It’s All By Design
by Charlotte Skipper
Amber Clore Morales has known she wanted to be an interior designer from an early age: since she was a freshman at Lake Mary High School, to be exact.
In the ensuing years, Amber has stayed true to her younger self. Today, she is the owner and principal designer of A.Clore Interiors in Sanford, a full-service interior design studio specializing in residential and commercial spaces.
Although Amber has a robust portfolio now, she remembers being a teen with a dream, obsessively watching the Trading Spaces TV show with her mother and frequently transforming her own bedroom. After realizing she could turn her passion into a career, Amber enrolled in Seminole State College’s two-year interior design program right out of high school.
Note to Younger Self: You Were Right!
“I had a great opportunity to go straight into Seminole State, right in my backyard, and from there I just took off,” says Amber. “The little girl in me is still always like, ‘Oh, we really get to do this?’”
A Lake Mary native, Amber saw many of her friends leave for college while she stayed home to complete her associate’s degree. She believes that decision gave her an advantage in later years. From smaller class sizes to a tailored curriculum, Seminole State gave Amber a stronger foundation than many of her peers received. She graduated in 2004 and went on to enroll in the interior design program at Florida State University.
“The Seminole State program gave me the ability to get my feet wet and understand what college is about – that it’s completely your responsibility to make the best out of your education,” says Amber. “I remember honing in on technical elements, and then I was able to translate that into my work. It definitely gave me a leg up, learning those pieces before getting to the bigger picture.”
After graduating from FSU in 2006, Amber worked in hospitality design for Westgate Resorts until the financial crisis of 2008. She began freelancing to keep her interior design dreams afloat, eventually leading to the launch of A.Clore Interiors in 2012.
Designing Woman
That’s when Amber experienced a full-circle Seminole State moment, thanks to Kim Van Gundy, a board member of the Foundation for Seminole State College and the wife of NBA coach and broadcaster Stan Van Gundy. Kim, who has since passed away, needed an interior designer to redo one of her daughters’ bedrooms, and she tapped Amber for the job, knowing she was a Seminole State grad.
“I got really lucky with an amazing first client who allowed me to be creative and have some fun on the project, capturing more eyes,” says Amber. “Doing great projects and getting out there through word of mouth is truly how I built my business over these last 14 years.”
Now, Amber follows Kim’s example by supporting Seminole State College and its interior design students. Amber is part of the advisory council for the school’s interior design program and a member of the Alumni Association. She also helps coordinate the Foundation’s annual Dream Gala fundraiser.
In addition, Amber often hires student designers as interns and team members, helping to build them up – just as Seminole State did for her two decades ago. For her many contributions to the college, she has been recognized by the Foundation as an Alumni Excellence Honoree.
As the years go by and Amber’s success continues to grow, her inner ninth-grader is thrilled. And as Amber climbs higher up the career ladder, she finds fulfillment in reaching back to pull up as many young designers as possible.
“I loved coming back from FSU, starting my company, and then immediately reconnecting with Seminole State,” says Amber. “There are a lot of organizations I give my time to, but there’s so much joy in helping that next generation of designers. Being part of that community has always felt right for me.”