Q You didn't plan to be a TV remodeling host. What did you think your dream job was going to be?
A I didn't know what I wanted to be until I grew up. But I was the kid who was always rearranging the furniture in the living room.
Q How fast do you do those TV remodels?
A We do a meet-and-greet with the homeowners, assess the bathroom and we start smashing stuff up Day One. It happens in seven to 10 days.
Q A professional interior designer told me recently the problem with shows like yours is that they lead people to believe they can totally redo their homes well for $15. How do you respond?
A She's absolutely right.
Q So as a professional designer, how do you combat that misconception?
A The one big issue in interior design is a lack of legitimacy in the field, a lack of people seeing it as an occupation, like people who say, "I have a good eye for color and now I'm a designer." When you work with a professional designer, you pay them to sit around and think about your project. For me, it's a goal to show there are real costs involved in good design, but also real possible savings by doing some of these things yourself -- but to convey the reality part of it.
