Interior Design Alumna and nationally acclaimed Designer Ashley Gilbreath returns to Auburn to offer wide-range of advice to current CHS students

College of Human Sciences students in The Auburn Societies ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) and IIDA (International Interior Design Association) organization were recently treated to a visit from highly successful interior design alumna Ashley Gilbreath where they received insightful tips and advice as they work their way toward graduation and beyond for a career in interior design.

Gilbreath, who received her bachelor’s degree from the College of Human Sciences Interior Design program in 2004, is the owner of a high-end residential design business, “Ashley Gilbreath Interior Designs” based out of Montgomery.

She made the short trek up I-85 to speak to current students on March 12, to drive home the importance of getting out of Auburn to travel and see new things, emphasizing the need to ask good questions during a job interview, take the time to keep design boards well-organized and more while taking a variety of questions from students.

“It’s fun to impart a little bit of wisdom so maybe they don’t make the same mistakes I did when I was young,” Gilbreath said. “For instance, there are things I wish I had people tell me a long time ago. The element of time that you’re only gifted with so much and to make the most of it. Allow yourself to be a part of a situation that’s a little bit challenging and knock it out. As soon as you find that common ground and communicate, you can do anything. I would say be involved, get out there and go do it, get off your phone, turn off the TV and get in front of people and learn real things and get involved.”

College of Human Sciences Interior Design sophomores Hailey Pierce, Anna Fedak, Messina Bombara and Finlay Mann all heard advice from Gilbreath and took away plenty of solid pointers from the alumna.

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“I think the advice of getting out of town really stood out to me because I’m interning back home this summer so that stood out as something that I’m doing that I could change for next summer,” Pierce said. “I was already thinking about doing that, so it’s nice to have that encouragement from someone that’s out there and being successful because it’s not easy to do to get out of your comfort zone.”

Fedak and Bombara both reiterated that the advice to get out of your comfort zone and explore new things also resonated the most with them, while Mann said it was Gilbreath’s advice about the people and designers you follow.

“I just never think about how employers could look at my Pinterest account and other accounts to look at the designers I follow so I thought that was really interesting,” Mann said. “I think sometimes we can struggle trying to find our own design style and I think that really helped me.”

After the visit, Gilbreath took the time to sign copies of her book, ‘The Joy of Home’ for students and answer more questions. Moving forward, Gilbreath said she plans to continue to help the College of Human Sciences and the Department of Consumer and Design Sciences in whatever ways possible because Auburn has meant so much to her through the years.