To this end, many designers are twisting their creative little brains and coming up with ways to carve themselves a nice little niche, in hopes that that will translate into a lucrative career.

Enter Amy Woidtke of EcoKind Designs. This Seattle-based interior designer has built a reputation (and a business) on being the go-to queen of the love shack. Woidtke’s clients seek her out to transform their homes into spaces built for attracting or reigniting love. Seriously. And apparently, it actually works! So well, in fact, that business is booming…maybe ever more so around this romantic time of year.

Whether you think that this marketing tactic (which is really more of a well-thought out belief system about design and emotions, if you ask the designer) is an incredibly clever way to make yourself stand out as a designer or a manipulative play on the ubiquitous search for love, there’s no denying that it’s working for Woidtke and her clients.

So the real question is: how does this work? What makes a space love-friendly? And how the hell does a designer get started on this particular professional track? I recently picked Amy’s brain to find out the answers to these questions and more.

1) Tell me about your background; how did you get to where you are in your career?

I’ve always been a “creative” – it’s in my family roots. I grew up eco-conscious before it was chic to be green. My parents built our house, using reclaimed products, so I was immersed in the “home building experience” by 2nd grade, though not always willfully, because me mum was determined that I would be a well-rounded gal! It was around 6th grade that I actually took interest in styling my room and being organized.

I’ve also always been into love. I’m in love with love. If I were a movie character, I’d be that guy in the Victorian era movies writing endless love letters to his beloved of admiration and devotion.
As a teen, I became a people helper and problem solver, so when a friend was in need, I aimed to make it better. People helping became my focus in college, resulting in a psychology degree. Of course it was only after those 5 years of study that I realized being a traditional counselor was not going to do it for me! Laughable, right?

It was during college that I took interest in personal growth, spirituality, and manifesting my reality through conscious intention. Wow, was that some cool and powerful stuff to discover!
After choosing not to become a counselor, for about the next 10 years, I lent my hand at helping others through working for conscious companies as an administrative assistant, and with the love for organizing, making things function better and space aesthetics, every space I worked in received a well-rounded reorganization!

It finally dawned on me that I could do home and office organization professionally, so I ran my own business, Peace of Time, for several years, and only after a friend pointed out that I was simply an interior decorator in denial, did I realize that he probably really had a point there!
And thus, EcoKind Design was born. 1 part spaces, 1 part people helping, I part intentional living, and 1 part eco-conscious. The focus on spaces for love came into play around year 2, after I took a workshop on finding your niche within your niche. It totally chose me once I opened up the floodgates for it to be seen! A lot of networking, getting to know others, putting myself out there, being of service, and being a helper has been key, of course, to keeping the business going and growing!

2) Tell me what you’re business is about, in a nutshell.
I’m here to help singles and couples attract and celebrate the love they dream of through intentional, eco-friendly interior decorating and redesign. We merge your visions and intentions for your love life with the way your space works and feels to become a launching pad, or supportive foundation, to attract and celebrate love!

3) What made you decide to narrow your design focus to being just about creating love-friendly environments?
It was the workshop I took with Beth Yockey Jones and Chris Haddad, both colleagues with me in Biznik. They helped us to identify what our niche within our niche was, so I became not just any interior decorator but the one that supports you on your mission of love! I found I was fascinated with styling spaces for single guys and with the psychology of how you get a guy to let you do that, because many guys are very utilitarian and if it works just fine, why fix it? Working fine in a guy’s mind doesn’t always include style, organization, or things that help a lady feel comfortable in his space and single gals get repelled by their spaces all the time, so I suppose I wanted to help my sisters out too!

Then I found I didn’t want to limit my services to guys only, as I enjoy very much helping people merge styles when they move in together, as well as finding what we can do to help them come back together if their relationship is in trouble. It all goes back to the people helping and love passion that encompasses myself.

4) What kinds of elements do you try to include in your designs and why? What elements do you try to keep out of the spaces you design?
I aim for things to be cozy and feel personal, without being overwhelming. Room for breathing, living and loving! And of course, as gentle on the planet and our bodies as possible.

If I can reuse what someone already has, I do. I may repurpose it or restyle it. If they need new things, I seek out gently used items from sources such as consignment or Craigslist or I look for things that are sustainably made. I do my best to not use conventionally made products, though a client’s budget doesn’t always allow for “full eco,” depending on their needs, so I use whatever eco-conscious methods I can first and use conventional second.

I also coach people on the less is more concept, if they are open to it. We are not our stuff and more stuff is not going to make you a better person or fix your problems. In fact, it may do just the opposite and keep you from being the person you want to be and deter you from addressing your problems because you are distracted by clutter, too much stuff, too many random things to do and so forth. It can literally create a prison for a person, so I aim to prevent that, or help them unlock the bars!

5) Who are your typical clients?
Singles looking to attract a mate. Couples moving in together. Couples rejuvenating and nurturing their connection.

I’ve worked with ages ranging from 20s to 60s. Needs change as we age. What made your love nest work in your 20s may not be what your needs are in your 60s and beyond, especially there are health issues involved. I am delighted to be of service to these varying ranges of spaces for love and each client’s needs are so unique and varied. It’s quite fascinating and I’m always learning new things.

6) What is the most interesting challenge you once / repeatedly come up against?
I recently worked with a couple where the husband had had a stroke, was partially incapacitated, and the wife had become the primary caretaker. They were downsizing from their huge home to a smaller, 1 bedroom condo and it was very important that the space feel very supportive to her needs and love for aesthetics as the primary care taker, his needs with the new physical challenges, and their needs as a couple continuing their journey together, sharing their love in whatever capacity they can now. It was a delightful project and she has become a regular reader of my blog now. Very endearing.

7) Any great love stories as a result of your designs?
One of my bachelorettes just moved in with the sweetie she attracted (quite quickly) after we took her bedroom from dorm-like to delicious! The open house is next week. They are still getting settled so they haven’t called me yet for any merging spaces help, but she assures me that the minute they reach that point, the phone will be ringing!

I do aim to leave my clients with information and education that they can use to help themselves in their spaces as time goes on. I also love continuing the designer/client relationship when it’s needed, as there is such richness in following the progression of life and how each individual unfolds over time. I love it!