McKinley William Meredith
Q What do you do?
“I’m a interior designer / 3D visualization. I have worked in commercial and residential projects. I have work with various designers and clients in my career. ”
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
After I graduated from high school I was going to school for architectural engineering. I took a few courses and I didn't like the engineering part but only the architectural side. But there were a few interior students who were taking a few classes with me. I saw what the interior design students were doing and automatically found it very interesting. I took two classes to see if I wanted to continue more into interior design and I did. So I told my parents I wanted to switch majors and transfer to a school that had a good interior design program. I ended up getting accepted to Drexel University in Philadelphia and Kean University in New Jersey. I went to both campuses to see which one I wanted to go to. I chose Drexel University because they had a co-op program and had terms instead of semester. So I could graduate faster because coming from a community college in Delaware to Drexel University not all my credits transfer which made me start as a freshmen. In 2020 I will graduate with a bachelor's degree in Interior Design and Minor marketing. Coming out of school with no job and in a pandemic which made it very difficult to find a job in my field and to help pay my student loans. So I went home and kept applying for jobs in order to start my career. I ended up getting a job at Amazon working nights until I found something close in my field.
In the beginning of 2021 I found a part-time job in interior design while still working at Amazon. I would work 20 hours for the interior design part-time job and 40 hours working nights for a couple months. They ended up bringing me on full-time with the interior company that I was working for part-time. Few months later I ended up getting laid-off because they weren't bringing in enough projects. A month later I found another interior job that was based outside Philadelphia where I had to drive 4 days out of the week from Delaware.
Three months later I got laid off because the company wasn't able to find projects. Also, it was the worst place I have worked coming out of school. Then months later I found a job in commercial design which was a workplace. The company was bigger than the two companies I worked for. I was still driving back and forth from Delaware but only two times a week until I saved up enough money to move back to Philly. I learned construction documentations and codes through an interior space. I mentor kids at a Philadelphia school for architecture. I worked for the company for a year and saved enough money to move back to Philly. In the beginning of 2023 I moved back to Philly to be closer to work but then three months later I got laid off because the company was struggling to find projects. Which pretty much changed my perspective as a whole in my career when it comes to an architectural/ interior design firm. So I ended up becoming financially unstable. In August of 2023 I found a job in high-end residential and hospitality. I still work there today and it is the smallest company I have worked for. Also, I have a part-time job in retail to help with finances.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
What makes me stand out in my field is being able to use different types of software. Able to use software that helps create construction documentations and 3D visualizations. Also, being an interior designer I can pretty much be a one stop shop where I can design the space and give you an interior rendering as well. So if changes need to be changed before purchasing products it will help with cost and decision making.
Q What are you working on right now?
I'm working on ways to help grow in my career and finding new opportunities on my own.
Q What’s your style?
I don't have many projects where I designed a full interior space yet. But my perspective is creating a space that benefits the users in the space. Which helps with the health and comfort of an interior space. My style I like is mid-century and post French because the style has a lot of character which brings warmth and comfort.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
I could focus more on code and regulations. Previous job code and regulations were a big category of focus. The company I work for now don't really go by codes as much.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
What frustrates me the most is every company that I have worked for creates a ceiling for me not to grow in my career. I enjoy learning and growing but a company will always create that ceiling.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
I would hire some to create my website.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
Would have told myself to focus on your growth in my career instead of a company because I don't trust a company to do the right thing when it comes to growth and opportunities.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
How to find opportunities in interior design and 3D rendering to build my career, grow and to give back.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
Looking for growth in interior design and 3D visualization opportunities.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
A positive past experience was when I was working on a residential and I created a black and white rendering in SketchUP. Showing what their space would look like with the new lighting, furniture and the layout. It felt good for once to see someone excited about what to come with their space.
Q: What is your rate?
Fix fee starting at $2,000. Depends on the scope of the project. It could be less 2,000 or more than $2,000. Fix fee helps the client stay within budget
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Communication by email, zoom and phone call. For calls, always leave a voicemail. The intro should be budget and scope of work.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Jenn Carr is very nice person and hardworking.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Study, Engage, Listen, Focus, Be yourself
This member profile was originally published in February 2025.