Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Zoni-McMakin.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m a native San Diegan, born and raised in Chula Vista. After earning my B.A. in Interior Design from San Diego State University, I embarked on what would become a lifelong career in design. My journey began with a kitchen and bath design company, and soon after, I advanced to a design role at San Diego’s largest commercial design firm. I am accredited by the state of California as a Certified Interior Designer and passed the NCIDQ exam, which is the highest certification in the interior design industry. As a member of ASID, I have volunteered on the board and chaired the Kitchen and Bath Tour twice, benefitting local interior designers.
When the recession hit in the 1990s, I was laid off and transitioned to working with a small architectural firm in Hillcrest. Unfortunately, that business also suffered client losses, leading to another layoff. It was then that I began working as a freelance designer, allowing me the flexibility to raise my two children while continuing to pursue my passion.
A few years later, I was offered a position teaching interior design at a local private college, an opportunity that allowed me to balance the unpredictable nature of freelance work with a steady role in education. I continued teaching for 29 years, finding deep fulfillment in mentoring future designers.
Around the same time I started teaching, I launched my own business, RZ Designs, taking on both residential and commercial projects. Ten years into my teaching career, I went through a divorce and became a single parent. With the support of my family, I was able to maintain stability for my children and keep our home during the 2007–2009 recession. During this period, I accepted a full-time teaching position, which proved to be a wise decision, as my design work temporarily slowed to a halt.
In 2016, I remarried. My children are now grown and thriving in their own careers, and we remain very close. During the pandemic, my design business unexpectedly flourished, while I simultaneously adapted to remote instruction, quickly developing online classes in response to the sudden changes. It was an intense and demanding time.
After returning to the classroom, I found that teaching no longer resonated with me in the same way. Gradually, I phased out of my academic role and shifted my focus fully back to design. Around the time I met my second husband, I also rediscovered a long-lost passion: painting and drawing. This creative outlet has become a cherished part of my life. In April, I was honored as the Artist of the Month at Foothills Art Gallery in La Mesa, and I’ve been a volunteer with the Wildlife in Art show for several years. Some of my pieces have even received awards.
These days, I paint during slower business periods or on weekends, balancing my creative pursuits with my design work. I’ve learned to save during times of abundance to weather the inevitable ebbs in the industry.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Divorce is never easy, and mine was especially messy. Toward the end of my first marriage, I struggled through verbal abuse, an experience that shook my confidence and tested my strength. When we finally separated, I was 44 years old with two young children, ages 9 and 12. Overnight, I became fully responsible for their care, their future, and the life we would rebuild together.
It quickly became clear that I couldn’t do it alone. I turned to my family and friends, humbly asking for help with school pick-ups, drop-offs, and the daily logistics of parenting. With their support, I managed to give my children as much stability as I could. When they each turned 16, I was able, again, with family help, to buy them each a car, giving them a bit of freedom and lightening the load on all of us.
One Valentine’s Day, my daughter wrote me this poem. I still keep it close:
Happy Valentine’s Day – by L. Zoni
“Your love is irreplaceable and in me you have much faith
When there is no one left to lean on I know I can trust you day by day
Sometimes life may be hard and yes, it can get rough
But knowing that someone cares and loves you helps very much
And when feelings are crushed and things fall apart
There is still a sense of comfort knowing that I have a special place in your heart.”
That poem reminded me that even in the hardest moments, love can anchor us. It gave me the strength to keep going.
To create financial stability, I took on a full-time position at the college where I had been teaching. It was a major shift, but a necessary one. We found ways to save, but I made sure we never missed a chance to celebrate. I even hosted a “Thank You” party to honor the many people who had helped us find our footing. I expected a small gathering, mostly family, but to my surprise, 50 to 60 people showed up. That day, I truly learned the power of asking for help and the beauty of receiving it.
About 12 years ago, I faced another life-altering challenge: a health scare that nearly cost me everything. I had developed a dangerous blood clot that required surgery and the removal of my first rib. I’m especially grateful to my daughter and son, who urged me to seek medical help when I thought I could just push through. Their concern likely saved my life.
During recovery, both my clients and the college community showed me profound kindness and patience, waiting until I was strong enough to return. Their support reminded me once again that we are never truly alone, especially when we dare to lean on others.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As an interior designer, I specialize in both residential and commercial design, with a strong focus on space planning and reworking architectural layouts to better serve the people who use them. After earning my bachelor’s degree in Interior Design, I began my career at a large architectural interior design firm in San Diego, where I worked on a variety of commercial projects. It was there that I gained hands-on experience with building codes, permitting, and the regulatory side of the profession.
This foundation led me to take and pass the rigorous California certification exam focused specifically on state building codes, earning the title of Certified Interior Designer. Later in my career, I took on the NCIDQ examination, a comprehensive and demanding three-day test, and became NCIDQ certified. That certification allowed me to join the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) as a professional practitioner.
Looking back, I realize I’ve had two parallel careers: one as a designer, and one as an educator. I spent 29 years teaching and mentoring design students while continuing my design practice. And while I’m proud of the award-winning projects I’ve completed and the features I’ve earned in publications, it’s my teaching career that I hold especially close to my heart.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of mentoring more than 500 students, many of whom I still see at industry events, in design showrooms, or serving alongside me on the ASID board. It’s a rare outing where I don’t run into a former student. Teaching shapes lives in subtle and profound ways, and to have been part of that process humbles me.
Still, I see design as a deeply human endeavor. Whether I’m planning a corporate office to boost productivity or designing a home to bring comfort and efficiency to daily life, I believe space has a powerful impact. Residential projects, particularly kitchens and baths, may seem simple on the surface, but when well-planned, they make daily life smoother and more enjoyable. A beautiful space is easy to create with the right finishes and fixtures, but a meaningful space functions intuitively for the people who live or work there.
That personal touch, understanding how people live, work, and move through space, is what transforms a room into a place. That’s the true heart of design, and it’s what continues to inspire me every day.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I feel especially fortunate to have my family close by. My parents and siblings live just a half-hour away, and their presence has been a steady source of support and comfort over the years. I also feel incredibly lucky to have found love again, this time with someone who truly values me. We share the same core values and genuinely enjoy each other’s company, not just as partners, but as best friends.
There have been times in my life when I didn’t feel so lucky, especially during my divorce and in the face of serious health struggles. But what I’ve learned is that resilience can carry you through the hardest seasons. I may get knocked down, but I always find a way to get back up again.
And then, there are moments of light, times when life feels like it’s affirming your efforts. One such time was what my husband fondly calls the “Year of Becky.” That year, I was honored in three incredibly meaningful ways: recognized by the college for my years of service, awarded twice for my design work by ASID, and even received an art award for one of my paintings from the Foothills Art Gallery.
That was a lucky year, a year filled with acknowledgment, joy, and the sense that all the pieces of my life, personal and professional, had come together. And while not every year is the “Year of Becky,” I carry its spirit with me as a reminder that good things do come, even after the hardest of times.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rzdesigns-sd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckyzmcmakin/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rzdesigns/
- Other: https://becky-zoni-mcmakin.pixels.com/art
Image Credits
Gail Owens for all the project photos.
All others were taken by me or my daughter.
