Forget career assessments or personality tests to determine your professional path; sometimes our names alone can hold the key to the employment door we should open.
Such is the case with Flagstaff’s Janet Sweigart of SweigART, Designs, LLC, who began her career studying fine arts at Northern Arizona University and now specializes in custom interior architectural design for commercial and residential projects as well as new construction, remodels and design.
Selecting NAU as her choice of schools was based on the fact that at the time it was one of two universities in the country that had separate majors in archeology and ceramics.
“Initially, I wanted to be a ranger in Mesa Verde Park. I visited there as a teenager and loved it. But, life changes and I decided art was my interest so I pursued my degrees in interior design and fine arts, loving the technical aspect of space planning, drafting and artistic elements of design.”
Sweigart says she is the liaison between the homeowner and/or business owner and contractor. “I serve as the go-between that is oftentimes the missing link on a project. Many times my clients have plans but can’t always be on the job or they don’t understand all the aspects of the building process. I try to be their eyes and ears and help them understand what’s going on and help to make selections and decisions.”
Optometrist Ronda Olson has used SweigART Designs for several residential projects. One is the contender for a national award with the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). “Janet worked on our kids’ play room and really helped turn my vision into a reality. With her meticulous attention to detail and strong work ethic – she worked more hours than she quoted – we are so happy with the results.”
“When my clients come to me and want to redo the kitchen or bathroom, I look at the house overall to see what really needs to be done to bring it up to code and make sure it all fits together,” said Sweigart. “There are so many details that you have to pay attention to.”
For a recent remodel, Sweigart said she took measurements of the house and came up with design ideas through drawings and AutoCAD. “I want to give my clients several different ideas and design layouts.”
Bill and Kathy Dooley built their second home in Flagstaff and secured SweigART Designs to work on their design and layout. “She had ideas that were appealing and she was pleasant to work with,” said Kathy. “It was a good give-and-take relationship where she understood what we wanted and we could take from her expertise and design ideas. She could adapt to what we wanted by adapting to us.”
When asked about her favorite part of the job, Sweigart says it is hard to pinpoint, as she enjoys so many elements of it: the design of space planning, selecting finishes and furnishings, and working with her clients.
The list of Sweigart’s commercial projects include the Orpheum Theater, Northern Arizona Radiology, Flagstaff Pediatrics, Law Offices of Magnum, Wall Stoops and Warden, Trinity Heights, Melissa Collins Cripps State Farm and Starlite Lanes.
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Sweigart has been serving the Flagstaff area for more than 27 years. “I have also served clients in the Page, Prescott, Sedona, Scottsdale and Phoenix areas,” she said.
SweigART Designs has been the recipient of many awards, including being voted FBN’s “Best of Interior Design Businesses.”
SweigART Designs is a professional member of American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and is certified by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). Sweigart also is a regular attendee of the International Builders Show/Kitchen and Bath Industry IBS/KBIS and the World Design Market in Las Vegas.
In her free time, Sweigart enjoys hiking, camping, boating, fishing and visiting natural sites such as Sunset Crater. “I really like to fall asleep looking up at the stars.” FBN
By V. Ronnie Tierney, FBN
For more information about SweigART
Designs, call 928-526-2127 or
visit SweigARTdesigns.com.