Showhouses have become quite the topic of conversation lately. And in MY conversations, the big question is are they just silly, or fantastically-savvy?

Maybe I’m just moody. Or maybe I’m missing the point.  Actually I’m quite positive I’m missing the point as I understand that showhouses are meant to stimulate the senses and inspire. But MY point is why do something that simply is not possible?

When I tour a designer showhouse, I don’t wear my designer hat. I’m just like everyone else, trying to get inspired with new ideas, creative solutions and when I see things that are just ridiculous I have to call them out. For instance, who on God’s great Earth would place a Monet over their bathtub!?

Now THIS makes sense!

Or how about filling a bathtub with dirt and real plants? I guess someone somewhere might want to try this. I just don’t know anyone. My inner monologue went a little something like this: “Well, watering them is a cinch, and drainage isn’t a problem either. Do people put live worms in the soil to enrich the quality and help their plants grow?”

Showhouses are fundraisers, and they are made possible because of the kindness of the manufacturers and showrooms that loan out their product for its use. So when money isn’t involved, of course the sky is the limit with creativity…but not always sensibility or practicality.

I was involved with a showhouse that was owned by one of the NY Giants football stars. Can you imagine the designer’s delight when a top sneaker brand agreed to raise the bar on footwear collections by getting involved in this showhouse? Hundreds and hundreds of sneakers lined the shelves of his shoe closet. All it managed to do for me was piss me off.

I guess I couldn’t relate…and I want to be able to relate!

How do you feel about showhouses? Should designers keep it real or should there be no-holds-barred? Let’s continue the conversation on my Facebook page!

I thought we’d start out the new year with a little peek into my mind, my heart and my design philosophy.

So here’s just a little bit about me as we embark on 2011 together…

I received a Bachelor of Accountancy at The George Washington University, followed up with a degree from The New York School of Interior Design. From there I worked with some of the leading designers in New York City before forming my own firm in 1998.

We’ve made some amazing accomplishments since then, including a 25 out of 28 rating with Zagat Survey Top Decor Ranking for our work on Harvest Bistro, a high-end restaurant in northern New Jersey. I was also featured in The Perfect Home: Leading Residential Interior Designers, a book published in 2006 by Sandow Media.

My work has taken me all over the tri-state area, along with some projects in Florida, but it’s also afforded me the ability to support various fundraisers.

I attribute our success as a firm to how we view interiors and the role they play in our daily lives. They affect our productivity, stress management, happiness and beyond. We keep practicality, order and function in the forefront of our designer’s eye…ahem, I mean eyes…oh, and minds.

Most importantly though we work WITH you, not AGAINST you, to achieve your design goals. Don’t get me wrong, I will always tell it like it is, but my work is an extension of the character of my client. To learn how we can work together, please contact me at 201-387-1474, or visit our Web site.

Let’s explore this new year together!