LUX Spring 2018

64 1802LU07 Designing Success Dorian DeHaan lives in Sugar Loaf, New York and is a Certified Interior Designer, classically trained with professional degrees in interior design and architecture. Both degrees were obtained at the prestigious Pratt Institute in New York City. Recently, we profiled Dorian to discover more about how her innovative techniques have established her as the successful designer she is today. Studying in Italy helped to refine Dorian’s connection to architectural classicism, which serves as the foundation of her designs and projects. Decades of experience have allowed her to become a master of her craft. With more than 30 years of practice, Dorian has evolved her design sensibilities, refining and sophisticating her work throughout the years. Her commitment to detail is exercised in all of her designs and helps to create interiors of magazine quality. Expertise in the remodeling industry allows Dorian to offer value added services to every client project. Unlike many interior designers, Dorian is very engaged in the entire construction process from start to finish. She says, “I offer my clients a unique design-build relationship, which means I am able to support them from demolition to hanging curtains.” Being an expert in on-site project development allows her to make specific design adaptations relevant to particular details of existing architectural spaces, particularly those that are historical in nature, since designs on paper rarely translate exactly to the existing architecture of a site. “Clients should be able to rely on me exclusively for execution of the entire design-build process. Designs are created, implementation plans are formulated, project teams are organized, and installations are commenced” says Dorian. She prefers a fully engaged approach. This allows for greater control of a smooth and detailed transition from the design concept to the fully completed interior spaces. Concurrent with the installation process, Dorian works with her clients to make final design selections and purchases. Her goal is to make the entire process as easy and stress free as possible. In this regard, she prefers to manage all aspects of the project herself, to ensure each step is completed thoughtfully. This also allows for the client-designer relationship to become more intimate than what is offered through larger design firms. Dorian learns the nuances of her clients likes and dislikes and is able to tailor the project at any moment to account for their particular needs. She uses Chief Architect, AutoCAD, and 20/20 design software as a means to document her designs and create visual 3D renderings of the proposed spaces. Dorian was pleased to have filmed with Home & Garden Television (HGTV), and has designed residences and commercial spaces all along the eastern seaboard of the United States, from Maine to Florida. She is currently in the process of designing a 6000sf home for a longtime client in central Florida, a 12-month endeavor to be completed next spring. Kitchen and bath design has become one of her specialties and she has carried her own cabinet line for over 20 years, a product proudly manufactured in the state of Minnesota. Becoming successful in the interior design business has not come without its challenges over the years. The greatest and ongoing challenge is educating legislators about the importance of passing laws that regulate the professional practice and title of ‘Interior Designer’. Because licensing of classically trained interior designers is not a mandate in all 50 states, there are many self-proclaimed decorators that call themselves interior designers who do not have the same training and skill sets that those with interior design educations have. Certified and licensed interior designers also find themselves competing for much of the same work as architects who have been fighting against interior design licensure for decades for fear of losing a market share of interior design business. Most often, the client does not know how to differentiate between the services offered by the decorator, interior designer, and architect. Many times, the client will hire a decorator thinking that they will be getting the same skill sets as an interior designer, and they do not understand the value-added professional services that are available to them if they hire an interior designer. They also don’t realize that they do not necessarily require an architect for proposed floor plan changes; hiring an interior designer can be less expensive, and more rewarding, for their particular project. Licensed and Certified Interior designers are required to be educated through an associate or bachelor degree program in interior design, have a required amount of work experience in the field, and pass the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam, a nationally recognized and comprehensive qualifying examination. The intensity of training and stringent licensing requirements ensure that the interior designer fully understands the underlying