Michelle Dirkse
Owner / Creative Director

With degrees in both psychology and interior design, principal designer Michelle Dirkse’s unique training allows her to understand both the psyche and the artistic foundation of the design process. After purchasing and remodeling her first condo in 2004 Michelle decided to pivot from a career in social work to focus on her creative side. Following a few years gaining industry experience, she launched her eponymous firm in 2013, employing her cognitive research abilities to discover creative meaning and analytical solutions in every project along the way. In recent years, she has worked with local artists to transform their original artwork into kaleidoscopic patterns for her in-house collection of fabric, wallpaper, home accessories, decor items, and more.

Michelle is inspired by change and transformation—looking at ways to elevate common elements to something of beauty and intentionality. Interior design allows her to create living, functional art pieces in which every project presents a particular puzzle to solve. Her personal taste runs the gamut from the subdued to the bold, the traditional to the modern, and the minimalist to the maximalist. She relishes in the opportunity to explore all of her aesthetic passions by working with a variety of clients, each with their own sense of style.

Vilma Garshae
Senior Interior Designer / Project Manager

For Senior Interior Designer Vilma Garshae, creating practical, usable spaces is of the utmost importance—but that doesn’t mean she forsakes beauty. She enjoys adapting her technical and creative skills to a variety of styles and is particularly fond of the timelessness of midcentury modern, the retro feel of the ’60s, and sleek Scandinavian sensibilities. When conceptualizing a space, she gleans inspiration from the story of the home, whether it’s the architectural details, a piece of furniture, or the clients themselves.

Leah DeSantis
Senior Interior Designer / Project Manager

Interior designer Leah DeSantis approaches projects with an eye for the unique and innovative, aiming for fresh design in a sophisticated, yet edgy aesthetic. She loves older homes with classical bones, and her furnishing style merges modern, sculptural pieces with antiques and heirlooms. When working with clients, Leah strives to alchemize their internal dreams, turning ideas into an outer experience that reflects the client’s identity.

Jaclyn Koenig
Operations Manager

Alex Hyman
Design Assistant

Alex comes from a background in the performing arts, following a performance career as a ballet dancer, he built experience in project management producing shows, festivals, and tours while running a medium sized arts non-profit with deep roots in community engagement. Detail oriented, passionate about problem solving and a lover of good design, Alex is excited to be working with the MDID team to help support the designers with projects and the team with administrative work.