About Us

We are located on Shaw Island, in the San Juan Islands, within Washington State. Niels van Dongen, owner and design principal, holds a Master of Science degree in Industrial Design Engineering from Delft University of Technology and formerly spent many years working at Microsoft as a user experience designer.

Amy van Dongen, co-owner and design principal has a Bachelor of Arts in interior design from Washington State University and has work experience in both residential and commercial design – much of this experience comes from working for a small architecture firm in Seattle.

Supporting small and local businesses is something that is very important to us. We highly value people to people interaction and work with a social and environmental conscience. Our goal is to develop projects with deliberate intent and meaning. We believe that an end result should fulfill a need as well as have a soul.

Services

Branding, Graphic and Print Design
Visual designs can strongly influence the way you and/or your business are perceived. We can work with you to create and implement graphics that reaffirm your image and clearly communicate your intent in a professional, unique manner.

Web Design
Are you looking to create a new or redefine an existing online presence? We can help you to do this and more. Whether it is to provide basic information or a complete online business structure, we can help. Contact us to find out more and to discuss your specific needs and requirements.

Interior Design
In our opinion, interior design does not have to cost a small fortune or involve the purchase of many new things. Often, a space just needs to be uncluttered, organized and given a fresh perspective.

We provide organizational services to help restore a sense of order to those places engulfed in chaos. In addition, redesign and space planning services help to maximize space and efficiency. Add in consultancy on color when a new splash is required and we can help determine the right color combination for you – whether it is on walls or in textiles, finishes, furniture or accessories.

Although we think re-use and re-purposing what you already have is ideal, sometimes something new is required and if it is, we can help make it easier for you to be a conscious shopper – helping you to determine what you need; the size and scale that will work best for your space, color considerations, and where you can make the purchase – whether it be through local businesses, second hand shops, ecological businesses or online retailers.

For the times when the design scope is larger and a more in-depth design service is needed, the following services can be provided:

• Site evaluation – viewing, documenting, measuring, photographing current site/building/space
• Programming and conceptual development – gaining understanding of design need and requirements as well as logistics; breakdown of scope of work and the generation of initial design ideas and intent
• Schematic and preliminary design – space plans, sketches, drawings, elevations and visuals to solidify design intent and identify issues and need for additional expertise, if applicable
• Drafting and technical drawings – for approval purposes, bidding and architect/contractor/carpenter needs
• Research and sourcing – selection of finishes, hardware, equipment, furniture, etc.

Environmental graphics
Signs and banners help draw attention to a business and aid in way finding and in addition, can help solidify the individual or company image. We can help you with the design and production of these graphics and tie them into the current or new graphic language.

As Our Client

You can expect easy and efficient access to working files, correspondence, estimates, hours billed, etc. through a personal and private client page on cravingdesign.com