photographs courtesy Carmeon Hamilton
Carmeon Hamilton is the merchandising manager for locally owned retailer, Stash Home, as well as an interior designer with her own company, Nubi Interiors, which specializes in residential and small-scale commercial design.
I caught up with Carmeon recently to talk about her participation in Art by Design, a designer showcase being held April 5-8 at the Memphis Fairgrounds’ historic Pipkin Building. Sixteen of Memphis’ top design professionals and their teams are curating stylish custom vignettes in a showroom setting with accompanying talks, tours, and parties to round out the four days.
Presented by IberiaBank along with 20 other prominent local sponsors, this unique event is in its third year to benefit ArtsMemphis and its mission of supporting the city’s cultural assets. All proceeds from sponsorships and ticket sales go to enabling the organization to award grants to local arts groups and artists.
Hamilton told me her design degree and 10 years of experience in the design field had led her “to discover the beauty in all things and to help others find that beauty in their surroundings every day.” She describes her core aesthetic as “modern boho,” which combines structured, clean lines with the casual and collected. I asked her for a preview of what she was planning for her dining room vignette, and she hinted it will have a round table and will showcase raw wood, textured elements as well as modern, refined painted black pieces. The pops of color would come from a mix of art — including mixed media, abstracts, portraits, and landscapes.
Hamilton loves in particular mid-century vintage pieces, graphic patterns, browns and blacks, handmade ethnic accents, and lots of plants. Of course I asked for free advice, namely several quick ways to update any room, and she kindly suggested: Paint the walls (or just your trim) an unexpected color, update your main lighting source with something beautiful, and add/replace your rug and go as big as your budget allows on the size! She finds inspiration everywhere — Instagram and Pinterest are her top sources, but it can be an image of a room, an outfit, a piece of art, or even food which excites her.
According to Hamilton, “If I’m not in Stash, HomeGoods, or Target you can find me in a vintage, thrift, or consignment store, or trolling the Etsy website.”
Good design does not have to cost the earth. Since Stash is her full-time employer she asked that I mention “what a great company it is.” When her opportunity to display her talents at Art by Design arose, the company did not hesitate to support her in any way they could, including fulfilling all of the furniture and lighting needs for her vignette.
Hamilton is clearly enthusiastic about interior design, but she is also over-the-top excited to be living and working in Memphis. She was born and raised in West Memphis and growing up only crossed the river for certain “big things,” as she puts it. After college Hamilton began her career as a junior designer in the interior design department of Golden Living, a healthcare company then based in Fort Smith, Arkansas. She worked with project managers renovating senior-care facilities and physical therapy clinics all across the country.
The move to Memphis came when her husband, Marcus Hamilton, was transferred here with Kroger. He is now working for Nike, and they live in Cordova with their young son, Davin.
She loves the people and the culture of Memphis and sees the city as the perfect place to raise a family and to be an entrepreneur. In fact Hamilton believes “you can be a transplant from anywhere and everywhere and feel at home here.” She has taken on as her personal mission to visit a different local restaurant every weekend, often by herself. Two of her new favorite finds are Liquor Store on Broad and Edge Alley, where she says the avocado toast and handmade chips are divine.
Readers are encouraged to go to artsmemphis.org/artbydesign for more information on featured designers and for tickets to Art by Design. There is a VIP preview party on April 5th, morning mimosas and tour on April 6th as well as a Cambria cocktail party that evening. General admission is on April 6-8.
And please do make a point to visit with the talented and fun Carmeon Hamilton!
