Interior designer Jennifer Woch breaks down design to its workable parts.

For close to 30 years, Jennifer Woch, owner and founder of House of J Interiors, has been one of the major players on the Edmonton interior design scene, with both commercial and residential clients across the city.

Some of her best-known projects include the RGE RD restaurants, DOSC Restaurant, The Monolith by Blind Enthusiasm and Parlour Barba, a speakeasy-barbershop.

She will present a talk, Design Decoded: A Step-by-Step Guide, on the Sleep Country Main Stage at the Edmonton Fall Home Show this year. It takes place Oct. 16 to 18 at the Edmonton Expo Centre.

“A lot of people know they want to do renovations. They want to freshen up their space, but how do they get from the dream to the reality?” Woch says.

“That’s where I come in. I look at myself as an interior designer-coach, a guide for people who have questions.”

These days, much of her work is consulting with clients whose dreams are bigger than their budget.

“A lot of people want a curated, beautiful space but they can’t afford the full design fee and all the details that go along with that, so I coach them to figure out what they want,” she says.

“Then I guide them along the design process. I set them on the right path and let them do the rest themselves.”

Hearing Woch talk is like listening to a long-time friend chat about how much she loves her job. She’s quick to offer suggestions and she has plenty of observations on trends, both global and local.

Take Edmonton’s design esthetic. Does it even have one?

“I think our esthetic is super-fun. Our idea is: Let’s try it,” says Woch, mentioning Edmonton City Hall and the glinting stainless steel spheres of The Talus Dome as examples.

“Edmonton is quite eclectic. We do these random design things. We’re about: Let’s just throw something on the wall and see what sticks.”

That said, Edmontonians are leaving behind some trends — and that’s a good thing, she says. “When I first started, it was all: the cushions match the drapes, swags and jabots in the draperies, lots of trims,” she says.

“And the past few years have been quite minimalist.”

These days, however, she’s noticing a shift toward personalization of our spaces. One client requested a custom aquarium. Another is building a log home. Still others incorporate beloved vintage pieces or original art into their new builds. Or they add herb growers into their kitchens or infrared saunas into primary bathrooms.

“Health and wellness is dictating design in many ways,” she says.

“Our spaces are based more on our lifestyles these days, curated to how we live.”

We’re thinking about our pets, too, with dog baths built into our mudrooms and functional low faucets designed to fill our pets’ water bowls. (For those of us with clever pets, don’t worry; they’re designed securely so the animals won’t turn them on by themselves.)

“People are getting a bit more daring about what they want to do, which is great for me because I love putting in some personality,” she says.

And they are wanting a home that is for them, not just a cookie cutter space designed for resale down the road.

“I love that shift,” Woch says. “You only live once. You are the one living in your home and you want to enjoy your life.”

Finding out about new trends is just one reason that Woch loves attending the Edmonton Fall Home Show. “It’s cool to see what everyone else is doing and to talk to all these experts about what’s new,” she says.

“It’s a one-stop shop to find out about everything from flooring to kitchens and everything in between.”

Find out more about Woch at houseofjinteriors.com. Buy tickets online for the Edmonton Fall Home Show here.