Whether you’re a store regular, a post-lunch-at-Caffeteria-shopper, an Instagram admirer, or anything in between, we think it’s important that you know the people behind the "pine"… or, more realistically, the cash wrap. In other words: the small but mighty group of hard working ladies that help make Golden & Pine shine.
It's now time to meet another member of our team... We give you Maggie, our extremely talented interior designer whose knack for beautifying spaces never fails to astound. Maggie is always chock-full of great advice (whether it pertains to design or life in general), is an Enneagram 6 (the Loyalist!), and is always there to lend a hand or a laugh when we need it.
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Meet our Interior Designer, Maggie!
A bit about me...
I grew up in Lamar, a small town 2 hours south of Kansas City. I loved the comfortability + intimacy of growing up in a small town, but it also gave me a real urge to explore a city.
I went to Missouri Southern University in Joplin on a cross country + track scholarship, and majored in health promotion and wellness with a minor in marketing. Later, after discovering my love of styling spaces, I attended the Interior Design Institute.
My husband and I recently moved to Kansas City from Houston, Texas. Prior to moving here, I was working for a pharmaceutical sales company that specialized in neurology + psychology. I had gotten as far as my aspirations were willing to take me in my sales role, and realized that I didn't feel as fulfilled as I once was. I always had the desire to do something creative, but was afraid to take the leap. One day I read a quote in Leanne Ford's design book. It was a piece of advice from her father when Leanne herself considered pharmaceutical sales instead of something creative. He told her "Make sure that when you get to the top of the corporate ladder, you don’t look down, and look over, and say, 'Oh shoot, wrong ladder!'" I was definitely on the wrong ladder. So, after a big supportive push from my now husband, I left my stable career in pharmaceutical sales and went back to school to pursue my true passion of interior design.
I found Golden & Pine on Instagram when I was still living in Houston. I loved the aesthetic and saw that they were hiring a part-time Sales Associate. Knowing I would eventually be moving to Kansas City, I wanted to apply, but as we weren't quite ready to move yet (and that would be a heck of a commute!) I held on to the hope that G&P would still be looking to hire after our big move.
A few weeks after we moved, I decided to attend a local women-run event that was celebrating a book launch. A handful of female entrepreneurs from the community were going to be guest speakers, so I looked at it as a networking opportunity. There I met Stephanie, and bombarded her with questions about the keys to her success. She told me to swing by the shop sometime and say hello. So I did just that, and we bonded over a chair that I had bought from the shop and reupholstered. A few months later she reached out to tell me that she was hiring again, and the rest is history. We've been a dynamic design duo ever since!
Most days you can find me designing mood boards in the office, presenting designs to clients or chatting through product options and swatches. When I'm not working on design, I love getting to know our customers! I've most definitely been described as "chatty," but personally take that as a compliment.
What being an ethical consumer means to me...
It's thinking about people and things beyond yourself. Taking the extra time to shop ethical + sustainable is helping better the lives of the people who make your products, while also bettering the environment. Though you are just one person and your imprint may seem small, if everyone were to try and leave the earth better than the way we found it, we'd be living gloriously.
A Golden & Pine maker I admire...
I absolutely love Iris Hantverk. All of their products are ethically made by visually impaired craftsmen in Sweden. This company has been providing employment to these individuals since the 1900s. If you're in the market for some practical yet effortlessly beautiful kitchen and bathroom brushes, Iris Hantverk is an obvious purchase. All of their products are handmade and of their own design.
I think the story is so admirable, but also love the minimalistic, neutral style of their everyday house products. They make beautiful additions to any space.
Here are a few of my favorite pieces. I recently added the White Dustpan & Horsehair Brush to my collection of Iris products, and the brush is incredibly soft!
My style...
All neutral everything with a touch of modern + minimal Scandinavian! I think my style is a reflection of my personality. I like to keep things light, bright and simple, both in design and in my life. All neutral everything with a touch of modern + minimal Scandinavian! I love a good monochromatic look - white on white or tan on tan. A coat of white paint can fix just about anything.
I remember watching Leanne Ford's show when it first aired and thinking to myself Wow, finally a designer that really speaks to my style. She painted everything white, and managed to make it cool. I know that having a giant white sectional isn't necessarily considered practical to some, but I love the idea of using "fancy" things everyday. Life is going to happen whether you use the nice towels or not - I believe in using the things you love even if they aren't always practical, because life is way too short. Take the time to make a space beautiful, and appreciate it. At the end of the day they are all just things anyway - the memories are forever.
My favorite spot in my home...
My husband and I bought our first house a year ago and have been fixing it up one room at a time. My favorite spot is the bedroom. Since we are living in the house while we renovate it, many times we have found ourselves up to our eyeballs in demo and general chaos. It's so nice knowing I can escape to our soft, serene bedroom no matter the state of the rest of the house.
I wanted our room to be a calm + cozy space that we could retreat to at the end of each day. I think the carpet we chose was even named tranquil waters. I layered multiple soft textures and shades of white + cream to create a soothing atmosphere and love the way it turned out!
My favorite Golden & Pine Products...
These are just a few of my favorite products at Golden & Pine. You can check out my entire collection of products by clicking here, or searching "Maggie Collection" on our website.
You can typically find me in the store every Monday! I absolutely love getting to use my design + product knowledge to help customers pick out the best sofa fabric to withstand their rambunctious kiddos or the best rug pattern to match their living room's color palette. It feels so rewarding to know our customers trust me in helping them with these big decisions!
Interested in learning more about the rest of our girl gang? Check out our most recent post about our eCommerce Associate + Blog writer, Bella!
