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BANDD DESIGN

Places and spaces that bring people together.

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About the BANDD

AUSTIN INTERIOR DESIGN STUDIO

At BANDD/DESIGN, we believe that design should feel effortless, interesting, and purposeful.

High-quality, approachable design is the driving force behind everything BANDD touches.

 

Sara Barney Founder Principal Designer

SARA MALEK BARNEY, ASID

Founder + Principal Designer

Sara is the mastermind behind the BANDD. Since its establishment in 2017, BANDD/DESIGN has successfully executed over 130 residential projects, many of which have been recognized, won prestigious awards, and been published around the world.

Prior to launching BANDD/DESIGN, Sara spent the first phase of her professional career in Los Angeles, working in the fast-paced entertainment and sports industries, as an executive at companies such as SXSW, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Her past experience helps her deliver timeless, unique designs to her projects. She believes the design process should be highly collaborative and feel authentic to each individual.

Sara, an Austin-native and University of Texas alum, has degrees in Corporate Communication and Interior Design. Some of Sara’s accolades include being named to the inaugural class of Fortune Magazine‘s Most Powerful Women {Next Gen}, one of Austin Monthly‘s Women to Watch for multiple years, a recognized design influencer by High Point Market Authority, one of Austin’s best interior designers by Austin Home Magazine, and being nominated for an International Design & Architecture Award in 2019. Her work has been shared globally and she has been featured amongst dozens of media outlets. She is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers and the Female Founder Collective.

  • Favorite part of being backstage at BANDD: Working alongside so many talented badasses. I’m so lucky!
  • Favorite part of the design process: Install day! Nothing like seeing the fruits of your labor IRL.
  • Design principle you swear by: No. Schluter. Ever.
  • Best meal you’ve ever eaten: A 9-course experimential Japanese tasting at Itacho in Los Angeles in 2003.
  • Favorite Movie quote: “A gun rack…a gun rack? I don’t even own *a* gun. Let alone many guns that would necessitate an entire rack. What am I gonna do…with a gun rack?” – Wayne’s World.
  • Karaoke go-to song: Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield.
  • If you weren’t working in design, you’d be: Backup dancer for Megan Thee Stallion and/or boyband historian.

 

MEET THE BANDD

Meghan Kardow Designer Project Manager

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Meghan Kardow

Lead Designer + Project Manager

Meghan Kardow

Lead Designer + Project Manager

Meghan is a native Texan, growing up in Houston, who earned her Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art from the University of Texas and her Master’s of Interior Architecture from Cal Poly Pomona.

Her love of design was born through her passion for art from a very young age. This interest in art history took her to study fine arts in college, concentrating on drawing and painting. Interior Design was always a passion on the side, and after college, she relocated to Los Angeles to study Interior Architecture. She lived in Los Angeles for 5 years where she immersed herself in the design community, joining ASID and working for several LA residential designers. To Meghan, design should have a personality that goes beyond functionality. Your home should truly reflect both who you are and how you will live in the space.

  • Favorite part of being backstage at BANDD: Working with this team is the best part of my day. This group of smart, funny, creative, strong, badass women make work more fun everyday.
  • Favorite part of the design process: The installation. Seeing something we have drawn or mocked up for a client come to life is the best, and having a client excited to see their finished space makes it worth it.
  • Design principle you swear by: It all comes back to proportion and scale. Making sure your pieces are well proportioned in the space and with each other.
  • Best meal you’ve ever eaten: The traditional Cuban dinner my family has every year for Noche Buena. I look forward to it all year!
  • Favorite Movie quote: “If you can’t say something nice about someone, come sit next to me.” – Steel Magnolias.
  • Karaoke go-to song: Truth Hurts by: Lizzo (could almost do it without the prompter)
  • If you weren’t working in design, you’d be: Own a winery in Napa. You get to drink the wine you make right?
Caitlin Kuncl Designer Project Manager

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Caitlin Kuncl

Lead Designer + Project Manager

Caitlin Kuncl

Lead Designer + Project Manager

Caitlin came to Austin from Santa Cruz, California. After studying Interior Architecture at CSU Chico, she dove into the San Francisco design community by joining ASID and working as an intern for a notable Bay Area designer. There, she developed her personal style and a love for the intimate process of designing residential spaces.

