The career of Elizabeth Etienne has led her around the world and back. From the cobblestone streets of Paris to the sandy beaches of Southern California. An award winning photographer, published author of 3 books and featured interior designer/renovator . . . her trademark, retro style is visible in EVERYTHING she creates. As an honors graduate of the prestigious Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara she plunged into the photography world shooting advertising campaigns, editorial magazine articles, celebrity Weddings & events, Interiors and Fine Art Portraits. Her work has been featured in dozens of magazines, she has been sponsored by Nikon, was a selected member of Kodak's Advisory board along side world renown photographers like Steve McCurry and Annie Leibovitz and featured in Wikipedia! Took a break and designed, renovated, furnished and managed more than 10 properties! She is an artist and a writer through and through.

As the daughter of an Interior Designer-Builder, Elizabeth had a head start assisting her eccentric mother with her various design endeavors - from historic Victorian mansions along the coat of Lake Michigan to to multi-unit income properties and retail spaces. She learned hands-on construction-design experience and the essential understanding that, "All design should be both functional and practical while serve an emotional purpose". She and her siblings had a screwdriver and a paintbrush in their hands before they could even drive a car!

Bamboo Betty is a nickname and a brand that evolved from her bamboo interiors Étienne specializes in design and photography that collaborates with the culture, people and the existing architectural landscape of a given location. Her first project was a series of vacation rentals at the beach in Marina del Rey, California that encompassed a tropical, bamboo-inspired theme earning her the nickname "Bamboo Betty"  including a surf shack full of surfboards, bikes and beach gear! The rentals ranged from a retro 1950’s style Tiki Lounge, a 70’s hippy Love Shack to a nautical bamboo “Gilligan’s Island” styled unit. 

Etienne’s second and third design projects involved the restoration and preservation of two historic properties, the most recent was a rustic, 120 year old gold miner's ranch in the desert. The property contained numerous structures that has not been occupied for almost a century! The previous property in the midwest was a historic mixed/use building in the midwest that contained both retail and residential units. Both properties involved carefully crafting unique ways to restore them while preserving the original materials that made each property unique. This involved scavenging through junk yards, antique shops, auction houses and salvage yards for architectural artifacts from a particular time period. What fun!!

Elizabeth’s most recent design project was a massive rustic French residential farmhouse. The property is nestled between the grounds of a former farm and a forest preserve. Etienne incorporated an eclectic mix of rustic farming antiques with country French blue & white accents. High beamed ceilings, a rocky stone fireplace and even a barn loft made one feel they could be in the French countryside or a rustic lodge in Montana! A collection of vintage doors, a country kitchen and large windows with skylights invite sunlight and nature into the interior landscape. Using her professional photography skills she was able to document each project in the most comprehensive manner. 

In between her interior design and photography projects she created the first, one-of-a-kind, bamboo-inspired "Tiki Jeep Glamper" - a Jeep wrangler custom designed for camping or living off-grid in style! It comes complete with a bamboo interior, sleeping compartment for 2, storage drawers for camp supplies, a mini frig (powered from portable solar panels and a mini generator). The jeep also includes an instant  pull out tailgate kitchen station that serves as both a bamboo Tiki Bar for happy hour then converts into a bi-level counter for a prep station and propane stove! The jeep also includes 2 awnings - one that covers the rear kitchen area and the other that creates a shaded patio area with attachable screened tent! The final touches are the matching curtains, and crochet decor items that include: a tire cover, awning bag covers, headrests, sun visors, steering wheel cover and 2 matching throw pillows for the beds! She gets so much attention in her Jeep that she decided to create a line of different crochet designs, color schemes and products for other Jeep owners! She has now expanded her design line to include custom Jeeps- known as Jeep Glampers!

Etienne says, “When working with my clients THEIR needs and desires come FIRST . . . I have a compassionate interest in how they want to live their life, and what makes them "feel" good. Then I try to incorporate those feelings into my photography portrait sessions, my writing endeavors, or interior design themes. I strive to merge art with life in a symbiotic landscape".