Mothers of Design: Designing careers, raising families, and finding balance
What does it really look like to build a meaningful career in design while raising a family?
In this special Imagine a Place episode, Maria VanDeman takes us inside Mothers of Design: Calling in the Double Shift, a live conversation in Knoxville, Tennessee, exploring the intersection of motherhood, design, leadership, and life.
Following the panel, Maria sat down with designers and leaders for candid mini conversations about what motherhood has taught them about empathy, presence, boundaries, asking for help, and navigating the changing seasons of a career. Their perspectives reveal that there is no single formula for balancing work and family and that doing it all doesn't mean doing it all at once or alone.
From learning to put down the phone and be present, to practicing saying no, leaning on community, and recognizing motherhood as a powerful form of leadership, these women share refreshingly real advice for anyone navigating ambition, caregiving, and a full life.
Whether you're a mother in design, lead working parents on your team, or simply want to build a more human workplace, this conversation is a reminder that healthy places require healthy people to design them.
Listen for an honest conversation about motherhood, interior design careers, working parents, leadership, work life balance, community, and finding grace in the season you're in.
Key insights
- Balancing motherhood and a career is less about achieving perfect equilibrium and more about staying flexible, adapting to different seasons, and being intentional about where your attention is needed most.
- Motherhood can strengthen professional leadership by building empathy, communication, adaptability, and the ability to guide others while recognizing their needs as people.
- Being fully present matters in both work and family life, whether that means creating intentional one-on-one moments, setting boundaries with technology, or resisting the urge to constantly focus on what comes next.
- Sustainable careers require people to recognize when their priorities are changing, practice setting boundaries, and give themselves permission to adjust expectations rather than maintaining an unsustainable pace.
- Strong support systems make it possible to navigate demanding careers and family responsibilities, reinforcing that success does not require doing everything alone and that partners, colleagues, friends, family, and other parents can all play an important role.
Learn more about Mothers of Design
Mothers of Design (MOD) is a community of working moms in the design industry, created by Megan Plante to celebrate the intersection of motherhood and professional life. Through shared resources, encouragement, and connection, MOD gives mothers a space to support one another, embrace what motherhood brings to their work, and celebrate both sides of who they are. Learn more here: https://ofs.com/imagine-a-place/mothers-design
Learn more about Maria VanDeman
Maria VanDeman is the Director of Design Strategy at OFS, where she brings together design, strategy, and storytelling to create spaces that support people and inspire connection. With more than 17 years of experience in the commercial design industry, Maria has built a career spanning interior design, strategic sales, thought leadership, and advocacy for equity in the workplace. As the host of the Imagine a Place Podcast, a columnist for Office Insight magazine, and the author of Design Your World, she is passionate about elevating the design profession and inspiring the next generation of creatives. Recognized with the 2022 HiP Leadership Award from Interior Design magazine, Maria is known for her thoughtful leadership, commitment to mentorship, and belief in the power of design to positively shape the human experience. Connect with Maria on LinkedIn.
Click here to get your copy of Maria's children's book—Design Your World.
Read More about Maria in the Imagine a Place Journal
Learn more about Imagine a Place
Imagine a Place gathers industry-leading voices that can inspire the design community through storytelling and broaden our creative horizons. The goal of Imagine a Place is to further elevate the belief that the places we make and the ways we design them matter in our lives. Follow Imagine a Place on LinkedIn.
Download the Imagine a Place Conversations Cards and spark inspiration today.
