Emily Harker Featured in Commercial Observer 20 Under 35

Emily Harker, 27

Senior Interior Designer at Kimmerle Group

Five years ago, Emily Harker was driving to the beach after graduating from Kean University, when the offices of the Kimmerle Group in Morristown, N.J., a suburb of New York, caught her eye. The building's exterior had corrugated metal, a sustainable material, which was one of Harker's focuses at school. Once home, she saw an opening for an interior designer position at the architectural firm and quickly applied.

It's where she's been ever since.

Recounting the moment, Harker said, "I saw the office and thought the building was amazing. I would love to work somewhere that has a sustainable building."

Now her job revolves around doing just that. As an interior designer, Harker has been tasked with mapping out spaces appealing enough to entice workers back to the office after two years of mostly working from home. In one client's lobby, she installed an LED screen wall. In the morning, the screen conjures a calm, inviting image such as clouds. Over the day, the image changes to fit that day's weather.

It was important to have "that space kind of feel like they're home. The client really liked it," Harker said. "It's really rewarding to see what someone's vision is and being able to actually provide that ... and maybe in a way that they didn't expect."

Harker is now also taking her passion for sustainability to the next level. She's currently designing a net-zero energy home with her fiancé. The single-family home will be powered by a solar panel roof and feature all-electric appliances as well as an electric car-charging pod.

"Sustainability is a very important part of my daily life," the designer said, "and I like to implement it as much as I can in my career as well as in my own living space." -J.E.