22 things you may not know about me from my childhood through today.

I loved dollhouses as a child. I loved the idea of figuring out which furniture would go where and how to put it all together. I remember my eyes sparkling with wonder at the dollhouse vignettes in Van Wezel Hall in Sarasota, FL and thinking one day I would like to create one of those. Who knew I would end up creating the interiors of full scale homes and office buildings?

I spent summers at a camp in Colorado. Nature provides such an inspirational palette for the design world. And it recharges my spirit. Mountains soar up beyond our imagination - rugged, snow covered, beyond the tree line.
Technical rock climbing was such a challenge. It's you, your team members (belayer etc) against the mountain. Talk about a way to learn trust and teamwork. The most fun was belaying from the rocks into the lake out in Colorado. Heat from the stones towering above. A slow technical descent right to the lip. Letting go and splash into the cool refreshment.

Even better than a dollhouse was walking through construction sites and determining which rooms went where - my early learning experiences in centralizing plumbing and determining great layouts for floor plans. I still love the construction and planning part of the puzzle. Determining what makes a great space.

I married a Penn Stater and part of the deal is a fall filled with lots and lots of football. Luckily, I was a Steelers fan from the age of 5 so it wasn't a difficult shift. My husband was shocked to discover I understood the game and am a fanatic myself. We are...

Moon gates and asian gardens - they just speak to me. I love the clean lines of the design and the gentle leading the eye. I love the meaning behind each piece in the garden. The moon gate was a symbol of the literati. It was the entrance to a garden - a portal from the inside to the outside - where intellectuals gathered for tea, music, reading and discussions. The moon is about unity and the feminine and a connection between two worlds much like a lobby of an office provides that connection. Hence the moon gate for my company's logo.

I watched my mom cook growing up and then assisted her in the kitchen. She went to cooking school in her early twenties and knew her way around the kitchen. My cooking took off when I lived in the city and would shop the local markets for fresh ingredients. I learned how to cook meat from the butcher at Jefferson Market and often called my mom for pointers. Cooking is creative and warm - a way to show love and welcome people into your home. I might love to eat even more than I love to cook!

In Spring of 2003, my husband and I could only agree on one song for our first dance. I suggested My First, My Last, My Everything and That's Amore. Bob suggested You Can't Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones - cheeky isn't he? We love The Rainbow Connection but only wanted Kermit to sing it. It was the only song not played by our band but on a CD at the wedding. The band was fantastic and we had a wonderful night dancing with our family and friends. I found my rainbow connection.

I love wine. Over the years, I have gone from being a Chardonnay to Cabernet to Pinot Noir to Malbec and Sauvignon Blanc. It's funny how our taste buds change over time. But through it all, I have always been fascinated by great wines under $15. They are out there. You just have to keep looking and tasting. Sante!

I look really young - great genetics thanks to my mom's side of the family. And having a young child on the later side has only helped the illusion that I am not really nearly...cough...ahem... 50. Our daughter is the love of our lives and a blessing. I love being a mom. It's my first job.

I sang for years in the choir, chorus, glee club, chamber singers and back to a choir again. And then not long before my wedding, I injured my vocal chords with a nodule that flares up when I over do it. Singing career over. My wish over the last decade was to return to music. I don't think anyone expected, least myself, that playing keyboards in a rock and roll band would be it. Love my band. So much fun to be making music again.

Being on the radio is so much fun. I love the interaction with the host and sometimes the audience. People have so many questions about office design and I just enjoying serving them.

I love to travel, am fascinated by other cultures and on the ways in which we communicate. Learning languages is a natural progression. School girl French and I learned Spanish as an adult for a trip to Bolivia and Peru at age 30. I can ask for a beer, locate the train station, buy something and find a bathroom in at least 4 languages. What more do you need?

I have never been much for being the focus of a camera lens. Maybe that's why I love radio. I do love to be behind the lens - seeing the world in a different way. I have not doubt that creatives thrive when they are inspired by more than one creative activity. Where do you get your inspiration?

My mind goes, goes, goes like the energizer bunny all day. If I didn't have my quiet time each morning - my ritual, my prayer, my gratitude and intentions - I would burn out. Been there, done that. The morning reset is well worth it. Take just 5 minutes for yourself at the start of the day and see how it makes the difference.

I learned to read when I was 4 and the world has been my oyster ever since. My ideal day would be spent curled up in a comfy chair in front of the fireplace in my favorite jeans and a big sweater with my kitten in my lap and a great book. I love books. I read every single day. They take me places I have not yet been. I learn new things. I am happiest there and can't remember a time I wasn't.

Cats are just so independent. They have their own personalities and schedules and they only bend a bit to yours. Our latest family member is a Bengal Tabby. She is one moment an energetic spitfire and the next a cozy snuggler in your lap. You never know what or who you will get next.

I have no idea why. I just know that it's not Thanksgiving until we play Alice's Restaurant and everyone sings along in the kitchen to the smell of turkey and cranberries and pumpkin pie. It's a crazy family tradition that I love. I bet you have some of those too.

I could go to the beach all bundled up on the coldest day in winter and still be rejuvenated. Something about the vastness of the sea and sky, the stretching of the beach for miles, the tiniest of shell treasures in the sand. It's all wondrous isn't it? It speaks to my spirit and I am renewed.

There is something about flying - being in the air and looking below and pretending you are a bird for just a few hours. Flight is just sensational, don't you think? Imagine jetting off in your own private plane to have lunch with a friend three states over. Cool.

When I turned 30 I decided I needed a new goal other than find a husband and have a baby. So I determined to set foot in all 7 continents before I turned 40. I didn't succeed. But by the time I met my husband at age 34, I had stepped foot in Latin America, Europe and Asia. Not too bad. There is still plenty of time left to finish those other continents.

Taking my daughter and husband to new places and to those that I have been is my dream. I love sharing the world with them. I love seeing the world through my daughter's eyes - it's a very different view. Come with me. Let's enjoy this wondrous ride called life!

Tea is one of my indulgences. I so enjoy everything about the process - boiling the water in my copper kettle, pouring it out into the loose leaves, the fragrant aroma wafting up as it steeps, the warmth of my cup as I lift it to my lips, the taste of jasmine or fruit and flowers or english breakfast. It's like a ceremony. When was the last time you took time for yourself?

Want to learn more about who I am in the world of commercial and office interior design and how I can help you have a productive, profitable and happy workplace?
Read more here: http://resovate.com/interior-designer-catherine-avery
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