Designer Spotlight: Kaleigh Foy - Taking the Runway and Turning It Residential

Kaleigh Foy, head of interior design at Landing, a network of furnished apartments, finds inspiration on the fashion world’s runway. She believes in the philosophy that the colors, textures, fabrics and shapes seen on the runway can inform interior design in our everyday life.

Los Angeles Unit. Photo credit: Landing

The Challenges of Designing for Residential Apartments

Foy, who has done design work for companies such as Starbucks, Hilton, Marriott, and hundreds of high-end residential clients takes this idea even further and predicts trends to incorporate into her own projects. In her current work for Landing rental members, strewn across 200+ U.S. cities, she also likes to consider how to adapt that runway feel in a way that resonates with individual aesthetics. “The unique challenge of designing spaces that work within our consistent Landing design language, while still feeling custom made for each city and each member, is one of the more exciting aspects of my job,” Foy said.

The designer remembers always being interested in the field. As a kid, she enjoyed arranging all the furniture in her Fisher Price dollhouse. Foy graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in human environmental sciences, specializing in interior design. “I have always had an eye for figuring out what doesn’t work, or what can be improved when it comes to space and design,” she said. “I really enjoy figuring out how people can make the most out of their spaces.”

Chicago Unit. Photo credit: Landing

Finding Inspiration in Daily Life

For Foy, the 2015 Met Gala (“China: Through the Looking Glass”) was a big source of personal inspiration. “The colors, patterns, textures and Rhianna really did a lot for me,” she said. “I’ve also always found a lot of inspiration in men's suits. The possibilities with textures, patterns, layers, and overall details really help showcase the entire design process.”

Inspiration is something she finds daily. She often looks at YouTube and Instagram to discover new products, fashion and architecture trends, and updates on logistics. “I’m always trying to distill what I’m seeing and create things that others don’t think about,” said Foy. She is constantly thinking about how to make spaces and products better. “I see the little details and try to understand how it can be improved,” she said. "I’m also a little obsessed, but you kinda have to be in this line of work.”

Foy creating designs with members of the Landing team. Photo credit: Landing

When Form Meets Functionality

For her, creating spaces and items for the public is what she loves most about her work. “It’s a challenge to design the same space for a single guy in his 20’s and empty nesters in their 60’s,” she explained. “The complexity is what I enjoy the most. First and foremost the user always inspires me with my designs. I listen to what our members want and/or expect, and we adapt to their needs. Then I have to think about the internal Landing process, how can we implement this properly, how is it going to ship, where will it be installed and placed in our homes.”

In designing for furnished rental apartments, she has to think about the user, the functionality, internal operations and design: a tall order. The design process takes anywhere from two weeks to two years depending on what is being done. “We go through a lot of product development and home implementation to get it just right,” said Foy. “If one item changes we have to think about how the other items in the home will also be affected and what other changes we might need.”

Above and featured photo: Foy creating designs with members of the Landing team. Photo credit: Landing

Check out Fabrics & Home's other Designer Spotlight profiles, including last month's piece on Christiane Lemieux from "Ellen's Design Challenge" and eco-conscious textiles designer Julia Masci.