Designer of the Year Award Tops Thrilling Night

What’s more nerve-wracking, starting a new design project for an excited new client whose trust and confidence I’ve not yet earned; starting a new design project for an existing client whose expectations are now quite high because they think you’re the “IT” girl; sitting at an awards dinner amongst peers when you know you’re up for an award, or – – – bathing suit shopping.

Yes to all of the above. But other than the bathing suit shopping – it all usually turns out well!

Donna Hoffman Award photo with Mark Brunetz
Me with TV host and interior designer Mark Brunetz.

Here’s a look at a recent project for which The Interior Design Society bestowed upon me the great honor of a 1st place Designer of the Year Award. It was a thrilling night. Here’s a look at the wonderfully beautiful project, done for a wonderfully beautiful family and – like all my clients – people who I have grown so fond of after working with them for months on end to get to the great finish line called “beautiful interior.”

(Interiors by Donna Hoffman)
Award Winning Family Room (Interiors by Donna Hoffman)

This is a family room/library transformation done in a classic “blue and white.” The challenges in the space were many, including:  an off-center fireplace (AND the client’s hated it aesthetically too); a tremendous lack of windows in the main room (hence my decision to add so much glass detailing in the cabinetry & light fixtures in the library area); the adjoining enclosed porch meant to house the new library zone which was terribly narrow; the existing down sofa that set off a client allergy, and green and pink color palette and design which did not please the clients very much.

Living Room Before (Interiors by Donna Hoffman)
Living Room Before (Interiors by Donna Hoffman)

Through strategic use of design principle and color, line and rhythm, we managed to turn this center of the home just off the kitchen into a marvelous family room that is at once relaxed but also refined and elegant. It’s now a great place for lounging, sharing, working, playing, entertaining – all with an adjoining very sweet and highly functional Mother/Daughter office/library. Mom is a successful professional who wanted a great place for work-at-home days and one that would allow the company of her 2 young daughters to “work” from home with her. All this was to happen while Dad enjoyed sitting by the fire and watching the game near the ladies he loves. I hear there’s a lot of family snuggling going on in the family room now! Music to this designer’s ears.

Room Detailing

Rug in Main Family Room:  Custom by Delos (custom colored and sized, hand-tufted)
Rug in Library Section:  Custom pieced and sewn by IDH local workroom
Window Treatments:  Custom designed by IDH and produced in local workroom
Custom Cabinetry:  Designed by IDH  and produced in local workroom
Demi Coffee Table:  Custom designed by IDH and produced in local workroom
Upholstery:  Kravet, casegoods – Hickory Chair & Lexington, fabrics & trims – Kravet and Stout

I will share also that as the attendees at the awards dinner (all professional designers) viewed the before and after images on the large screen, there were many ooohs and ahhs – big transformations in the space that perfectly suited the clients to a tee – which is what we do:  “fits like a glove” luxury interiors that are elegant, tailored and of course beautiful…

Award winningDonna headshot and in-demand Princeton interior designer and former QVC show host Donna Hoffman is a nationally featured design expert in print and TV including vehicles like Family Circle, Real Simple, Country Accents, CNBC.com and ABC. She heads up the Bucks County interior design group specializing in classic interiors that have 10+ years of staying power. For residential clients, marrying smart design to your individual design fingerprint — your “Interiority” — leads to the rooms clients love to live in, look at — and never want to leave. For commercial clients, well developed design skill combined with branding and marketing expertise results in business environments that enhance your client experience, perception and experience.