2020 Customer Spotlight
Carolina Rivera, winner of the 2020 Design Inspiration Awards in the BLANCO category, has always had a passion for interiors, architectural design and spatial design from a young age. “I would visit my grandmother and rearrange all of her furniture by myself when she wasn’t looking,” says Rivera.
As a child and now adult, Rivera enjoys building and putting things together. She always sees it as a challenge, like a puzzle waiting to be solved. Rivera decided to pursue a degree in design and recently graduated from FIU with a master’s in architecture.
“Working at AGCC, I can design and create the missing pieces in our clients’ lives,” says Rivera. “Whether it’s a small standalone furniture piece or a functional and beautiful floor to ceiling cabinetry to fill up a space.”
Question & Answer Session
When did you start using 2020 Design and what were some of your reasons for choosing that software?
I joined AGCC in 2017 as a designer to help a small family business continue to grow and with me came 2020 Design. We needed a software that would allow us to implement cabinets into our designs and allow us to create realistic renderings to showcase our work to our clients. 2020 Design offered all of that and more.
What are some of the most helpful features you use in 2020 Design and why?
All of 2020 Design is useful and necessary for our company. But I would have to say the lighting wizard is one of the best features. Lighting is an important aspect of interior design as it enhances the aesthetic appeal and creates the mood and ambiance of a living space. We always include it in our designs and being able to show it through the rendering takes us to the next level.
What has been your experience working with 2020 (support, training, sales, etc.)?
Our experience has always been pleasant and easy when it comes to contacting 2020 Design. Their customer service has always been able to help us out or direct us where we need to be, always attentive and never difficult.
About the Designer
Carolina Rivera
AG Custom Cabinets
Favorite design style:
Modern with a touch of eclectic
Favorite paint color:
Hague Blue
by Farrow and Ball
Favorite industry site/blog:
Architectural Digest, Pinterest and Instagram feeds for inspiration
Favorite designer:
Kelly Wearstler
Quote that inspires you:
“Less is more.” –Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe
"Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” – Coco Chanel
What was the inspiration behind the design you submitted for the 2020 contest?
We have a current client that has been working with us for over a year in designing her kitchen. She strives for perfection and the design submitted was one of many that I have created for her, but it’s my favourite. Working with a relatively small space, I think I have managed to include a lot of stylish features while still being practical. We incorporated multiple colors, textures and different materials; we have hidden practical storage, display areas, seating, working counters, areas of open space. The name of this design is ADAD - it stands for her initials: A.D. and Architectural Digest. We got a lot of inspiration from this source, and after all the time and thought, it should be featured there as well. A lot of kitchens featured in Architectural Digest are much, much larger than A.D.’s and I believe we have incorporated a lot into this space without overdoing it in this design.
Describe your creative process. What questions do you ask your clients? Where do you get your inspirations from?
Immediately when walking into the space, I can already visualize what goes where, especially when it’s a kitchen, unless we are starting from scratch or an empty space (which is rare for us). The design must be able to flow with what is already there and what the space calls for. When consulting with a client, it’s important to know what their style is, what colors they love and what colors they hate, same with materials. We must know how they use their kitchen, who lives there, who will be using it the most. Do they have a large family? Do they cook or host frequently? Do they have a lot to display? Are they more practical or more into the style and look of the kitchen? Perhaps they eat or order in but are wine lovers. The kitchen is a very important part of the home, the heart of where one lives, and this means we have to get to know our clients on that level.
Do you design spaces other than kitchens and bathrooms? If so, which ones?
We create furniture, offices, closets, wall units. If it’s essentially a box or panel, we can make it and we use 2020 Design to show off.
Do you use any 2020 Cloud decorative items? If so, which ones?
If we’re talking about kitchens, I love using the decorative items such as food and wine; I think it brings a realistic, lived-in look to the rendering. You want to imagine yourself using the space.
Which catalogs were used in the design you submitted for this contest?
BLANCO
SENSIO, INC
JennAir Appliance
Gaggenau Appliance
What guidance would you provide to any designer who is considering 3D CAD tools for interior design?
Not to hesitate to call their customer service team for help and to check out community forums and especially the 2020 Design YouTube channel because they have amazing tutorials and how-to’s. If I am ever stuck or trying to figure something out, I will check their page out and usually find a solution.
Tell us something unusual that has happened in your career.
I would say our design’s inspiration client A.D. She has been an unusual case due to the length of this project and it is only in the design phase. But we are patient and understand that perfection takes time.
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