Liz Craig, Principal Designer
When I had my first (amazing and precious) child, I decided to leave work and be a full-time parent. My second child turned out to be (miraculous and awesome) twins. Accommodating three kids and two adults in a small New York City apartment was an interesting challenge! Around the same time, I helped my parents move from a large and luxurious Washington DC residence into a small two-bedroom assisted living apartment.
These experiences made me reflect on all the changes in my living arrangements over my lifetime: the many moves as a child of diplomats and later as an adult living in different cities; getting married, divorced, and married again; having children; acquiring a weekend house – all the while making my home function for shifting needs. I realized that I really enjoyed the work of creatively solving spatial problems and designing beautiful rooms (much more than investment banking!). So, I threw myself into the study of interior design with the intention of helping others optimize their homes, too.
Also during this time, I went from being a long-time ethical vegetarian to fully vegan. At first it was just about adopting a vegan diet, but as I further educated myself, I realized there are additional ways to make a positive impact in the world, many of which are interrelated. Beyond the concern for the animals themselves, the methods for harvesting animal products are tremendously harmful to the environment and to human health. There are incredible amounts of toxins that are brought into a home via surface treatments and furnishings!
I determined to do my part and make my professional services as earth-, animal-, and human-friendly as possible. “ecc” aren’t just my initials, they represent what my business stands for: eco-friendly, compassionate, cultivated.
I am excited to be of assistance to other compassionate people and to flex my creativity in way that makes a meaningful positive impact in their lives and in the world. In addition to a strong educational background in design and business, I am certified in sustainable and cruelty-free design, staging for sale, and living in place. I can’t wait to work with you to achieve your design goals!
About ecc interiors
My work is about you, so the first step is getting to know you! You want your home to align with your values, history, and aspirations, so we need to talk about all of that, plus your goals, requirements, preferences, and lifestyle. This is so important to developing the design and formulating a plan to complete it, especially as there is a continuum with regard to sustainable and vegan qualities. For example, one person may want a completely vegan home, whereas another might want that vintage Eames lounge chair that is covered in leather or an antique wool rug. Vintage pieces are the ultimate in sustainability, and even if made with animal materials they do not create demand for new animal products. Animal products are not only cruel, they are bad for the environment.
Once the design is done, the critical factor to a successful outcome is effective project management. Your designer must have excellent organizational skills, be adept with numbers and budgets, have good people skills and relationships with trade professionals, and have the eagle eye of a perfectionist. I got you — with my education in business and design and my background in investment banking and operations management, as well as experience in the interior design industry and an exacting attention to detail, you can rest assured that your investment will be in good hands.
Let me be clear: eco-friendly and vegan design does not equal lame design. Constraints can offer the best foundation for extraordinary design, and there are plenty of options out there that are healthy for the planet, for the animals, and for you.