After deciding to make the move to Austin, Caitlin took an opportunity with a commercial design firm where she found a new strength in space planning and a strong understanding of textiles and materials. Ultimately, she missed the creative freedom and client interaction involved in residential design and is excited to bring these skills with her to BANDD/DESIGN. She believes every home should look lived in – fresh and bold, but approachable and complementary to one’s lifestyle.

  • Favorite part of being backstage at BANDD: Collaboration! Everyone comes at a project with a different approach and sometimes even a different outcome in mind.
  • Favorite part of the design process: Design Development! After we have solidified the design direction, structural features and overall layout, when we get to start refining details like fabric selections and accent pieces.
  • Design principle you swear by: Scale and proportion are so important. It doesn’t matter how perfect the pattern, shape or color – if it isn’t proportional to its surroundings, it doesn’t work.
  • Best meal you’ve ever eaten: My dad’s BBQ ribs and potato salad.
  • Favorite Movie quote: If you wear a dress and have an animal sidekick, you’re a princess – Moana
  • Karaoke go-to song: I will avoid Karaoke at all costs. In a life or death situation I might go with This Is How We Do It – Montell Jordan.
  • If you weren’t working in design, you’d be: Some form of social work like a parole or probation officer.
Zoie Young Design Assistant

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Zoie Young

Design Assistant

Zoie Young

Design Assistant

Zoie was born and raised in Paris, Texas and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from the University of Texas (Hook ‘em!).

As a young girl, Zoie declared that she would be an Interior Designer, which led to her drawing countless floor plans of her future home and flipping through many design magazines. In school, Zoie fell in love with the technical side of design, learning to enjoy figuring out the nitty-gritty details in drawings and designing unique spaces. Zoie strives to create spaces that are sustainable, functional, and distinct to the persons living within.

  • Favorite part of being backstage at BANDD: The team! Everyone in the office is so unique and that pushes me to learn and grow.
  • Favorite part of the design process: Anything in CAD! I love designing the technical details that happen in plans, elevations, and RCPs.
  • Design principle you swear by: Using color and texture! Those two elements can make all the difference in the world.
  • Best meal you’ve ever eaten: Ramen from Fuunji in Shinjuku, Tokyo
  • Favorite Movie quote: “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” – Dirty Dancing
  • Karaoke go-to song: Jackson – Johnny Cash + June Carter Cash
  • If you weren’t working in design, you’d be: A travel photographer
Audra Schatte Design Assistant

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Audra Schatte

Design Assistant

Audra Schatte

Design Assistant

Audra hails from a small town in Southern Illinois and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design from The Art Institute of Austin.

Growing up, Art was always Audra’s best subject. The only time she ever got a B in Art was because she would talk too much and distract others from their work. She loved that her projects could spark something inside others. When she realized she could do that on something bigger than a canvas, the game changed. For Audra that’s what Interior Design is, walking into a space and truly feeling something. An extra large canvas if you will!

  • Favorite part of being backstage at BANDD: Everything! The excitement, complaining, laughter, shared frustration, and passion. We all love what we do, and it’s great to be surrounded by such strong women!
  • Favorite part of the design process: Installs and style outs. Seeing the vision come to life!
  • Design principle you swear by: Emphasis. Determine the star piece(s). Build around that making sure to not overshadow the focal point.
  • Best meal you’ve ever eaten: My roommate’s Thanksgiving dinner! Slaps!
  • Favorite Movie quote: “That’s a very nice sweater you’re wearing.”
    “Thanks, it was my mom’s. I took the shoulder pads out.” – Step Brothers
  • Karaoke go-to song: Mama’s Broken Heart – Miranda Lambert
  • If you weren’t working in design, you’d be: An art therapist.
Natalie Lira Design Assistant

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Natalie Lira

Design Assistant

Natalie Lira

Design Assistant

Natalie is originally from the San Francisco Bay Area. She graduated from Baylor University with a degree in Interior Design and a minor in Studio Art.

Her love for interior design began with her love for art, which she always wanted to incorporate into her future career. In her teens, Natalie was constantly redecorating her room and other areas of her family home and decided that she wanted to pursue a career in interior design. Natalie aspires to elevate spaces to reflect the human design of their users and believes that every home deserves to be unique to those that gather within it.

