Hourly Design Consultation Now Available
Are you starting to see paint chips in your sleep? Wondering how to lay out your new kitchen? Stuck in the middle of a redesign and not sure about the next step? Looking to get the absolute most from your budget? We feel your pain! Before you spend another dollar, consider emka Designs. With as little as one to two hours of design consultation, emka will make sure your renovation exceeds your expectations. We also specialize in making your home more accessible to people of all ages, sizes and abilities, which can dramatically improve someone’s quality of life. Please contact us for more information and to schedule time.
Why You Should Hire An Interior Designer
When we consider that we spend 90% of our time indoors, we realize that the spaces where we live, learn and play have a powerful impact on our health, well-being, safety, and productivity. We spend much of each day improving lives by providing imaginative, safe and comfortable homes that give us peace of mind and meet individual lifestyle needs, while always keeping in mind the people who use them.
Maria Barber
Owner/Designer
Upon graduating with a degree in Interior Architecture and Design in 1995, Maria worked in the City of Chicago’s Corporate Design Industry for over five years.
Working with corporate clients KPMG Accounting, Monsanto/Searle, and Zurich Kemper Life Insurance, providing such services as space planning, tenant improvement, lighting design, facilities management, finish selection, etc.
As the mountains called, she headed to Truckee and entered the Residential Design Industry, enhancing and expanding her design experience with new industry challenges.
For the past 10 years Maria has worked on custom homes from 2,000 s.f. and above, and interior remodels from 1,000 s.f. to 5,000 s.f., from which she gained the confidence and experience to become nationally licensed through the NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification).
She is certified by Universal Design Remodeling through the NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry), and is a member of ASID and NKBA.
About Emka Interior Architecture and Design
Founded in 2002 by Maria Barber, emka is a local firm, tailored to and for the local community, with much design awareness and expertise, quick response times, industry knowledge, and full-of-life personalities. With more than 15 years of commercial and residential design experience, emka has the expertise to help guide you through any design & construction process with ease. With the growing market, we choose to maintain a balance between residential remodels and additions, as well as custom home building. Within any given project, we are able to suit most any project needs, while guiding the client through rapid change and development.
The Importance of Universal Design
Universal Design is based on the idea that all residential environments and products should be easily used and accessed by all members of the family, regardless of age, size or physical abilities, throughout the family’s lifespan.
As our average life expectancy continues to increase, an average of 54 million people in the US now live with one disability or another. These are all reasons to consider implementing Universal Design strategies in your current residence, or even a new construction home. An example would be to consider a curbless entrance to your home for easy use now, and ease of use in 20 or 30 years. These strategies will trickle down from immediate family to friends, out of town visitors, and to the next person who will live in the home.
Emka Design Services
Interior elevations & details (kitchen cabinetry, tile designs, custom millwork designs, etc.)
Design consultation of architectural plans
Mechanical, plumbing, & electrical plans (lighting layout, outlet locations, code issues, heating specs, etc.)
Contractor & subcontractor relationships
Plumbing fixture & appliance selection
Lighting – fixture selection, drawings and details
Color consultation
Material & finish selection (interior and exterior)
Trim, doors, flooring, wainscot, backsplash, countertop, tile and natural stone design, paint selection, fabrics, etc.
Window coverings
Furnishings & fabric selection
Space planning & commercial design concepts
Custom millwork designs and drawings
Accessories (bathroom, kitchen, entry)
