For the past 50 years, Ronald McDonald House Charities has provided families of sick children with a place of healing, refuge, and support. For Brandy Holden, principal designer at Interiors In Design, a big part of her job is to create the kinds of surroundings that can be an integral part of her clients’ sense of security and well-being.

Together with a team of gifted contractors, brilliant architects, and local artists and volunteers, Brandy worked tirelessly to remodel the Cambridge House, located on the Phoenix Children’s Hospital campus, with thoughtful details, a vibrant color palette, and the guidance of her Sherwin-Williams Account Executive, Laurie Clark. The designer shares all the details of the rewarding experience in our exclusive interview.

STIR: Tell us all about this project and the impetus for the remodel.

Brandy Holden: There were two reasons for the remodel. First, because the Cambridge House was 12 years old and Kerry Schulman, current CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona, knew it was time for an upgrade. 

Second, because the people at the Ronald McDonald House deserve the best while they are going through something many of us never have to deal with—a sick child. Absolutely everything needed to be changed and updated to meet today’s standards and codes. We stripped down the structure to just the walls: floors, furniture, lighting, cabinets, tile, all of it gone! The building still had good bones, and with the exception of the entry and reception area, the walls within the space stayed in the same locations.

STIR: What inspired the look and color palette of this space?

BH: Kerry was very open to any and all color ideas we had. I started flipping through design magazines, vendor collateral, Pinterest, and vendor websites just to see if a picture would leap off the page. And finally it did! I was looking through flooring material books we keep in our library when I saw a picture that I just knew was the one, and I used that photo as a springboard for what would become the new Ronald McDonald House Cambridge. The colors were vibrant enough to fill the space with energy, but I knew I could take those colors and mute them down for the spaces that needed to be more subdued.

STIR: What are some of the elements that help a hospitality environment feel more like home?

BH: We wanted the facility to be inviting and warm like someone’s home while meeting the criteria of a commercial interior. Toss medical standards into the application, and it’s a completely different beast to tackle. The children staying at Ronald McDonald Houses will have varying degrees of sickness; therefore we had to ensure all products were going to stand up to regular use over the coming years, specifying easily cleanable painted surfaces, antimicrobial countertops, bleach-cleanable textiles, durable cabinetry, commercial-grade appliances, robust flooring, and LED-incorporated lighting.

We worked with a local graphic designer to create art panels that would uplift the children and families with words like Hope, Love, Peace, Compassion, Integrity, Respect, Strong, Brave, and Heal. Words are powerful, and I truly believe that the right words can resonate with people in ways that will help them move through whatever they are going through. 

Each floor of the facility was given its own identity through the use of Arizona-based murals. From the time a family walks through the front doors, we want them to know that they are home and they are going to be cared for. The kitchen is the heart of the home, so we created a state-of-the-art community kitchen where families, staff, and volunteers could gather and make meals together. We chose Jasper Stone SW 9133 (218-C4) as the stunning paint color for the kitchen cabinets. Once we had the kitchen designed, everything else fell into place: the dining hall, living room, and children’s play area. 

STIR: What was the biggest challenge faced during this remodel, and how did you overcome it? 

BH: One of our biggest challenges was ADA compliance. Although the building was originally built 12 years ago, codes had changed and we needed to comply with those codes. Also, the longer the RMH was shut down, the longer families would need to go without its services, so our entire team was up against time to navigate all the necessary changes. Fortunately, Phoenix does have two other Houses, so everyone made the absolute best out of the situation knowing the end result would be something spectacular.

STIR: What are some of the most special and unique aspects of the design? 

BH: I really feel we nailed what it meant to have custom-made, well-thought-out art in the space. I love that the families and kids have art panels they can stand against as a backdrop for taking silly photos. We also created what I think is one of the most attractive Donor Walls, a place where we recognize those who contributed services or funds to the project, using Sherwin-Williams Gauntlet Gray SW 7019 (244-C6).

From the moment of conceptualization to the installation, every single detail was thought through. The most rewarding part is knowing that these families have a safe, comfortable, beautiful place of respite where they can lie down at night in a new, comfy bed and get a moment of peace. Knowing that makes me feel like I’ve done my job.

STIR: Tell us the story of the “grand reveal” when the project was finally completed. 

BH: The grand opening was on December 10, 2024, and what an event it was! The local news stations were there to interview Kerry and reveal the finished interior of the Cambridge House for the first time after 18 months of work. The community was rendered speechless by it, just in awe of the entire facility. Julie Ransom, Director of Special Events, printed large “before” photos of the space and had those displayed during the grand opening, and we worked on a handout that allowed visitors to take a self-guided tour of the new space. 

I am thrilled to announce the Cambridge House is up and running, and everyone has given outstanding feedback. Construction of a second House, located in Mesa, AZ, is set to begin April 2025!

STIR: What do you consider to be the project’s biggest success?

BH: The biggest success on this job was ultimately the teamwork. Between us at Interiors In Design, Kerry at Ronald McDonald House, Atmosphere Architects, and Concord General Contracting, we were a well-oiled machine that worked as a team to find solutions. We had weekly meetings to ensure everyone was on the same page, and we used a project management software that everyone could access. I keep saying that if I could have this same team on every project for the rest of my career, I’d be set!

Sherwin-Williams has always been such a huge source of support for us. From providing us with the latest in color tools to presenting the Colormix^® Forecast every year, we feel that Sherwin-Williams is the leader and innovator for all things paint, and after using their products and resources for going on 20 years, we know the fan deck like the back of our hand! It was easy for us to order larger-format samples so that our vision was clear to the client. And we have to give a huge shoutout to our rep, Laurie Clark. Laurie plays a vital role in why we continue to specify Sherwin-Williams colors and products; her knowledge is vast and she’s always keeping our firm up to date.

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Photos by Solaris Photography.