9. Danielle Lavallee, Director of Interior Design at Belmont Village

This episode we are joined by Danielle Lavallee, Belmont Village’s award-winning Director of Interior Design. She discusses her creative process, some oft-overlooked Senior Living design features, and her biggest lessons learned. This weekend is an especially exciting time for Danielle. Her latest project, Belmont Village Lincoln Park in Chicago, is having its grand opening and open house this weekend! To follow Danielle’s incredible Senior Living design work, visit her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/d4designed/ Show Notes: 0:48 How did you end up in Senior Living? 2:13 What is your day-to-day like? 5:32 How do you piece together the themes on your projects? 10:00 Do your ideas typically stem from one idea, like at your Berkeley Project, or are they derived from an amalgam of ideas? 14:02 What are some subtle design features you’ve implemented that the average visitor may not notice? 18:30 What are some of the big lessons you had to learn early in your career after entering this space? 21:10 What are the emotions of a grand opening like as a designer? 23:23 Are there any signatures or common threads in your work? 24:35 What advice do you have for others who are pursuing careers in Senior Living design?