Ashley Harkins, voted “Best of the Emerald Coast”  Best Interior Designer 2009, 2010, and 2011, is living her dream. She’s another Air Force brat who moved to the Gulf Coast as a child and found it impossible to leave.

Ashley graduated from Florida State University where she finished her studies with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design 1997. But the memories of sugar white beaches and sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico were too great so, after a brief employment with a small custom cabinet firm in Tallahassee she returned home.

Ashley moved back to the North Florida coast, working for Canac Kitchens designing cabinets briefly before moving to Resort Interiors, striving to become a licensed designer. In order to qualify for this designation, it required working with a licensed interior designer for two years.

During her five+ years with Resort Interiors, she went on to pass her NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) examination and receive her state license as an Interior Designer. In August of 2003, she relocated to Exquisite Interiors where she enjoyed a small firm environment and the opportunity to work on many high-end projects from One Water Place to Destiny by the Sea. In the spring of 2008, Ashley felt it was time to make a change again and realized a long dream of starting her own business. Design Avenue was born and she daily strives to make it a successful endeavor.

Ashley enjoys designing in the beautiful coastal environment of Destin, Sandestin and beyond. In 2007, Ashley completed a home in the ski resort town of Park City, Utah and in 2008 she completed the design of a remodel in Omaha, Nebraska.  Amid the tumultous times of 2010, she took the plunge and opened Design Avenue, the retail space, in the Shoppes of Paradise Isle, next to Ulta.  This has been a wonderful experience and has opened up the world of gifts.  In addition to having a full-service design resource area, Design Avenue is also a fun destination for unique gifts and accessories of all types.