Designer Spotlight: A Q+A with Ginger Curtis

We first connected with Ginger Curtis of Urbanology Designs many years ago when she began specifying Blueprint Lighting fixtures for her projects, and later had the joy of collaborating with her on our shared lighting collection. Now, fresh off her HGTV Designer of the Year win, we're catching up with Ginger to talk about what "uncommon luxury" means, the emotional role of lighting in design, and what's next for Urbanology.

Kelly: First off, huge congrats on your HGTV Designer of the Year nominations and wins! Both projects you were nominated for - Barrel & Beam (which won the Kitchen & Dining category) and Modern Hacienda (which was nominated for the Color & Pattern category) - highlight different strengths of yours. What connects both projects at the heart of your design philosophy?

Ginger: Thank you so much - it's truly an honor, and I'm still in awe that Barrel & Beam was named the overall national winner! At first glance, the two projects couldn't be more different, yet what unites them is the heart behind our work: every home is a story waiting to be told. For me, design is never just about aesthetics - it's about creating deeply personal environments that are soulful, livable, and emotionally resonant. Neuroaesthetics plays a role here too - how a space makes you feel is as important as how it looks. Whether it's warmth and history woven into Barrel & Beam or the bold modern character of Modern Hacienda, both homes embody our guiding philosophy: luxury should never feel templated. It should feel like home, only elevated.

Kelly: Your firm is known for defining luxury along the lines of being soulful, personal, and story driven. How do you explain the idea of "uncommon luxury" to your clients?

Ginger: For us, "uncommon luxury" isn't about excess or status - it's about meaning. It's luxury that feels lived in, personal, and deeply intentional. We find beauty in the overlooked, the storied, the soulful details that make a home unlike anyone else's. Clients often come to us after seeing too much sameness in luxury design. We help them reimagine what's possible: a sanctuary that reflects their essence and becomes a canvas for their lives. It's curated, yes - but never cold. It's refined, yet approachable. It's luxury that whispers rather than shouts .

Kelly: I know you're passionate about neuroaesthetics and the emotional aspect of design. Lighting can play such a huge emotional role in a home, creating moods and even helping people feel grounded. Do you see lighting as a tool for wellbeing as much as design?

Ginger: Absolutely. Lighting is one of the most powerful tools we have to influence mood and wellbeing. Neuroaesthetics teaches us that our environments can calm our nervous systems, spark creativity, or help us feel rooted. Lighting does all of that - it sets the rhythm of the day, creates a sense of warmth and belonging, and shapes how we feel in a space. I often think of lighting as the "heartbeat" of a home - it's not just functional, it's deeply emotional.

Kelly: Thinking back to our collaboration (the Ginger Curtis x Blueprint Lighting collection) - we started with over 30 ideas and eventually narrowed it down to six. Which of those six ended up feeling the most like "you"?

Ginger: I love all six for different reasons, but the Lily Wall Sconce feels the most "me." It embodies everything I love about design: clean lines with soulful warmth, modern yet timeless, sculptural but inviting. It's a piece that feels both artful and approachable - very much in line with the Urbanology ethos.

Kelly: Just for fun - if you could only pick one type of light (pendant, sconce, chandelier, etc.) to design with forever, which would you choose and why?

Ginger: I'd choose a chandelier. I've got to go with the WOW moment here. There's something truly magical about them - they're both sculptural art and functional light. A chandelier has this innate ability to command presence in a room, to anchor the energy of a space while also creating intimacy through glow and shadow. They're dramatic, yes, but when designed well they also feel soulful and timeless - like a gathering point of beauty and light within a home.

Kelly: It's been a big year for you - looking ahead, what kinds of projects or ideas are you excited to explore next?

Ginger: I'm excited about projects that push the boundaries of what home can feel like - spaces that are both sanctuaries and statements. I'm especially drawn to exploring more biophilic design, weaving nature seamlessly into interiors to support wellbeing. And on the product side, I'd love to expand on lighting and furniture collaborations that bring soulful, story-driven pieces to a broader audience. We're also very excited about expanding our larger presence across the U.S. - spanning coast to coast - so that more people can experience what we mean by "uncommon luxury." For me, the future of design is about creating environments that are as emotionally intelligent as they are beautiful.