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Regan Leduc | Student, ARIDO Algonquin College

Meet Regan Leduc, a full time real estate agent who is in her 3rd year of interior design studies at Algonquin college and hopes to one day have her own business that offers both real estate and interior design services to clients. Regan is passionate about sustainable design that incorporates existing structures with new materials. From time to time she loves to disconnect and recharge by spending time with her family, being outdoors with her new puppy, as well as doing yoga, reading and travelling.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself?    

I’m a third-year BID student at Algonquin and a full-time real estate agent. I have been in Ottawa for almost 10 years and love the slow pace of the city. I take a slow, holistic approach to my designs that incorporates existing structures with new materials and try to maintain a sustainability component to my designs. I love to read, do yoga and Pilates, be outside and spend time with my family and new six-month-old puppy.  

2. Why did you choose to study and practice interior design?   

Like many of us, during the pandemic, I started looking for a career change in something that I was more passionate about. I have always loved design, and had recently gotten my real estate license, and decided that it would be the perfect fit to have a business that offered both real estate and design services. I am very interested in sustainable design and ensuring that the work that I put out has as small a footprint as possible. Having a creative outlet is so important, and it makes me excited to show up every day.

I am very interested in sustainable design and ensuring that the work that I put out has as small a footprint as possible. Having a creative outlet is so important, and it makes me excited to show up every day.

Regan Leduc, Student, ARIDO

3. Can you describe your style in one word?     Innovative-contemporary

4. How do you approach work-life balance?    

I go through phases in my life where it will either be all about school or work or family. I’m still working on how to get a consistent balance in my life. I don’t think it’s realistic to always be fully balanced though, so I try not to be too hard on myself. My husband is a huge support, along with my family and friends, and I find that they really help to balance me out.

5. How do you spark your creativity?   

I’m very fortunate to be both a designer and a real estate agent, so I’m always going through different homes and condos. On real estate showings, I love to see people’s personal style, as well as how homes are staged. I also love going to restaurants, travelling and keeping up with websites like ArchDaily, Dezeen and DesignBoom. Being outside and disconnecting from the rest of the world is also a really great reset, and I often feel really inspired and motivated after taking some time off the internet.

6. What are the biggest challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?   

The biggest challenge was starting in two new industries during a pandemic. Learning how to do construction drawings/select finishes/develop design concepts virtually was a challenge at first, especially in an industry that I knew little about. Fortunately, I quickly found friends in my program and we were able to work together through the parts of the process that we needed to lean on each other for. It was a huge learning curve, but so helpful for both careers to learn how to adapt through difficult times.

7. What did you discover that you didn't know before? How did interior design or your projects shape you personally?    

I discovered how much having a space that reflects who you are can impact your overall well-being. I am fortunate enough to have purchased my own home, and my interior journey with my home project has allowed me to experiment with my personal style. I love experimenting with paint (my friends will attest to that!) as well as with different art and light fixtures to give space a more personal feel.

Something I didn’t fully realize before is how much your space impacts your overall mental health and well-being. Taking some time to figure out your personal style and incorporating it into your space can be so uplifting. This also doesn’t have to be super expensive! Some of my best finds were from markets, thrift stores, or just by grabbing a paintbrush and a can of paint and seeing where it takes me.

Taking some time to figure out your personal style and incorporating it into your space can be so uplifting.

Regan Leduc, Student, ARIDO

8. Do you remember the first design that struck you or lingered in your mind?    

Maybe not my first, but my most loved is the sunroom in my parent's home. It gets the perfect amount of light all year round and is our favourite place to hang out and have family time in.

9. What is one thing you did for the first time recently?    

I got married in March! It was so special with just a few family members at the new Metcalfe Hotel.

10. How would you describe your last year?   

Full of love and learning and truly one of the most special years of my life. So many of my friends and family members got married, are having children, and are doing amazing things in their lives and it makes me so proud to watch alongside them. I was also fortunate enough to start my first job in the design industry and have loved working in a team and learning about different projects that I hadn’t had an opportunity to be part of yet.

11. How did you develop your distinctive style?    

I’ve always had a love for colour and drama, and in my first few years of the program, that definitely came out more in my designs. Now I find that, while I still love a strong colour or a bold print, I’m learning to balance it out to create more harmonious spaces. Instead, I tend to start with a more neutral colour palette and then layer colour, pattern and texture in as I go. I also love fashion and experimenting with my personal style, and I think that reflects a little bit into my designs as well.

12. What is a quality you most cherish in your designs?    

Long-lasting, meaningful designs with a little bit of a twist that shows the personality of the client.

13. Did social media affect your work? If so, how?    

Social media affects all of us, whether we like to admit it a lot. For me, sometimes I have to completely shut it off if I’ve been in a rut and find myself scrolling too much. The best part for me, is the communication and community building that it offers. I have connected with so many industry professionals and expanded my network on social media. It’s equally as easy to be inspired and distracted by social media, so I try to limit my consumption, especially when working on a design project.

I have connected with so many industry professionals and expanded my network on social media. It’s equally as easy to be inspired and distracted by social media, so I try to limit my consumption, especially when working on a design project.

Regan Leduc, Student, ARIDO

14. What advice would you give someone who is interested in interior design?    

I think with anything, if you love it, it’s worth trying out. I would always rather try something and have it fail than not try and never know. It’s a more rigorous program than I imagined it to be, but it makes you a better and more informed designer.  

15. How can people connect with you? What is your preferred method of communication?   

Email at reganleduc@outlook.com  

Instagram

Website is coming soon at interiorbeing.net

ARIDO Spotlight

The purpose of the ARIDO Spotlight is to spark meaningful conversations.

We think honest and real conversations are at the heart of community building. Every voice matters and that there is a place for everyone in these conversations.

We feel it’s far more touching and honest to hear from the members who make up our design community – from members at large firms to small business owners, students, newcomers and independent creatives.

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Don't hesitate to contact Ali Moenck at communications@arido.ca if you have questions.