Grand Designs and Big Ambitions
A.Clore Interiors scales up from single bedroom to national stage
Amber Clore knew from a young age that she wanted to work in the design industry. She geared all of her elective courses in high school toward design and studied at Florida State University College of Fine Arts, Department of Interior Architecture & Design.
Straight out of college, she secured an interior design job within the hospitality industry. But after only a couple of years, the recession hit and the pipeline of exciting hospitality projects slowed down significantly.
Clore began thinking about starting a company where she could focus on refining her own voice and expertise in both the aesthetics and technical aspects of good design. At first, she took on small residential projects and worked out of her house.
Then in 2012, she got her first major break. Kim and Stan Van Gundy, then coach of the Orlando Magic, were looking for a young, up-and-coming designer to create a new bedroom for their daughter who was turning 16. By applying her design flare for vibrancy and color with her maturing technical skills, Clore ran with that opportunity and delivered beyond expectations. That bedroom project led to the request that she refine more spaces within the Van Gundy’s house. Before long came the referrals. A.Clore Interiors was launched.
Fast-forward a few years, and the business has undertaken residential interior design projects all over Orlando—even for several local NBA and NFL professionals. As a result, Clore grew her own team and led them up to a 1,100-square-foot office space in the Historic Downtown Stanford district, dating back to the 1820s.
“We came into the marketplace from a high-end residential standpoint, but we now have the full capacity, ability and knowledge to do construction and design in the hospitality and commercial realms as well,” Clore says.
With that knowledge, A.Clore Interiors has most recently expanded its portfolio to cover an exciting range of hospitality and commercial projects, including several in the famous Celebration communities originally developed by The Walt Disney Company. These projects have included the lobby and restaurant for a clubhouse within a private residence townhome and the kids’ club at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort.
“We really take pride in creating a one-of-a-kind signature in every space we design,” Clore says.
Creative, Collaborative Team
Working under Clore are three interior designers, two full-time and one part-time. Each year, two interns join the practice from the local college. Clore’s sister, Samara Clore, works as Executive Assistant, taking care of the books and keeping the office running. At any one time, there are about five staff members floating around the studio.
“I can’t speak more highly of my team,” Clore says. “Whether it’s the people sitting underneath my roof or it’s my contractors or subcontractors who physically make the spaces that we design, I believe in a full team atmosphere and that we’re in this together.”
Licensed by the state of Florida, Clore and her team are well versed in universal design, health, safety, well-being and product-specification requirements for often complex commercial and hospitality spaces.
“One of my interior designers, Desiree Joseph, came to me as an intern right out of college about five years ago,” Clore says. “We grew this business together. That is the kind of commitment that is so important to me.”
Another one of Clore’s interior designers, Ariel Cox, was a friend first. Clore met Cox at a meeting of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) when Clore was President of the North Florida Chapter. As their friendship grew, the pair started to talk about how they would love to work together. Two years later, Clore made her an offer, Cox joined and since then, they’ve been able to harness their friendship to collaborate successfully on a number of projects.
To retain her talented team, Clore works hard to remain a preferred employer. She prides herself in the process that she and her team have developed, which she sees as central to their ability to succeed both with their clients and as a collaborating team.
Designers are given creative license to test and explore their ideas within the structure and design language that, after eight years, has become well established. Clore has found that a strong structure that still allows creative expression is key to allowing multiple ideas to come forward in order to find the best one for their clients. That is why she insists on a collaborative team approach throughout all the challenges that come with design and construction.
“When things go wrong, it’s never who did what, whose fault is what. It’s really about how we move forward and what’s going to be best for the client at the end of the day,” she says.
Good Design is Price of Admission
As a professional full-service interior design firm, A.Clore Interiors is proud to bring value to any stage of the construction process, citing that the team is often contacted directly by contractors, architects and builders to offer expert advice on larger projects.
“Making it attractive is just the price of admission as a good designer,” Clore says.
The company has also undertaken several consulting contracts for businesses going through a rebranding and rethinking of their logos and colors. A.Clore Interiors has helped clients to think through how brand design choices translate into the interior design of a corporate space.
Recently, A.Clore Interiors completed interior detailing and color selection and came up with a 3D art installation for the office of Orlando marketing company, Findsome & Winmore. Before that, the team completed the finishes, millwork and storage solutions for a large office space at a major wedding and party rental company.
Across their wide-ranging projects, the common thread is the firm’s consistent approach in how they work together and how they treat their clients. At every stage, their goal is to make sure the design and construction process is a fun and exciting experience.
“We really work hard to make sure it doesn’t feel daunting or difficult for our clients,” Clore says. “And we realize it’s their space at the end of the day.
“Designers can put a lot of what we think and what we know into a client’s lap, but when we’re not there anymore, it’s really about what they want and what they envision for their space,” she adds.
Knowledge Sharing Across All Ages, Platforms
Outside of their commitment to their clients, A.Clore Interiors has a far reach into the community. While still President of ASID Florida North, Clore initiated an engagement program that involved groups of designers working with the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida to facilitate children’s workshops and to encourage them to consider a future in interior design.
“We used a little floorplan and little furniture pieces to help them create their perfect bedroom,” Clore says. “It really filled my heart to do this, and I know it really benefits the kids as well.”
Since 2014, Clore has appeared in monthly segments of the television show, Fox 35’s “Good Day Orlando,” to share design tips, tricks and expertise with the entire city. As a result of these appearances, and an ever-growing portfolio of projects, A.Clore Interiors will soon be featured on “Designing Spaces,” a Lifetime network television show that will be aired nationally.
“Sharing what we’ve learned over this past decade is just one of many things that makes my job so fulfilling,” Clore says.