Ami McKay is on a roll! From crafting distinctive and healthy eco-friendly residences using sustainable materials to managing three enterprise businesses, Ami McKay effortlessly juggles her multiple endeavors. Now, viewers can witness her distinctive and innovative designs showcased on her very own show, "Vancouver Reno," which has recently made its debut on Magnolia Network. Beyond her professional endeavors, Ami commits her time to mentorship programs for women entrepreneurs and engages in various philanthropic initiatives. Read on to learn more about Ami McKay.

Where are you based?
I live and also have my design company PURE Design Studio and Shoppe in beautiful North Vancouver, British Columbia.

What inspired you to pursue a career in interior design and create your business PURE Design Inc.?
In my early life, I found myself in theater, encompassing costume design, set design, floral design, production design and scene painting. I then took design classes at Humber College in Ontario and later found myself in the world of "natural events" in Banff, where I created grand floral compositions and also learned the art of sign painting. As I learned how to make spaces beautiful, I evolved to interior design as my chosen canvas, working with form, scale, color, shape and texture.

How has your background influenced your style and the design process?
My years of being a creative child and then my self-discovery as a young person through travel, work and volunteering have all influenced my style. I soak up anything and everything beautiful and interesting to look at and incorporate it all into my process which is very natural and intuitive for me.

What serves as your inspiration for your designs? How have they evolved over the years?
I am inspired by my clients and what they want for their family and their home. I am also very inspired by travel, I love historical design, patterns, color combos, and the way materials are put together in different cultures. Inspiration evolves, and new ways to be inspired are always out there to be discovered. I love the journey!

In your opinion, what makes a space truly exceptional and unique? How do you bring a sense of personality and identity to your designs?
An exceptional space is created when you take an interior and make the most of it, and make it interesting and welcoming with added curiosity and beauty. I look at a space like a sculpture, as an art piece. Designing is my expression, I get to know a space intimately and then add personality with layers, textiles, form, and materials and the combinations of them all.

Is there a specific project you worked on you are immensely proud of?
I am proud of so many but I am most proud of my own home!! It was a dump!! We got to know it so intimately because it was ours, and it was so damaged, so neglected. We thought about everything, every step, every choice. We wanted rustic contemporary, so every time we go to Europe we bring home some new material or idea for our home, including over grout on the fireplace, lime wash on the walls, olive trees in our garden, iron railings, and checkerboard tile floor on our deck.

Can you describe a project that you found particularly challenging? How did you overcome obstacles and create a successful design solution?
Again, our home was extremely challenging! It was in incredibly bad shape, so we had a lot of work to do. We live on the side of a mountain (there’s a huge rock in our basement!) and we needed a crane to bring the kitchen island into the house. Working on the deck was also a challenge as it is 35 ft in the air - that was an engineering feat! Also, there was a tree that fell on our house, so we had to rebuild the roof. We also had to take our time because we had to space out the challenges and the money so it has taken a long time, with more work to do. But, we love it!

We love how you source sustainable materials from socially conscious organizations for your designs. Can you tell us more about this process and its significance?
I want people to live in a healthy home. No off-gassing or chemicals or harm to the inhabitants. I do my research, it also matters to me what the artisan’s or craftsperson’s life is like. I have always wanted to create healthy homes, and that has always been my north star since 2000. I even started a furniture line in 2008 and that was very difficult as it was hard to find the partners and materials back then. More people are on the bandwagon now, thankfully.

What are your hopes for the future of interior design?
I hope the future sees creatives making spaces that people thrive in. Design will always be needed and I believe the industry is headed in the right direction of creating incredible and healthy interiors and exteriors for our communities.

Congratulations on your show “Vancouver Reno” for Magnolia Network. What was it like creating this show? Can you tell us more about it?"
It has been a joy and the process has been so interesting and positive! I love working with our design team and showcasing their amazing work and the production team in Vancouver and California are talented and kind human beings. In the show, I am doing what I always do with my team, Don and the trades, and the production team weaves it all into a beautiful story.

We recently heard that you are working with Kids Help Phone and Plastic Bank. Can you tell us more about your work with these organizations? What do you hope to achieve by working with these companies?
All of my philanthropic work is because I truly want to help make the world a better place. I have always volunteered and been drawn to helping others- I want to make a positive impact in the ways that I can, often by donating my superpower (design services)! That way I can help these organizations do their important work in a healthy and beautiful space.

In addition to your extensive work, you dedicated time to mentoring women entrepreneurs and helped three Syrian refugee families settle in Vancouver. What does the act of giving back to others signify for you?
It is part of being a human being! When you’re a kid everyone helps you and we can’t forget that or who helped us along the way. I truly enjoy helping, it is my way of saying thank you. Also, I love to connect with a smile, it can be that simple!

Producing a show, running your own business, and being a mother are not tasks for the weak. How did you manage your time while still finding time for yourself?
Yes, I have a lot going on….three businesses, my aging father, etc. I try to find joy in the regular moments of the day. I am so grateful for the things that are working and the small joys of life and I try to stay positive. I am very much a glass-half-full gal, actually, I like my glass overflowing! Also, my favorite way to find time for myself is to travel with my guy, Don. We get away from everything and fill ourselves back up!

Do you have any hopes for 2024?
Yes! So many! I want people to love their homes and I want to help people to achieve that. I am hopeful about everything and I want joy to be my message. My wish I want to share with others is: that everyone permits themselves to live their best lives.

It has been a crazy past few years, how have you been staying positive?
Thankfully I am naturally positive. I do expect that life will have challenges, I don’t think life is easy, however…with the things I can control, I want to be as easy and fun and interesting as possible. Often I take stock of all that is working in my life and I feel immense gratitude for those things.

What is your motto in life?
My motto was always "If you can dream it, you can do it” and now I’m shifting more to something like “Fill your life up with so much goodness and fulfillment so as to make happy memories”.

To learn more about Ami McKay, follow the links below.
https://www.purebyamimckay.com/
@puredesigninc

Ami McKay - Behind the Mind of the Designs