'I don't care about style anymore, in a way, I hate design. It's about life, and generosity'. Joseph Dirand

Clients' praise

Sarah J., Atherton

'Ingrid is the best. Not only was she a joy to work with throughout the project but we also completely love the results. I have no complaints. She is detail oriented, thoughtful, creative and passionate about her work. She was always thoughtful about the cost of items and her time while also paying attention to quality. She listened to our desires and adjusted her selections and design schemes accordingly but also helped us try new looks and layouts. She is extremely thorough and organized. I can go on and on.
The project: after 30 years of living in their house my parents moved out and remodeled the entire house. Ingrid helped us with the design from the beginning, working with the architect at first and then the contractor. She helped us select everything: paint colors, lights, hardware, furniture, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, everything! She worked well with everyone else involved in the project and was always available if there was a problem. Ingrid was recommended to me by Eco Home Improvement in Berkeley as a green interior designer and she was very knowledgeable and helpful in this regard as well. She helped us find low voc/no voc paint and sealers as well as sustainable furniture and fabrics. She is very committed to making sustainable choices without compromising on design.
Lastly, one of the main reasons we originally decided to work with Ingrid was her knowledge of artwork layout and design. She has worked with art installations in the past. She was great about laying out our collection and about taking inspiration from the art to design the rest of the house.'

PHOEBE W., ALAMEDA

I'm finding it difficult to come up with just the right adjectives to describe Ingrid in a succinct way, so I'm going to have to settle for gushing.
I had never worked with a designer before, but when we moved into this Victorian with our cobbled-together utilitarian furniture I really wanted to get it right the first time.  [ ... ] I came away with a stylish but functional (I have three kids and a dog) set of rooms in beautiful colors that flow so well together.  My favorite detail is a hand-painted wall design that everyone who comes over compliments us for.  I was, and still am, THRILLED with the rooms.
A few months later, we were ready to remodel our kitchen and there's no one else I would have even considered to design it.  I had become fixated on this fridge that was made to look like a 50s piece but was new and energy efficient.  She took that item and ran with it!  What I got at the end of the remodel was a mixed-decade GEM that brought together everything I love about modern and 50s and Victorian design without being overdone or busy or confusing.  Another hand-painted custom detail on the floor tied it all together.  Nobody else has this kitchen!  And it suits us so well- spacious, informal, light and airy and colorful, and I can actually use it heavily not just look at it- I have entire days when I barely leave this kitchen.  The bar at the end facing the family room designed for my craft cocktail-obsessed husband is perfect.  
Ingrid was here throughout the remodel, making sure our plans were carried out properly.  So many details I would have had no idea what to do with she handled easy as breathing.  And again, I never felt I was being milked.  She was always honest and upfront and a great communicator who stuck to what she said.
I never thought I'd live in a house like this.  It's a piece of art that you can touch, kids can run through with sticky fingers, dogs can shed on, and it still looks fabulous.  Ingrid is absolutely brilliant.

Brian W., Berkeley

'We worked with Ingrid over the period of about six months to assist with the interior design and furnishing of a 100-year-old house we had purchased and are renovating in the Elmwood district of Berkeley. Our architect/general contractor recommended her and she worked well with him in coming up with sensible and elegant designs, often suggesting simple changes that really had a dramatic effect on the usability of our spaces. Ingrid helped with a design plan and aesthetic, an overall color scheme and detailed color choices, furniture selection and sourcing (using a mix of custom, retail and vintage choices), and window treatments (from putting simple privacy films on windows to retail curtains to custom sheers). Ingrid has a PhD in Industrial Design from a top Paris university, and she has a very flexible aesthetic. She works to understand and develop an individual style with you, which I appreciated given the many directions I felt pulled in from a design perspective. I think she does well at developing cost-effective design solutions that can be implemented all at once or in phases as your budget allows'.

Mark Moragne, Norhtwall Builders, Palo Alto

'Working with Ingrid was a pleasure. She provided great vision while carrying through
on the desires of her client while maintaining budget goals without compromise on quality
or end result. Her thoroughness, attention to detail and prompt follow-up on open issues
allowed the project to stay on schedule. Ingrid’s creativity, flexibility and teamwork came shining through time and time again while balancing the inputs from client, architect and
us as the general contractor. In addition, her knowledge and desire of utilizing green materials and sustainable and energy efficient elements is a huge asset as homeowners look to reduce their impact on the environment. We worked together on a substantial remodel/expansion in Atherton and would recommend Ingrid to anyone as a conscientious, knowledgeable, and easy to work with interior designer.'

Mitchell Mauk, Mauk Design, S.F.

'I am exceptionally pleased to recommend Ingrid Ballmann. She was an exceptional designer in every way I can think of. Ingrid is very hard working, thoughtful and a genuinely pleasant individual to work with. She adapted to our impossible deadlines and extreme client demands with an open mind and enthusiasm. Most importantly, she always came to the table with out of the box thinking that was pleasure to see. Everything she was assigned, she excelled in. She was heavily involved in all aspects of the Sony PlayStation E3 tradeshow projects, a massive yearly project.
I can not say enough good things about her and I would enthusiastically recommend Ingrid for any job or program which she would wish to pursue.'

Awards

ALAMEDA MAGAZINE:

Reader’s Choice Award for Best Interior Design Firm, 2023

Exhibitor Magazine:

Gold Award, Best Exhibits of the last 20 Years for Ceramic Tiles of Italy, May 2006
Gold Award for Ceramic Tiles of Italy, May 2003
Gold Award for Assopiastrelle, May 2002
Special Merit Award for Ceramic Tiles of Italy, May 2002

SEGD:

Honor Award for Adobe Systems, 2003
Merit Award for Ceramic Tiles of Italy, 2003
Merit Award for Sony Playstation, 2003

Publications

Best of Show Supercomm, Atlanta 2002, for Spirent Communications
Communication Arts, Design Annual 2001, #308 -  p. 146
'Designing the World's Best Exhibits', Martin M. Pegler
'Mauk Design', Conway Lloyd Morgan, Aveditionrockets
'Trade Fair Design Annual 2002/2003', Conway Lloyd Morgan, Avedition
'Big Ideas for Small Stands', Ingrid Wenz-Gahler, Verlagsanstalt Alexander Koch
Création Numérique, Jan. Feb. 2003, #84H
'Staging the Buying Process', M. Krylyschin - Les Carnets de la Scene, Ed. A.S. 1999