IDS Member Spotlight: Denise C. Pough of A-Jay Interiors by Dee, LLC

In honor of Black History Month, we are excited to spotlight Interior Designer, Denise Pough of  A-Jay Interiors by Dee. With a love for modern design, appreciation for natural elements, and inspiration drawn from her travels, Denise brings a fresh and intentional approach to her projects! 

Q: Can you describe your design philosophy and how it has evolved over the years?  

A:My mission is to deliver elevated, modern designs that evoke comfortable living and functionality to reflect the lifestyle of my clientele.  Through my thorough design process, integrity, communication and excellence flows throughout to bring joyous work and results.

When I made the decision to build my own interior design business, it was different than what I thought it would become. I've learned that a design process is highly important for not just my business but for the client experience, as well. As I strive to work with my ideal clients (still in the making 😏), I try my best to make sure that mutual respect, honesty and trust is always at the front of our relationship. I believe that these core values bring greater positive results and a more successful project in the end.

Q: What are some of the things that influence you, aside from furniture and décor?  

A: I have a love for travel.Through traveling, I am influenced by natural elements, like natural light, views of nature (botanical, ocean, skylines) and the feelings that I evoke when I'm in those spaces, to bring calmness and relaxation. Visiting cities like Barcelona and Rome, and US areas like Miami and Cape Code, I'm energized by what is around me, and through my modern clean lines aesthetic, I bring in statement pieces that stand out on their own, and can also work well with the other finishes around them, are what I enjoy most in my projects.

Q:How do you approach collaborating with clients to ensure their vision is reflected
in the design?  

A:In my design process, I pull out of my clients not just what they want to see, but also what they may not realize what they need.  So during the consultation and kick-off meetings, there are answers to obvious questions and then some discussion on what they wish for.  There are specific questions to how they live in the home, not just questions based on the space being designed.

Q: Are you seeing any style requests trending amongst your clients?  

A: My clients have a clean, modern design style, and with my passion of kitchen and bath designs, there are requests for less grout lines, such as requesting larger size tiles and full slabs are more favorable.

Q: What’s been your career highlight to date?  

A: Last year, June 2024, I won an ASID New Jersey Design Excellence Award for the >150sf Kitchen Design. It was a condo renovation where the small and outdated kitchen was brought into the 21st century as a modern high-end spacious kitchen with a waterfall edge, luxury appliances, and a beverage center (photos attached).

Q: Are there any personal rituals or habits that contribute to your creative process?  

A: I enjoy a good workout routine about 4-5 days per week. But what brings more creative ideas when I'm working on my projects is a nice walk in nature, whether in my neighborhood or when I'm traveling. It clears my mind, releases stress and lets the ideas flow when I have a creative block.

Q: What’s next for A-Jay Interiors by Dee? Are there any exciting projects or goals on the horizon?   

A: I was inspired to make this the "Year of Yes", a book written by Shonda Rhimes. I'm working on building my presence in the industry, building relationships with contractors and working on more projects, I'm just excited for this new year to bring me new opportunities to grow, design and become better and better at what I love to do. Possibly go into the small commercial space as well. As I reach my goals, I plan to make time to find ways to donate in some way.