Dunn-Edwards Portraits: An Unexpected Path into Interior Design

Mark Hermogeno is a seasoned designer with an uncompromising style. But he wasn't always so clear-eyed about what he wanted to do in life. Early on, his path took a detour, eventually leading him to trade in a stethoscope for a set of blueprints when he found his true calling. Mark's story proves that valuable skills can be gained from seemingly unrelated experiences—and applied to a successful career in interior design.

When asked about his favorite Dunn-Edwards color, Mark fondly recalls using Skipping Stones (DET567) for his work in the 2024 Pasadena Showcase House of Design. Using Dunn-Edwards 2024 Color of the Year, Skipping Stones, was a way to incorporate a "really fun color." “Blue is one of the colors that I really like to work with in my designs,” he explains. When advising clients on paint colors, Mark always considers factors like natural light and window treatments. Interestingly, he prefers to ask clients what colors they don't like, as this often yields more decisive answers than asking them what they do like. "Because people usually have stronger opinions about what they don't want to see," he says.

For those just starting in the field, Mark offers this advice: Don't compromise your style. He emphasizes the importance of staying true to one's vision and not being afraid to turn down projects that don't align with it. "For example, I do more Transitional Contemporary [design], and people come to me because they like my style. I don't tend to mix lots of patterns together. So, if somebody approaches me and wants a Maximalist mix of 10 patterns, I'm not the person to do that. Don't ever sacrifice your style or the way that you design to fit somebody else's. Follow your gut," he advises.

Following his gut is what landed Mark where he is today. Initially pursuing a Med Tech Pre-Med major at Marquette University in Milwaukee, he got a retail job in Los Angeles when he came home for the summer and realized that something else was calling him. Instead of returning to Milwaukee that fall, he attended Glendale Community College and then Cal State Northridge, majoring in Cultural Anthropology. "The goal was to go into social work when I graduated," he explains.

In addition to his studies, Mark continued working in retail, eventually taking a part-time sales job with Zodax, a home decor, furniture, and accessories store. That was the first step in a series of life-changing decisions. As part of his role with Zodax, Mark began doing visual merchandising, where his natural talent for design emerged. That experience led to another part-time job doing visual merchandising for Restoration Hardware.

Upon graduating, Mark was offered a full-time job in his chosen field of study: working with inmates who were preparing to transition back into society. But by then, his interior design skills were already in high demand. "When I told Restoration Hardware that I was contemplating this other job, they countered and gave me more money to stay. I ended up staying with them for another 4-5 years after that," he says.

From Restoration Hardware, Mark was poached by the Gap, the Disney Store, and Smith & Hawken, serving in a management and visual merchandising role for each.

It wasn't until Mark moved to San Francisco that he was formally immersed in the world of interior design. "I had Wednesdays off, and UC Berkeley offered an Intro to Interior Design course in the high rise building I was living in at the time. It was something to do for a couple of hours each day, and it lined up with what I was already doing with visual merchandising, so I took the class. And that's when I realized it's what I wanted to do," he explains.

After that, Mark quit his retail job and went back to school full time to formally study interior design, and his extensive experience with visual merchandising put him on a fast track. He recalls, "The 2nd semester in, a lot of my teachers were like, 'You already know how to do space planning. Why don't you try working with clients?'" Mark took their advice and placed an ad on Craigslist, where he got his first few clients, receiving even more referrals after that.  "At that point, my teachers were like, 'You really don't need the program. Save your money.'" So, he did. And that was the moment Mark officially started his interior design business.

Mark's retail background proved invaluable in preparing him for the business side of design. "What really helped me was being in retail and working at companies where you were already dealing with furniture and deliveries. That helped me with running a business and dealing with employees. When I worked at the Gap I had a staff of 500 people—and with retail during the holidays, you learn to deal with difficult people," he says.

To Mark’s surprise, his previous studies in social work also played a role in training him for his current profession. He explains, "As a designer, you're almost like a therapist...I really wasn't prepared for how much people are willing to share and how much you learn about them. There's a whole psychology piece to it."

Today, Mark's design firm is in high demand. He limits the number of projects he takes on to eight or nine at a time so he can give them his personal focus. Not one to farm out tasks, Mark plays an active role in every aspect of his business—from developing the creative vision, to drawings, working with contractors, marketing, and even social media. You can see some of his latest projects and learn more about him on his Instagram page.

Mark's journey—from Pre-Med to Cultural Anthropology to Visual Merchandising to Interior Design—is a powerful reminder that the best paths aren't always linear. When we embrace the unexpected detours in life, they often lead us to a place where our unique blend of experiences becomes our greatest strength and our most profound contributions. And that is the ultimate prescription for success.

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