Sarah Heffner.
Sarah Heffner, 30
Senior Project Manager at Kimmerle Workspace at Kimmerle Group
Throughout the pandemic, the world learned the benefit of doing as much as possible outdoors. Corporate offices were no different, and this led to new challenges for designers.
Sarah Heffner learned this when charged with designing and procuring the furniture for a 30,000-square-foot outdoor space for Onyx Equities in Paramus, N.J. This included planning for tables, seating and benching for more than 100 people, as well as for a patio, lounge areas, and collaborative and private meeting sections that would encourage different ways for people to gather.
“The outdoor space was a whole new realm I had never done before,” Heffner said. “It was really fun, but it was certainly a challenge to understand the durability and the functionality-based planning.”
Heffner, who earned a bachelor’s in interior design from Virginia Tech, embraces the design and project management aspects of her job equally, with a natural passion for structure and an early love of home renovation that found her revamping her own bedroom at age 12.
“I went with my parents to various flooring, paint and furniture stores, and they let me make all the design decisions,” Heffner said. “When I went to college, I learned it was much more than paint and pillows. It was a lot more complicated than I thought, but I ended up enjoying the architectural specifics.”
In addition to her day-to-day duties at architecture design firm Kimmerle Group, Heffner works with local STEAM programs educating children about architecture, design and sustainability. A true design devotee, Heffner says she looks forward to continuing to work on impactful projects that serve her clients while pushing the creative envelope.
“We really pride ourselves on design through a lot of 3D renderings,” Heffner said. “We can offer something different. We can help you visualize your space and be thoughtful in all the decisions. Sometimes, if you have furniture coming in, it’s not always coordinated with the interiors. I pride myself on really being strategic in my decisions and managing all of the little aspects so it feels like a cohesive project.”—L.G.
