A1The studio
Melissa Brewer started the studio in 2011, then bought the machine shop.
Melissa is the founder and principal designer of M.B. Designs. She started the firm in 2011 and brings over 30 years of experience in the industry to Yakima. She has worked in Washington, Oregon, Hawaii and Southern California, and she leads a full-service interior design and remodeling firm with an 8,500-square-foot showroom: design, material selection and installation, from concept to completion, for residential and commercial spaces.
Her dogs, Copper and Aries, are regulars at the studio, happily greeting guests as they begin their remodel journey.
B2In the industry
An active leader in the building industry and the community.
Melissa serves on the Board of Directors for Central Washington Home Builders and takes part in a long list of industry and civic groups, helping shape the future of the city she calls home. Most recently she served on an advisory committee at Perry Technical Institute and was asked to advise a Davis High School board.
- Board of Directors, Central Washington Home Builders Association (CWHBA)
- Central Washington Women in Building
- Women in Residential Construction
- Habitat for Humanity
- Downtown Rotary
- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
- Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW)
- Design Committee, Downtown Association of Yakima
- Perry Technical Institute, Construction & Carpentry Technology Program Advisory Committee
- Davis High School, Family & Consumer Sciences Advisory Board
C3The building
A design center inside a historic machine shop.
At the age of 45, Melissa bought the historical McIlvanie Machine Works building and used that same vision to turn it into Yakima's premier design center. The showroom at 11 South 7th Avenue runs 8,500 square feet and focuses on flooring, slab countertops, window treatments, area rugs, furniture and accessories.
The pictures below are the building's own archive, plus what it looks like while the showroom was being renovated.
D4How they work
“We aren't for everyone!”
The studio offers a mid to high end service and takes great pride in it. Every project begins with a mutual interview to see if the studio and the client are a good fit, and it proceeds from there.
In the showroom
Experience materials and hand-selected products from some of the most unique distributors around the world. If you don't see what you're looking for during your first visit, the studio will bring it in.
What the studio doesE5The team
A collaborative design firm.
Each team member shares a role in every project. Weekly team meetings and constant communication with contractors keep the studio informed and available for you, and the designers and project managers stay with a project from the first wish-list to the last fixture.
Hiring
The studio is hiring a Designer / Estimator / Project Manager / Purchasing Agent. It is a full-time position in Yakima, in the office and out in the field. Call the studio at 509.823.4600 to ask about it.
F6Recognition
Voted by the Valley.
The studio is grateful to its clients and the Valley for voting it best of the best over the years.
Awards & press- 2023CWHBA Remodeler of the YearCentral Washington Home Builders Association
- 2019Voted Best Interior DesignYakima Herald-Republic Readers' Choice
- 2018Voted Best Interior Design ServicesYakima Herald-Republic Readers' Choice
- 2020Best of 2020Yakima Valley Business Times
- 2017Best of Houzz, ServiceHouzz
G7Studio appointments
Come visit the building and start planning.
Call to schedule an appointment with a designer. Whether it is a home or an office remodel, the first meeting is a tour of the showroom and a conversation about what you want.
- Showroom
- 11 South 7th Avenue, Yakima, WA 98902
- Hours
- Monday to Thursday, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, by appointment