CASATALKS WITH AMANZA SMITH

What inspired you to start in the interior design world?

I was inspired by design at a very young age. I was the girl in my friend group that had very little means and not the coolest bedroom or house décor. I would go to my friends’ homes and see how beautiful the curtains or the bedding or the furniture was, and then I would go home and try every way I knew how to try and DIY my own things to look the same. It was with this passion that I continued my love for design and all things creative. It’s always been a gift that I shaped from a very young age, and it continues on today just on a much larger scale.

Describe your design aesthetic?

My design aesthetic is very bold and with no rules. I believe in taking risks in design and pairing things that wouldn’t usually make the greatest couple in real life. I love to put the old with the new and the classic with the edgy.

Do you believe interior design can impact a homeowner's mood?

Interior design can one hundred percent impact a homeowner’s mood. I believe that the space in which you reside or spend the majority of your time must be pleasing to the eye, comfortable and relaxed. This means something different for everyone. I feel most at peace when my home looks fun and creative to the eye. Some may need a warm neutral color pallet to be relaxed. If my home is out of sorts and unorganized (as it is often because of my busy schedule) it really throws off my mood.

"It was with this passion that I continued my love for design and all things creative. It’s always been a gift that I shaped from a very young age, and it continues on today just on a much larger scale.” 

Do certain color combinations always appear in your work?

I see that in recent months home builders have leaned into a very neutral, natural toned wood theme. I see less gold and more polished chrome, less dark wood flooring and more whitewashed or bleached wood planks.

Has living in LA influenced your design style and sensibility?

Living in LA has definitely allowed me to see some of the newer building trends firsthand as I tour new homes often for real estate. I get to also see from the staging companies many ideas in design as far as how to dress a space. There are a number of different furniture stores and showrooms that I didn’t have the opportunity to explore while living in the Midwest.

Has your role as a real estate agent impacted the way you think about design, both from a functionality and decorative perspective?

Being in real estate has made me appreciate the simpler designs. I know that everyone has a very different idea as to what is pleasing aesthetically. It is important when selling a home that you don’t have a super specific over the top design in the home because it very much limits the number of potential buyers you will have. It’s very hard for a lot of people to strip away a design in their head and envision a space with nothing in it or with neutral paint if there is a different color in every room. This can be very off-putting to a potential buyer.

"I feel most at peace when my home looks fun and creative to the eye.” 

You have staged homes for some of Hollywood's elite, is this an area you are still passionate about? 

Staging is a very hectic job that usually takes only a day or two of installation but can take a lot of preparation just depending on the project. I enjoy being able to take my time and really get creative on larger more permanent projects instead.

Your role on Netflix's Selling Sunset gives the viewer access into some of the most extraordinary homes in Los Angeles, does great interior design and real estate go hand-in-hand with the popularity of a property?

A lot of the homes we sell, and show are staged very well by the greatest staging companies in Los Angeles. It is a great way for the seller to showcase that homes full potential before selling. Many people even buy the homes fully staged as an option or will mimic exactly how it was staged as it really shows the buyer how to dress the space.