This eclectic space has beautiful views inside and out. Photo: Emily Minton Redfield
People come to the interior design field via many routes, but it’s probably safe to say that most don’t start with an internship at “Days of Our Lives.”
That’s where Andrea Monath Schumacher (no relation to Schumacher fabrics) began her career after graduation, in the movie industry drafting sets. But it was later, when she was at Sony Pictures and saw a building model for the movie “Hook,” that inspired her to go back to school for interior design.
Even then, this adventurous spirit first spent 3.5 years traveling the world before ending up in Denver, where she went back to school to get her master’s in architecture. And then her chapter in interior design began, after she got a job designing a restaurant.
“I never meant to own my own business,” she said. “I kind of fell into it.” After that one project, others just kept following. “The first couple of years were handshake deals.” While many in the field learn the ropes working for other designers, she was figuring it out on her own.
“I believe in karma,” she said, and one key to her success is her intuition, which she has relied on for everything, she said including people, relationships, which clients she takes on, how to handle different situations, all of it.
Now 25 years later, she leads a team of 18 and has no shortage of clients. Her firm gets several calls from potential clients every week, and each is vetted to make sure that it’s a fit for both sides, she said.
“We’re pretty picky about who we take on as a client,” Schumacher said. Her firm is currently working on 35 projects. Ideally, she wants to work on projects that are portfolio-building, as well as ones that encompass the full home, she said. An all-white house, for example, while she can do it, “it’s probably not the best fit.”
“We do everything from dirt up,” she said. That includes interior elevations, finishes, lighting plans, furniture plans, art collaborations — all of it, she said. “We’re considered architecture designers and also decorators.” One client who has done five projects with her recently told her, ‘You’re better than an architect.’
Her goal for every project is to tell the client’s story through the items in their home. “I’m super client-centric,” she said. She starts by using something from the client for the overall vision – it could be their grandmother’s sweater or a painting they’ve owned for a long time.
She may extract colors from that item into the home, perhaps through the backsplash tile or drapery, and then start to layer things to get to the final result. One couple got married in Bali and owned a Balinese statue, so Schumacher put that right in the front entry and did an Asian vibe throughout the home.
She also believes in manifestation, which is how her expansion to California came about. She had asked herself: Where did she want to be in 10 years? And the answer was: California, where she went to school and loves the weather. So, five years ago, her firm opened an office in Santa Barbara, Calif. Another office in Manhattan Beach, Calif., is in the works.
Another thing she’s manifesting for the future: Working in boutique hotels. “It’s such a translatable business opportunity for us,” she said. “When we do a large home, which we do all the time, we do every bedroom differently,” so her firm could easily create different looks for a hotel. She also has plans for her own product collection, called LIESL, which was her grandmother’s nickname.
Right now, that includes wallcoverings with Paul Montgomery and hardware collections with Hamilton Sinkler, and even more are in the works. “My goal is to have 15 collaborations within the next three years.”
Fast fasts about Andrea:
What’s your favorite food or cuisine?
“I love Moroccan cuisine — the spices and vibrant presentations are just amazing.”
What’s your go-to color or neutral for a project?
“One of our go-to neutrals is Benjamin Moore’s OC-45 Swiss Coffee. It’s the perfect blend of warmth and brightness.”
Who inspires you and why?
“In the interior design world, Dorothy Draper inspires me. Her ability to create spaces that are both glamorous and livable is something we always strive for. My grandmother, Elizabeth Monath, always inspires me. My wallcovering line, the LIESL collection, was inspired by her artwork and is a tribute to her many talents.”
What advice would you give your younger self?
“I would tell my younger self, ‘Do what you love, and the rest will follow.’ When you immerse yourself in your passion, everything else tends to fall into place.”
What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
“I’m really very introverted. A lot of my creativity flourishes in the quieter moments.”
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