In Focus | Crispin Butterfield of Urban Theory Interior Design

In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do.

What is your name?
Crispin Butterfield

What do you always find yourself saying?
"Where are my keys!?" They're sneaky, they hide. And a certain little word that begins with F... bad habits die hard.

If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select?
Jeff Lewis - love him, love his TV show Flipping Out on Bravo

If you were to receive any existing public award, what award would you like to win?
How about a Best Of Kelowna award

If you could spend a day with any historical figure, who would you choose?
Frank Lloyd Wright or Virginia Woolf

Who inspires you?
My fiancée Vlado and his family escaped the Bosnian war, coming to Canada with practically nothing... that's pretty inspiring

What are three things on your bucket list?
This may sound like a bit of a no-brainer considering where we live, but Vlado and I are going to try paddle boarding this summer.
We love to travel, so I'm going to put a few months in Thailand here too.
And I'm an animal lover, so somewhere down the road I have crazy dreams of founding a rescue sanctuary. (Vlado will gladly begin accepting lint roller donations now however).

Please tell us about a defining moment in your life
The day I realized I was way more like my mother than I had thought... (Love you mom).

If you had an enormous yacht, what would you name it?
This is a funny question! How about Gravol, or SeaSick - I turn green on boats.

If you could foresee a single day of your future in its entirety, what date would you select?
I honestly like not knowing. As long as I have a general sense of a plan for the week, the rest is TBD

What are you passionate about?
Women and our place in the world. Yes that sounds feminist, and I'm okay with that - knowing the power of our own voice, and not needing permission to show up every day. We need to stop being so apologetic for being female. Entrepreneurship - seeking new inspiration and ideas that I can incorporate and blend into my businesses that grow and strengthen where we're at; I think we all experience burn out at some point in our lives and careers, but I find a renewed passion for work when I can get out of my office for a week or so, and let the creative juices flow by experiencing new places and cultures.

What has been your favourite day of your life, up to this point?
Last year we were sitting in a tiny fishing boat off Huatulco in Mexico, and out of nowhere this enormous humpback whale surfaced in front of us. It was just a completely surreal moment - the coincidence of both it and us being in the same modicum of time and place was amazing. And for a brief moment, Death By Whale didn't seem so irrational after all.

What has been your proudest accomplishment?
The number one was definitely earning my Baton Twirling badge in Girl Guides (ok not really). Coming in a close second though is seeing just how far I've come on my own at a fairly young age - there was no silver spoon or hand-up. The smarts, savvy, and ethic I've developed over the years have all been because I wanted to learn more, do more, be better. A prof once told me half way through university I'd probably only be good at Styling, and should likely only consider a career in that.... I'm still proud I've proven her wrong every single day since. #GirlBoss

Where is your favourite place to dine in Kelowna?
We're still pretty new to Kelowna, but Wasabi on Pandosy has a killer tuna tataki salad, and the pizza at Smack Dab on Lakeshore is good!

What is your favourite activity or event in Kelowna?
Coming from Manitoba, we really love the fact you can pack up and head to a beach whenever you'd like! Saturday morning Farmer's Market is pretty neat too.

What is the name of your business/organization?
Urban Theory Interior Design

What does your business/organization do?
We're experts in designing amazing and soul-hugging residential/commercial spaces and places clients love to show up to (at work), socialize in, and come home to. We also sell fabulous window coverings, furniture, & decor via our website

Where can people find you or your business online?
www.designchick.ca

How do people connect with you on Linkedin?
Crispin Butterfield BAID

Where can people find your business on Facebook?
Urban Theory Interior Design

What is your Instagram account?
@UrbanTheoryInteriorDesign

What is your mission?
To not only create one of a kind atmospheres and experiences, but be wholly transparent and authentic in all we do.

If you could achieve one thing within your field, what would it be?
To replace Jeff Lewis, naturally.

Where do you want your business/organization to be in five years?
I once owned a high-end furniture & decor store, and I would love to open another storefront - we need to expand the local design playground a bit!

Who do you consider to be a forerunner within your field?
I'm in love with Kelly Hoppen, and Nam Dang-Mitchell - clean, organically contemporary aesthetics you never get tired of.

What three qualities do you feel that your business/organization exemplifies?
Well, there are three design chicks presently, so you get a bigger bang for your buck with us! Our personalities are all a bit different, which makes the Urban Theory design experience more enjoyable and interesting for clients; it's never a dull moment with us. We don't force ideas and trends on our clients: our job is to bring out what you may not realize you even wanted or needed, and put our own spin on your tastes and ideals. We push the envelope, and find a level of comfort with our clients somewhere in between. We're honest and upfront - you'll hear 'No' if something truly doesn't work, or an idea isn't best suited to an overall design objective. We know our clients appreciate our candor and ability to lead their projects in this way.

What would you like to say to your employees/volunteers?
My ladies back in Manitoba are rock stars! Moving out west last fall was a HUGE change, and they've both stepped in and stepped up to keep the Urban Theory office in MB going strong.

What makes you successful? Tell us about it.
It's a mix of talent, smarts, hard work, some dumb luck, and universal intervention in my experience. A stellar personality can't hurt! And the fact that we're all very real with clients and trades; clients often comment we're refreshing and so easy to work with, which in this industry, is an ultimate compliment. I'm also not afraid to go after what I want, and have always taken proactive steps in getting our company name out there and recognized for the work it's doing. And I have a super talented team to back me up!

If you were trapped in an elevator with several wealthy investors from any field, which field would you want them to be experts in? What would say to them/talk about?
Although it's mostly everything, money isn't everything. Forget investors! I'd want a Love expert; we're all still learning how to really love ourselves and others. And Makeup: girl please - I still haven't figured out how to get the perfect cat eye. And Robert Downey Jr. because it's my interview, and I can.

If I could change one thing about Kelowna, it would be:
That the perception of Kelowna is cliquey and a tough nut to crack - that's so not the case. You have to put yourself out there and go and find the people and businesses that support your own.

What do you think makes Kelowna great?
Coming from the prairies... come on, that's easy! The landscape and young vibe is amazing, and the fact that Kelowna offers big city amenities, but still maintains a smaller and more intimate set up is what sold us.

My nomination for the In Focus spotlight is:
The lovely miss Sarah Shakespeare from Lifestyle Personal Training

Some general comments I would like to share are:
Urban Theory Interior Design opened in Brandon, Manitoba back in 2003 after I graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Interior Design from Mount Royal University in Calgary. We had the opportunity to relocate through my fiancée’s work, and made the decision to move out west last fall with two weeks’ notice! Our two designers in MB run that office (which I still oversee) - but I have opened a second Urban Theory design office here in Kelowna, and am taking on new residential and commercial projects here as well. We not only offer design consulting services, but sell window coverings, furniture, decor, lighting, and other designer finishing materials for an expertly tailored one-stop-shop experience.

We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below, and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna!