Ep. 138: Skye Kirby Westcott Ballard’s Senior VP of Merchandising and Design

We’ve been waiting to get her on for a while, and this week we sit down with Skye Kirby Westcott, Ballard’s Senior VP of Merchandising and Design. She talks with us about her impressive tenure in design industry and how she seamlessly blends different styles. Skye also shares where she finds inspiration for new products and what trends she is excited to see come (and go) in the future and at Ballard.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode

• Skye is responsible for much of the vision of Ballard, and she pulls her inspiration from many things including her travels around the world. She has an extensive background in design and merchandising and a love of interior design.
• Yes, it is possible to blend the eclectic and colorful with the modern and contemporary. Skye talks about the different styles within her homes in Atlanta, Connecticut, and even her “tree house” in LA.
• Skye’s time as an exchange student in Sweden introduced her to how the culture took time and thought to decorate their home, and she soon fell in love with their design style and IKEA. She talks about working for IKEA and how it still inspires her today.
• Skye gained a ton of experience from working on the team that developed the first Anthropologie store, and developed more skills while at Lillian August in New York.
• We can learn a lot from asking customers about what they don’t like.
• Tips for creating a card catalog of inspiration while traveling, and to have an eye out for art and design elements that you will forever appreciate from your travels.
• What product design trends Skye is looking forward to going away.
• Why Skye believes we should finish one room at a time to build our confidence and sense of accomplishment.
• Skye discusses where Ballard is headed visually, including the influence of Scandavidian design.
• Get excited for some color in upcoming Ballard bedding collections!

Mentioned In This Episode:

Skye Kirby Westcott

Vern Episode

@skykirbywestcott