint of her work. Whether she is involved on a consultative basis, or in a project management capacity, coordinating complex projects, she remains true to the clients’ vision.
Diane earned a bachelor of fine arts, with an emphasis on interior design, from San Diego State University, which is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. She is also certified in “Classical Feng Shui and Feng Shui Friendly Design.” In addition to maintaining a strong focus on customer service, Diane supplements her formal education on an ongoing basis by attending trade shows, seminars and conferences to remain up-to-date on the latest design trends.
Designing for well-being has been my focus since studying feng shui. The definition of well-being is the state of being comfortable, healthy or happy. Since our living and working environments are where we spend the majority of our time, they should be designed to support us in achieving one or all of those states.
The use and placement of color, lighting, artwork, materials/textures, treasured items, nature/plants, window treatments, and comfortable furniture all are instrumental in creating a well-balanced space for well-being. Enhancing the space with feng shui elements and principles increases well-being, and the energy of the well-balanced space.
I had the great honor of designing two young girls’ bedrooms as a gift from their grandmother. The girls provided their input as to what they liked, and I had the go-ahead to take it from there.
The rooms were designed as a surprise, so the girls were not present during the process. Once the finished products were revealed, the girls lit up with joy and excitement. Their mother says they are studying more, sleeping better and happier. This is a wonderful example of how designing for well-being has an important impact on our lives.
Designer and decorator are terms that are mistakenly used interchangeably by many people, despite the fact that there are significant differences in the qualifications and job duties of these two professions.
Interior designers have earned a college degree and may have successfully completed a two-day qualifying exam administered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). They are trained in design aesthetics as well as safety requirements and architectural drawing, so they have the ability to envision, design, and facilitate the creation of numerous environments.
Interior decorators typically focus on aesthetics; their work is limited to assisting with how environments look. They don’t have the training required to provide the depth of services a designer can offer.
