Conversations with Ella Brookhart

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ella Brookhart.

Hi Ella, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I graduated high school and went into my freshman year of college I wanted to choose a career path in which I would be able to make a difference for people. I originally chose to go to school for political science to gain a better understanding of the world around me and hopefully find my way in making a difference of some sort. I started to become more discouraged feeling like such a little fish swimming in a sea of endless problems in the world. Once Covid hit at the end of my freshman year I decided to take the following year off and reflect on what would not only impact others but would feel fulfilling to me as well. I decided that I needed to be in a more creative field and while I looked through my options I landed on interior design. I went to the Heritage School of Interior Design Denver and gained an immense amount of knowledge of the design world. I ended up coming to the conclusion towards the end of my school that design should not be a privilege but should be made accessible everyone. In the years following my graduation from Heritage, I worked on a number of freelance projects until I was reached out to by Denay Maberry at Front Porch Farms; a local start up non profit with goals to create sustainable long term housing for those impacted by chronic homelessness. This was the first moment in my career where I felt my two dreams of having a creative career and making a difference collide. Now, for the past year I have been assisting the amazing team at Front Porch Farms as their lead interior designer in our fight to create a better community for everyone.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Getting into the design world has been a challenge. I have always been very dead set on my intentions of designing. Creating accessibility to design and making an impact for others has always been my priority. So, when I was freshly out of school I stayed committed to working in a space that aligned with my values. I wanted to make sure that I was allowing myself the time to find the right fit for me. So in the meantime between freelance jobs I work in a restaurant to maintain a stable income. Trying to balance the two at times is tiresome and challenging but ultimately it has allowed me the opportunity to gain experience in the design world, explore my passion and work with some of the most amazing people.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I currently work as a freelance interior designer and the lead interior designer to Front Porch Farms, a nonprofit focused on creating longterm sustainable housing for those experiencing chronic homelessness. When it comes to designing my passion lies in creating 3D visuals to showcase the beauty of a space before making a client commit to a design. There is something so rewarding and gratifying in creating an exact visual and being able to precisely convey your vision to someone. Seeing something of your imagination come to life right before your eyes and knowing that you were able to create it gives me such a great sense of pride. I also believe it is so beneficial when working with people outside of the design world to be able to bring them along in your creative journey.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I grew up with a family that was very actively involved in community and homeless outreach. My mom started several nonprofits and regularly worked in very hands on positions to ensure positive changes were made in our community. She inspired me and our whole family to be involved and strive to see a better standard of living for everyone. My parents raised me to be compassionate, caring, and hardworking. They regularly encouraged me to follows my passions and be the change that I wanted to see. I would never be in this position if it weren’t for them and I am beyond grateful for that.

Pricing:

• Rates very based on the scale and scope of projects

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ella.brookhart?igsh=cjMyZ2lidWhuMjVs&utm_source=qr
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ella-brookhart-0b2bba1a6?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Image Credits
Headshot by Sydney Prouse