  • Favorite part of being backstage at BANDD: How much fun we have together. There’s a lot of work, but there’s a lot of play too.
  • Favorite part of the design process: Collaborating with the other designers to come up with new and unique ideas, especially during the conceptual and material selection phases.
  • Design principle you swear by: You can find inspiration in unexpected places if you look for it and keep an open mind.
  • Best meal you’ve ever eaten: Pesto Gnocchi from Florence, Italy.
  • Favorite Movie quote: They call it a ‘Royale with cheese’ – Vincent Vega, Pulp Fiction
  • Karaoke go-to song: I Don’t Wanna Be In Love – Good Charlotte
  • If you weren’t working in design, you’d be: A literary editor.
Billie Dunn Marketing + Business Development Manager

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Billie Dunn

Marketing + Business Development Manager

Billie Dunn

Marketing + Business Development Manager

Billie is a native Texan, raised in West Texas with a Communications & Business degree from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Her love of decorating began when she was a little girl – she was always looking for new ways to design and rearrange her room. And although she still has a love for design, it was marketing that became her long-time passion. She has worked for over 15 years in marketing and is best known for her ability to generate creative ideas and always loves an opportunity to create change in helping brands grow.

  • Favorite part of being backstage at BANDD: Being around the creative process and watching the designers work behind the scenes.
  • Favorite part of the design process: Install day, I love watching how it all comes together.
  • Design principle you swear by: Let the professionals handle it!
  • Best meal you’ve ever eaten: I love a truly authentic Korean Kal-bi barbeque with all the sides…and extra kimchi!
  • Favorite Movie quote: “It’s like I have ESPN or something.”
  • Karaoke go-to song: Bennie & The Jets – Elton John
  • If you weren’t working in design, you’d be: A country singer
Dana Barney Director Of Operations

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Dana Barney

Director of Operations

Dana Barney

Director of Operations

Dana is a perfect blend of imagination and control. He started his career in the entertainment industry with a focus on screenwriting and production development before he transitioned to a position running marketing operations for a Fortune 100 company. The role, which required him to hone his organizational skills, left him with a need for a new creative outlet. From there, Dana tapped into his deep love of writing and published his first two novels, Flatline and Half Life.

Dana has a degree in Writing and Directing from Bennington College in Vermont and has worked in Operations for nearly a decade.

  • Favorite part of being backstage at BANDD: The amazing team spirit and energy.
  • Favorite part of the design process: Seeing the final result and big reveal after the teams work tirelessly on a project.
  • Design principle you swear by: Don’t be afraid to mix it up and try new things.
  • Best meal you’ve ever eaten: Oyster burger at The Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington D.C.
  • Favorite Movie quote: “Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.” from Airplane!
  • Karaoke go-to song: “Oops … I did it again” by Britney Spears
  • If you weren’t working in design, you’d be: writing crime fiction.
Jillian Letemendia Procurement Office Manager1

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Jillian Letemendia

Procurement + Office Manager

Jillian Letemendia

Procurement + Office Manager

Jillian is an original Austinite that graduated from The University of Texas with a degree in Corporate Communications and Business Foundations.

Jillian developed her love for interior design and home improvement growing up in a multicultural household where she was exposed to many styles, leading to an appreciation for an eclectic taste. Obtaining a Texas real estate license in college, she worked alongside local agents and family in the industry, then moved to Newport Beach, California first working as an accounts manager in the action sports apparel industry, then for a high-end furniture manufacturing company. Jillian now returns to Austin to join the BANDD, bringing with her a passion to help curate a space where the client ultimately feels that their vision and personal style has been realized.
  • Favorite part of being backstage at BANDD: The fact that I get to be backstage! Such a solid, fun hardworking group of creatives that all fangirl over the main event.
  • Favorite part of the design process: Nailing the color scheme.
  • Design principle you swear by: Functionality…nothing better than a beautifully designed space that is curated to be USED to the fullest!
  • Best meal you’ve ever eaten: Home-cooked birthday dinner growing up, which was usually fried okra, Mac n’ cheese, beef ribs, brisket, biscuits and gravy.
  • Favorite Movie quote: “Later’s on the menjay” – I love you, Man
  • Karaoke go-to song: Hand in My Pocket – Alanis Morrisette
  • If you weren’t working in design, you’d be: Swimsuit shop owner.

If you’re interested in joining the BANDD, please refer to our CAREERS PAGE for our latest openings.

Join the BANDD on Instagram, Pinterest, Houzz, and Facebook.

 

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