Hello World! I am Rachel, an ex tech worker who got my start in front end web development and UX design. In my 10+ years as a techie I was in many roles, some with a lot of design and UX and some that were purely systems and back end focused. For years I’ve been considering a career change to interior design. I’ve officially made the switch! In 2018 I found myself having WAY too much fun designing and managing the remodel for my condo and again when my husband and I purchased and remodeled our home in 2020. I was mistaken for a professional by professionals multiple times. There were many signs that maybe I should pursue this as a career. In 2022, I founded my interior design firm — modpineapple, inc. — as a side hustle in addition to my career as a product manager in tech. In October 2023, I was laid off and I took that as an opportunity to pursue interior design full time. I’ve taken some courses to hone my interior design and 3D modeling skills to complement my real world experiences. I am ready to take on more customers and I feel confident that I have a service that’s worth paying for. In 2025, I became a mom to the world’s sweetest little baby. I might be biased.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how transferable the skills of a UX-centered product manager are to the world of interior design. They both require coming up with creative solutions to tricky problems that leverage the left and right sides of the brain. They both require asking the right questions of engineering personalities to come up with functional, usable, and aesthetically pleasing results.
For those of you with software backgrounds, designing an interior space in the real world is not unlike a lot of aspects of software development. Writing an interior design document isn’t unlike writing a product specification. Another parallel to tech is the notion of front-end and back-end. Framing, plumbing, electrical, etc. aren’t unlike back end development; and paints, tiles, fixtures, etc. aren’t unlike front end development. The major way it differs is you can actively code both front and back end simultaneously in software but you can’t, for example, install a tile backsplash while walls are open and plumbing work is being done. Unlike software, you can’t instantaneously move a sink or light fixture the same way you can delpoy an update to move a button on a website. It requires a bit more up front planning. I could go on but I think you get the point. My interior design documents have received really positive feedback from clients, general contractors, and builders and it’s in no small part because of all my years in tech.
Follow along on this career change and check out my services to see if I can help you make your house a home.
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