Meet Diane Norris | Independent Cabinet Design Dealer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Diane Norris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Diane, can you tell us about a book that has had a meaningful impact on you?

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

The principles contained in this book really are about setting yourself free. We have all been shaped by the ideas and beliefs of those who raised us, along with the ideas of society prevalent during our childhood. This book helped me understand the importance of recognizing my own beliefs, many of which differ from what I was expected to believe as a child. The four agreements presented in this book gave me the tools to live my own beliefs and to value the wisdom of my soul, as well as the courage to pursue a healthy balance in my life.

I absolutely believe we do not achieve meaning in our lives until we seek out and embrace the creative element of our spirit. This belief led me to start my business helping people improve the function and beauty of the primary living spaces in their homes, while respecting the analytical and technical skills I spent many years practicing. Seeing my customer’s kitchen or bath come to life with new cabinetry designed and procured by Pretty Box is extremely rewarding. Cabinetry is only one element of a remodeling project, but it is important to thoughtfully attend to its many small details. It makes me very happy when my customers are thrilled with the results.

What should our readers know about your business?

Pretty Box Cabinet Design is the result of my non-traditional professional journey, which includes 20 years as a military spouse of an USAF fighter pilot. The real time responsibilities of serving as a military spouse during Desert Storm through Operation Iraqi Freedom and post-911 Homeland Security concerns precluded me from advancing in my early career field of Industrial Engineering, followed by the first two years of Medical School. While I have enjoyed a number of other occupations along the way which accommodated my family’s structure at the time, I am grateful to now combine creativity with a return to my analytical roots and desire to help others by launching my own cabinetry layout design dealership business.

Emerging recently from my 30-year full time domestic support role, punctuated by various part time positions in the teaching, medical and custom printing fields, with unrealistic expectations from others to immediately step into a professional full time career, was challenging. I ended up working for two national homebuilders in their design centers, first in an administrative role, then in a designer role. My primary responsibility was assisting homebuyers select the interior options for their brand new production-build homes. I enjoyed working with the homebuyers and found the residential construction industry interesting. Next, I had the opportunity to work in a Sales/Design Consultant role for a regional remodeling company, where I learned in greater detail about all aspects of residential remodeling projects, including new cabinetry layout design, pricing, ordering, and handling warranty claims.

I realized I was better suited to focus on one area of building projects, rather than all of them at the same time, and my interest was in new cabinetry layout design. It truly is the best of both worlds of creativity and technical problem-solving. Precise measurements are essential, as well as recognition of space planning concerns and job site limitations. Computer aided drawing is a necessity to maintain efficiency and produce realistic renderings for customer’s visualization of the product you are offering. There are always more ways to design the overall layout, but being able to communicate the advantages of one plan over the others helps your customers make the best decisions for their needs. Helping customers choose their style and finish from endless choices is the fun part. Keeping everything in budget and running smoothly is the work part. When it all comes together, there is much satisfaction all around. Getting to know my customers during the process reinforces my love of this business.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Tucson is blessedly surrounded by beautiful mountains. Hiking in the Santa Catalinas is a must when visiting Tucson. Sabino Canyon is a favorite spot for exploring the desert with a tram ride. Nearby is one of the best Mexican restaurants in the area, El Charro, where you can enjoy margaritas with a view of the canyon you just hiked. The downtown area near UA is fun and lively, with tons of galleries, restaurants and beverage stops. A final stop before leaving Tucson is Gates Pass on east Speedway Blvd for sunset viewing. Unforgettable.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate this shoutout to a dear friend, John, who pulled me out of a dark place and helped me turn on my own light. His belief in me and ever-present encouragement restored my confidence and ability to love myself.

Website: https://prettyboxdesign.com

Image Credits
Grok Images