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Our Staff
 Andrea Gillespie
President/Designer
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Andrea formed AK Designs in January 2002. She immediately became the lead design consultant for Hilton Hotels Design and Construction department in Memphis, TN. She has since continued her work with Hilton Worldwide as well as completing many franchise owned new construction and renovation projects. She has a degree in Interior Design, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Alabama and is NCIDQ board certified. Her experience in the design field and as a project manager has given her the experience to build a successful design firm.
Designer Trivia:
- I love what I do because… The diversity of our projects never allows me to get bored. Every day there is a new task and a new challenge to overcome.
- Where is the place you go for personal and professional inspiration? Outdoors. I love nature, from the beautiful pristine beaches to the scenic, crisp mountains. Organic elements, colors, and patterns are most inspirational. I love to travel to new places to experience exciting, fresh, and innovative design.
- Favorite time of year … Saturdays in the fall watching college football!
 Sara Hinton
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Sara joined AK Designs as a design intern in the fall of 2005. She was a student at the University of Memphis in their Interior Design program. She graduated from the accredited program in May 2009 and joined the staff full time. “My favorite part of interior design is successfully meeting the challenge of conceptualizing ideas and turning visions into complete projects.” She thoroughly enjoys pushing the envelope with new design and is technologically savvy with the newest design programs.
Designer Trivia:
- What would be your dream project? I would love to design a hotel at Disney world or anything that was children oriented. It would be amazing to be able to step back into the psyche of a child and create a fairy tale world.
- The person that influenced your career path … My mom, whom also majored in interior design, has always brought out the creative side of my personality. She actually has a floor plan saved that I created of my bedroom in the fourth grade.
- Guilty Pleasure …I must admit that my guilty pleasure is thrift store shopping. You never buy anything that you actually need, but I love the thrill of a good bargain!
 Sara Deas
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Sara joined AK Designs as a design intern in the fall of 2007. She also attended the University of Memphis and was trained in the accredited Interior Design program. She graduated in May 2009 and joined the staff full time. Sara claims, “One of my favorite ideas about interior design is that the environment we create helps produce an escape for consumers.” She is a very visual designer and has a unique eye for space planning, color, and pattern coordination.
Designer Trivia:
- My style is … Transitional-Modern, I like the look of clean lines with a touch of sophisticated glamour.
- Book on my nightstand is … “Buried Alive” by Roy Hallums, a true story about a close friend of the family
who was captured in Iraq.
- Present color trend I love … I love neutral shades with hints of color, just enough to make a statement.
Our Company
AK Designs, LLC is an interior design firm formed in 2002 specializing in design for the hospitality industry. Our design team provides owners and developers with the expertise of how to build cost effective hotel interior solutions. We have currently completed projects in over seventeen states and have experience in many facets of hospitality interior design. We have developed custom proto-typical design schemes for the Hampton Inn and Hilton Garden Inn brands, yet also have extensive new construction and renovation experience for franchise clients such as Archon Group and Cooper Hotels. Our foundation is based on the principles of design, technique and value that will deliver excellent service, total satisfaction and places an emphasis on saving our client time and money. Our design team will not only enhance the look and value of your property, but create a sense of peace for visitors to receive the comfort they deserve.
AK Designs has many strengths, but tends to focus on having excellent communication, personalized service, being on time and in budget. It is one of our goals to maintain the highest level of quality during a time of intense value engineering. We also believe in the principles of sustainable design and strive to incorporate those principles into our projects. Above all we hope to build lasting relationships with satisfied clients.
Consulting with an interior design firm is not about imposing ideas and personal taste onto a client. It is about a client and interior designer coming together to create a unique space. It’s about helping the client develop their vision while analyzing their interior design requirement. In the end creating a flexible, functional environment that optimizes your space and relates to your clientele business, image and location.
Our project work includes participation and management in all phases.
Services include the following:
Prototype Development
Client Relations and Proposals
Site Analysis and Existing Conditions Documentation
Project Programming, Spatial Analysis, and Space Planning
Conceptual Design
Presentation Materials utilized for Sales and Marketing
Design Development
Interior Design Construction Drawings and Detailing
Custom Furniture and Millwork Design
Project Budget Review
Furniture, Fixture, Fabric, Artwork and Accessory Selection
Finish Selection
Interior Design Specifications
Finish Specifications
Model Room Designs
Renderings
Procurement Coordination with Purchasing Agent
Construction Administration
Installation Coordination
Follow-Up Reviews
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