Interior Designer
NCIDQ, LEED Green Associate
Caitlin Cusick has been with Zerr Berg Architects since 2016. As an interior designer, Caitlin acts as a creative problem solver for her clients. She designs spaces with their aesthetic, needs, and functionality in mind. She is involved in a project throughout its many life stages and makes sure to facilitate effective and clear communication between each member of the project team to ensure that the end result matches the client’s wants and needs. Caitlin has a degree in Interior Design with a minor in Landscape Architecture from North Dakota State University.
Outside of work, she likes volunteering at her church, doing yoga, baking, exploring new coffee shops, going to farmer’s markets, and spending time outside. She and her husband, Craig, have a son named Emmett, and a three-legged dog, Gino.
In your own words, describe your job.
I am a creative problem solver. I plan spaces, create casework and furniture layouts, pull finish selections, collaborate on drawings for construction, create 3D visuals of a space, visit job sites and showrooms, and partner with the design team to create a beautifully designed, aesthetically pleasing, functional space for a client.
What are the top 5 projects that you’ve worked on? Why?
Lake Agassiz Education Cooperative: Hawley, MN– Multiple towns came together to build this school to serve nontraditional students. It felt great to help such an important cause and to see everyone come together and unite under the same purpose. This project had a lot of collaboration and camaraderie that was a joy to be a part of!
How do you approach a new project/design concept?
Understanding a client’s wants and needs is the most important part of starting a new project. I need to have a good grasp on what they’re expecting and needing for the space to be functional before I can begin to pull in design elements.
Best design fun fact or tip?
Paint is tricky! Every color has an undertone that can cause the color to look different when exposed to artificial and natural lighting. The color can also change depending on the tone of the design finishes around it. Warm and cool tones are brought out when next to different palettes, so you need to be aware of what you’re putting in a room before choosing a paint color. Take your time when selecting colors, make sure you’re paring them up with complementary neutrals. It can be daunting but don’t let that scare you away from using color!