Terri Taylor, ASID, was honored on Saturday, September 27, at the 2025 ASID Arizona South Design Excellence Awards gala. Truly deserving of this high honor, Terri’s daughter Traci surprised her mom by flying in from afar and presenting the award to her mother.

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Terri began her design career in high school, designing and producing a clothing line that she sold through boutiques around the University of Arizona and taking commissions for special party dresses and costumes for rock bands.

Her journey  into interior design when she was 19, answering a newspaper ad for an interior decorator at Sears. This a position for outside sales of window coverings. The HR Department told her she was too young to do this, but after the “old person” they hired flunked out, she pestered them until they gave her a chance. Within a year she was the highest paid salesperson in the store.

Terri taught herself to draft when her stepfather, a local homebuilder said “you can draw, can you make this house plan about 1/3 smaller?” And so she did and those houses are still standing! (although it must be due to some very good subcontractors.)

Subsequently, several years in Commercial Real Estate yielded an education in building partnerships,  remodeling apartment buildings and strip centers that produced consistent returns for investment for her investors.

In 1977 Terri opened Casa Bella, a successful design studio and retail store in Green Valley, AZ and held a celebrity position for being the youngest person in town.

In 1989 she joined the Design Studio at Barrows furniture, a company that was known for launching the careers of many well-known Arizona designers

Terri joined ASID AZ South in 1991 because of the encouragement of the then president, Linda Britt.

She received her NCIDQ certification in 1993 and has been a longstanding member and active leader within ASID (American Society of Interior Designers), contributing time, expertise, and mentorship to advance the profession.

She was the ASID Committee Chair for the Angel Charity Casa de Los Ninos Angel Nursery Project that raised $436,000 in FF & E product and time donations. This resulted in to completing and opening the first “crisis nursery” in the US.

This project won the ASID National Public Service Award for our chapter and the project was published nationally 3 times that year.

In 1995 she opened her studio, Taylor Design Group and quickly developed projects and relationships across southern Arizona.

She won the 2000-2001 ASID/Sunset Magazine, Western Interior Design Award of Excellence and the following year served as a Judge for ASID/Sunset Magazine, 2001-2002 Western Interior Design Award of Excellence.

Terri’s design work has been published locally, regionally and nationally.

Terri participated in 3 ASID/Museum of Art Designer Show Houses, 2 ASID South Holiday Home Tours and 1 Remodeling Home Tour. Terri’s personal home was featured in 2 of those fund-raising tour projects

After leading multiple ASID AZ South Committees, she served as Chapter President in 2004 – 2005

In 2004 Terri qualified for and received her AZ Contractors License which allowed her design studio to manage and profit from her own construction projects.

Along the way, Terri’s studio, Taylor Design Group received 32+ ASID  AZ South Design Excellence Awards - recognition for excellence in custom residential design projects, residential remodeling, model homes for National Home Builders, medical offices , restaurant, retail and hospitality projects in Arizona, Colorado, Minnesota and Southern California.

As Mentor and role model to emerging designers, she has always been generous with sharing knowledge and support for the next generation. She is known for leadership in fostering community, elevating standards of professionalism, and giving back tirelessly to the design world.

In 2012 she founded interior Design Business Academy, a pioneering business education and coaching resource for interior designers.

She developed breakthrough design business education programs  creating and  using repeatable systems to streamline processes, increase profits and  improve client satisfaction which have become industry benchmarks.

She has guided thousands of designers worldwide in building profitable and sustainable design practices.

Terri is a frequent keynote speaker and facilitator of high-level masterminds and retreats, providing a platform for collaboration and innovation. She is recognized for shaping industry standards and promoting excellence in design practice.

Through the years she has been a dedicated advocate for the interior design profession through decades of service to ASID, mentoring peers, speaking at national events and furniture markets, and championing professional development for designers.

Terri is respected across the design world as both an accomplished practitioner and a visionary leader.

She is celebrated for her unique combination of design excellence, business innovation, and unwavering dedication to lifting the profession as a whole.

A true champion of the interior design industry, recognized for more than three decades of contribution, leadership, and generosity.