Bringing Creativity and Logic Together Through Interior Design

Like many students on their college search, Onisha Walker, ’14, wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to major in or what career she wanted to pursue when she was in high school. “I had a hard time figuring out what I was really good at,” she said.

When Walker got to Meredith, she discovered interior design: a field that she says requires both creativity and logic. “I am very left and right brained – almost equally – so I was trying to find a career that welcomed that and I fell into interior design,” she said. “I really love that I can bring two of my strengths together in this field, being creative but also knowing how to manage deadlines and budgets.”

After graduating from Meredith, Walker went on to receive her master’s from the New York School of Interior Design. At the time, it was the number one interior design program in the country. “My professors were very supportive and even wrote recommendations that helped me get in,” said Walker.

In 2018, Walker returned to the Triangle to work as an interior designer and client consultant for Edge Office. This past February, after just two years with the firm, she was promoted to senior designer and account manager.

“My days and weeks on the job definitely vary,” Walker said when describing her typical work day. “It can be anything from looking for products to propose to a client, being out at a client meeting, out on the construction or installation site, or sitting in the office completing floor plans, specs, or renderings.”

Walker is also a LEED Green Associate, a credential given to interior designers who have a documented, up-to-date understanding of the most current green building principles and practices. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the most widely used green building rating system in the world, helping developers design sustainable and eco-friendly spaces that reduce carbon emissions and energy use.

Walker’s many credentials have allowed her to lead projects and develop great relationships in the corporate world. One project she’s particularly proud of started small with designing a break room for a client. “They had a very old school space and they trusted my expertise to introduce a new design concept for a break room,” she said. “They loved it and because of the great partnership we’ve built, I’m now helping them with almost every space in their building.”

Walker sees herself getting more involved on the project management side of interior design in the future. “It’s a way to stay in the design world but focus more on my technical qualities,” she said.

Looking back, Walker said she is grateful to Meredith for helping her gain the confidence she has in herself today. “I am a strong woman and have learned to always be my best self,” she said. “I am an introvert and at Meredith, I learned to break out of my shell a bit and speak up for myself.”