We had the good fortune of connecting with Shanna Kerr and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shanna, what do you love most about your work?
I truly do love what I do!!! I love that in this chaotic world we live in (especially right now), I can create order out of that chaos…a rhythm, a cohesive narrative, or even a subtle repeated detail can pull a space together and give a sense of intent and order. I also love how I affect the lives of the people who experience the spaces I design…their mood, their actions, their sense of well-being are all subtly and sometimes not so subtly affected by these spaces and that is incredibly fulfilling. Finally, I love helping people achieve the vision that was inside them all the time, which they lacked the experience, education, or other means to make into a reality. I love pulling that vision from their heads and hearts and helping them bring it to life.


Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am an Interior Designer and founder of a boutique design studio called SMDA. We specialize in Hospitality Design and Custom Homes around the world. I am so incredibly proud of the small and dedicated team we have working on some truly amazing international award-winning projects. This is a dream come true and the accumulation of decades of hard work and experience working with clients around the world. It has obviously never been a easy journey, but every difficult moment/client/project has been a challenge that taught me so much both about myself and about my abilities. Experience is always important, but learning to trust my instincts has been pivotal for me.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite part of this exciting city we live in is the sheer diversity of it all. We have amazing weather, beaches, desert, mountains, forests, and such a wide range of cultural and ethnic groups that there is always something to do and all within a couple of hours drive. If you are bored in this city, it is because you choose to be.

Oatman 5 Coral Ridge, Newport Coast, CA 1017


Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so so many people and groups I could thank for the help they offered along the way….but I think the person I want to point out would be Homer Oatman. Homer is an architect I have worked with many times on many projects. There is such a joy from working with someone else who has a similar passion and work ethic. Who speaks my language so to speak. I am incredibly thankful for Homer and other architects like him who collaborate with me to really bring these amazing projects to life.

Website: www.smdainc.com
Instagram: @smdainc
Linkedin: @SMDAinc
Twitter: @SMDAinc
Facebook: @SMDAinc
Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/smdainc/ Houzz: https://www.houzz.com/pro/smdainc/

Image Credits
Skylit Photography Design