Our Design Team

Katie Carlson

Katie’s natural talent for design was apparent as a child. At the age of 8 her grandmother allowed her to redesign many of the rooms in her home. She would reposition the furniture, pick paint and the fabrics for the draperies. Her grandmother would then buy all of the supplies and they worked together to complete the project.

As an adult, Katie studied at the Sheffield School of Design. She then spent one year designing custom window treatments. She has a passion for window treatments and has designed many sophisticated styles. “I believe window treatments make everything come together in a room.”

Katie’s eclectic style uses old and new, contemporary and traditional, bringing a vibrant new energy to any room. Her sense of color and texture add the finishing touch which makes every room shine.

Her enthusiasm for every project, no matter the size, is apparent and results in repeat clientele and many referrals. She believes her biggest job is to listen to the client. “If you listen well they will always tell you what they need by telling you about how they live. She believes that “…all of us here at Spencer Carlson can design a beautiful room but our goal is to create a beautiful room in the eye of the client.”

Paula Spencer

Passion: a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything.

Do you know what it’s like to find your passion at a young age? Well, it’s rare, for those that do; they have been given a gift. Paula recognized that gift, and knew she had to follow it to wherever it would take her. Before her cap and gown were hung, she was off and running to Bassist Institute in Portland, one of the best design trade schools on the West Coast. There she would absorb the knowledge needed to add to her passion to be as good as she is today. That was in 1976, when she came back to her hometown and opened her first business at the tender age of 20. Since then she has been working with clients from all walks of life, all economic backgrounds and most importantly, all personalities. Paula has honed the skill most strive for and that is to listen intently, take the queue from the client and execute what it is that sometimes even the client doesn’t know they are conveying. And like magic what they imagined appears before them in their home.

As with most driven professionals, Paula has many projects going at once, and that’s the way she works best! You can find her knee deep into new construction, Parade of Homes, commercial office space, a simple family room for a big family looking for the balance between a big screen TV and entertainment space, all the way to that big house located high on the bluff over looking the Columbia River. Most importantly she is comfortable in all of those spaces with each and every client, no matter the challenge at hand.
Paula finds the greatest compliment when a client calls and says “I love what you’ve done.”

In her limited free time she enjoys entertaining, spending time in the sun on the river and traveling. Those that know her well understand the word passion and have no doubt it fits right along side Paula and the gang at Spencer Carlson.

Tami Rawlins

“I want to design your home or business so that it fits your lifestyle, personal style and budget. An Interior Designer can help direct your purchases and prevent you from making costly mistakes.”

It has been a privilege for Tami Rawlins to be a member of the Spencer Carlson design team for the past three years. Having received her training from Brigham Young University in Provo Utah. Tami then went to Bellevue, WA and worked at Ethan Allen where her design aesthetic was expanded to appreciate both contemporary and traditional styles; learning to design environments that fit the lifestyle, needs and tastes of her clients. After several years in Bellevue, she missed the sun and moved to the Tri-Cities where she delved into graphic design and learned how to fulfill the needs of her clients in the printing industry.

Tami appreciates both large and small budgets. Sometimes a client can do the whole room at once; but other times we have to plan out purchases and finish the room over time. The best part of the job is when the client calls and says that they just love the room and wouldn’t change a thing. Contact me at tami@spencercarlson.com

Barbara Stephens

“I believe your home should reflect who you are and be a place that makes you happy when you walk through the door. Whether your style is contemporary, traditional or transitional, I am ready to listen and to work with you to help you achieve your goals.”

Barbara Stephens first career was in designing and importing women and children’s clothing. As product development manager, she has developed a strong design identity and the ability to see beyond today’s trends to more enduring classic design elements. Her design experience enables her to understand individual client’s needs and transform them into designs that resonate.

In 2006, Barbara returned to school and obtained a degree in interior design from North Virginia Community College before moving back to the Tri-Cities.Contact me at barbara@spencercarlson.com

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Carolyn Corrado

Spencer Carlson welcomes one of it’s newest members to their Design Team

Carolyn Corrado was born and raised in the Tri-Cities and has witnessed an incredible growth in the area. As a high school student here, she was introduced to the design expertise of Spencer Carlson and was able to work with that team for a two year apprenticeship before pursuing her degree in Interior Architecture & Design from UNLV.

Carolyn was on partial scholarship as a member of the Rebel Girls dance team and was active in civic and corporate events through that association in Las Vegas. While going to school, Carolyn was also the VIP hostess for 9 Group; managers of upscale nightclubs in the Palms Hotel and Casino. Through that association, she was introduced to the design expertise of some of the finest mentors in the world. Carolyn decided to return to her hometown and she feels lucky to be a part of such a wonderful team. She will be an integral part of our community involvement program as well as a lead design professional. Contact me at Carolyn@spencercarlson.com