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Thanks to Traditional Home for including me in their list of “20 Young Designers to Watch”, in their March 2010 issue.  It is an honor to be included in this group of incredibly talented individuals, and great to be recognized by a favorite publication.  I had the privildege of getting to know one of the editors, Candace Manroe, this year on the photo shoot for a home in Key West that will be featured in the June issue.  Working with one of their great photographers, Werner Straub, was also amazing.  After having owned my own firm for just over 10 years, this has become one of the highlights.  I am most appreciative.

The feature is very clever.  The editors have taken this honor one step further to get their readers involved and are offering a fantastic prize to both the winning reader and winning designer.  As a reader of Traditional Home, you have an opportunity to vote  for your favorite young designer, and in the process win $5000 worth of Duralee fabrics!  As one of the featured designers, I have the opportunity to win more recognition in their publication.  The winners will be revealed in the October 2010 issue.  Voting is easy, and your vote for me will be greatly appreciated. 

Go to http://www.traditionalhome.com/duralee and click “Join Now” to register with Traditional Home.  You have to be registered to vote.  After that, click “Vote Now” in the Reader’s Choice section.  Scroll down to view the designer portfolios, and then cast your vote.  You will be asked to confirm a security code, and once you have entered that, press “ENTER” to cast your vote.  There will be a notice saying you were successful if everything was done correctly.  You can vote every day until March 23 and increase your chances of winning!  Thanks for your support, and thanks again to the team at Traditional Home for your vote of confidence in my ability.

A good designer will listen to what their client wants.  If you want a white room, with white upholstery, white floors, and white draperies, a good designer will explain what the negatives could be, and if you accept them, will proceed to give you the look you want.  All white isn’t right for my lifestyle, but I have seen places where it works beautifully and clients who are able to easily maintain it.  When I look at a room that is beautifully done, it is easy for me to appreciate what went into the making of the room, and to visualize how it could be lived in.  As readers of shelter magazines, we should try to show tolerance for different styles and to learn how to appreciate them.  Interior Design is an art form, and designers and their clients deserve the same type of respect for their areas of expertise that good artists get.  Who would say that Picasso could not paint?  Even if you don’t like his style, most people can appreciate what went in to creating his pieces.  If you don’t know how he transformed himself from a classical painter to one of the most well known contemporary artists ever, read up.  It is fascinating to see his style transform. 

Traditional means different things to different people.  Someone from Saudi Arabia will have a completely different perspective on what “traditional” is than someone from Kansas.  Try to think about these factors when reading your shelter magazines.  They will become much more interesting, and you will learn lots more about different styles and cultures.  You might even be surprised by discovering something you didn’t know, and changing the way you view interiors.

All that being said, before you judge an interior as ugly, dated, not original, or impractical, try to determine why it is that way.  Maybe it is exactly what the client wanted, and maybe to someone else, it is beautiful.

The quality of my work has been recognized by the editor of “Traditional Home” magazine. A home I decorated in Key West will be featured in their June 2010 issue. This type of experience for an interior designer is the equivalent of a ballplayer making the all-star team.  My work has also been selected to appear in the book “Interiors Southeast,” published by Panache. This book will showcase work by the top 50 designers in the southeast. The book is divided into three sections – mountain retreats, metro lifestyle and waterfront living. I will have projects in all three sections.

Although a fair amount of my work is out of town, I don’t think that makes me any less effective in town. In fact, I think travel helps broaden my design horizons. I am exposed to new products and new ways of using those products. I meet new people and experience new things, which I can bring back to local projects.

There have been many exciting things happen in my first decade with Todd Richesin Interiors and I am really excited to see what the next 10 years have to offer.