The Designer Within Competition

The designer within 2010 @ SPIRE is an interior design competition televised on Rocky Mountain PBS last month. I, along with approximately a hundred or so local interior designers met to compete for the top three spots and the chance to transform the interior of one of three SPIRE identical floor plans. The units were all basic with kitchen and bathroom already completed, but the paint selection, drapery, furnishings, decorations and art were completely up to each designer. The selection process was based 100% on a design board.

Each designer was given a 20″ x 30″ foam core board to create their vision for the space. Boards were narrowed down and the final three were selected. Unfortunately, I was not one of the three, but I enjoyed the process immensely. Design boards are an art form in themselves and can express such individuality, though you might think they are all much the same. I was reminded how different each designer is when I saw how many different interpretations interior design competition boardand formats for the same space and board.

I’ve attached a photo of my board and closeup of the sketch with colored pencil lift off. I wish I’d had the opportunity to execute the design as I particularly was excited about the color combination and mix of textures. My design concept had grey striped fabric for the drapery in the living room. A snap tab style would have been clean and modern, yet still add the warmth of drapery. The rest of the living room was accented with a rather funky yellow gold, teal velvet and cream ottomans, plus asian inspired carved wood entertainment center. For the dining room I selected heavily textured faux leather in cream for the chairs and a walnut table. The master bedroom was a combination of open weave linen textile for the windows and pale lavender and golds – definitely designed more for a single woman or a couple. The more linear lines balanced out the fabrics with a masculine feel. I also wanted to add some greenery and bring the outdoors in a bit. Live plants bring great energy to a space, and complement the industrial finishes while defining the space as a home!

I love the look of the SPIRE. It’s chic, clean and crisp. Amazing communal spaces and entertainment areas were really thought out and designed very smartly. I wanted to capture that feeling and style, so the transition from public space to private space would flow well and seem cohesive. Yet, I still wanted the unit to have a personality of its own and reflective of a sophisticated, urban couple or individual. I also envisioned the space being both hip and chic, but not so trendy to be short-lived. I wanted to create a space that was fresh and somewhat unexpected in a timeless way.

interior design sketch for spire projectCheck out the competition. I may not have been selected, but I did make the cut with a brief interview on the video and my board is shown and complimented as well, or at least I’m pretty sure they are talking about promising design when my board is shown:). I hope you enjoy watching the series as much as I did. This design exercise really sparked my vision for the SPIRE. I enjoy the challenge of taking a rather spartan space with cold concrete for ceilings, etc and breathing new life and energy into it without compromising the buildings design aesthetic!