Alan Gilmer

Alumni Office, Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors

NYC-based interior designer credits FACS for pushing him to reach his dreams

Major/graduation year

Furnishings and Interiors, 2007

Current occupation/location

Senior Sales Account Manager at Edward Fields Carpet Makers - Tai Ping Carpets, New York, N.Y.

What do you love about your current role?

I love so much about my role at Edward Fields. I had a long and successful career as a high-end residential interior designer at a top firm in NYC. I was a client of Edward Fields when I was a designer so I knew the brand well. After over a decade as a designer, it was a natural transition into a sales role selling the most beautiful, custom, made to order carpets in the world. I use everything I learned at FACS plus my experience as a designer in this role, which is a strong advantage selling to interior designers and architects for residential and commercial projects around the world. 

What I love most is the autonomy, creativity and support I have here. Edward Fields - Tai Ping Carpets fully supports me in my efforts to elevate and celebrate our brand. I’ve been able to marry my passion for being an AIDS activist with my role here. 

Edward Fields has been making the area rugs for Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Bravo for the entity of the show, 16 years. Last year, I approached Andy Cohen with the idea to celebrate the 15th anniversary of WWHL coinciding with Pride Month, by auctioning off his iconic Edward Fields “Ticker Tape” area rug to raise money for the HIV/AIDS services of The NYC LGBT Center and he said yes! I worked closely with Andy and the WWHL to design a new rug, “One More Time," from the EF archives to replace the rug we auctioned off. He invited me on the show as a bartender to make the announcement which was a dream come true! I’m very proud to share that we raised over $21,000 from the rug auction for The LGBT Center. It was a dream career moment come true! That and meeting Oprah 😊

How did your time at FACS prepare you for your career?

FACS created a very strong foundation to be successful in my career, both as an interior designer and sales person. The studio nourished my creativity and there I developed and honed my design skills. It was not easy starting out in NYC in 2007 at the age of 22 immediately following graduation, but I felt ready and my goodness, I was. Everything I’ve built upon came from FACS!

What advice would you give current students who aspire to a similar career?

Be relentless and never take no for an answer. Follow your passion that speaks to you, even if others discourage you. You must listen to your gut and inner voice. I never take no for an answer! 

What is one memorable experience you had as a student in FACS?

It’s a tie. I took Kitchen and Bath design at FACS, which I loved. I entered the NKBA National Kitchen Design Competition and received honorable mention. I thought my kitchen was good but did not anticipate receiving national recognition. They even put my kitchen rendering inside the UGA buses! I felt like Carrie Bradshaw! It was the most validating experience for me as a young design student. 

The second story is the time I was working so late into the night at the studio at Dawson Hall to finish a project that was due the next day. I didn’t realize it but when I looked at my watch, it was 5 a.m.! Not enough time to go home and sleep before class at 8 a.m. so I fell asleep in the famous Knoll Womb chair in the resource library and was found by my friends a few hours later. I’m proud to share that I got an A on that project haha.

Also, being a FACS Student Ambassador was incredibly valuable. Thank you to Katrina Bowers for recruiting me and supporting me and Suzanne Griffeth for everything! I developed strong leadership skills as an ambassador and am so incredibly grateful to them both!

Who was your favorite or most memorable faculty member and why?

Dawn Schueneman. She taught me in studio and was incredible. She saw me, understood me and pushed me so hard. At first, I thought she was being tough on me but I later learned that she pushed me beyond my comfort zone and that made me a better designer. It was an incredibly valuable experience being her student and I don’t think I would have been as successful as a designer if not for her. That’s a fact!

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were a student?

That it would all work out and be OK.

How do you stay connected to UGA or the FACS community?

I keep up with the UGA Alumni group in NYC that has events throughout the year. And I always read my FACS magazine and newsletter. 

What does being a FACS grad mean to you?

I think the above sums that up. I’m very proud to be a FACS grad! It created a strong foundation and it’s where I started my journey into design. My background was music and theater - I was a singer. I actually started at UGA as a voice major and changed to interior design. I was inspired to pursue interior design when I saw Nate Berkus on The Oprah Winfrey Show and said to myself, “I want to do that!” I had no art skills whatsoever and knew nothing about interior design. FACS taught me everything I needed to know and pushed me so hard. I truly owe it to FACS!