Meet our 2011 Ones to Watch Nominees

On Wednesday, April 13^th, The Washington Design Center will present three prominent young designers with the second annual Ones to Watch award. This award recognizes and honors exceptionally talented, up-and-coming designers in the DC region who have been in the design business, on their own, for 10 years or less.  Our showrooms nominated 13 designers, who all demonstrate marvelous work. Here is an introduction:

Emily Bishop ASID, Emily Bishop Interior Design

 

Finding inspiration in color, travel, music and underground pop culture, Emily seeks to create interiors that positively change the way individuals perceive the environments in which they live and work. Her designs—which combine classic proportions with clean modern lines—reflect more than a decade spent honing her technique.

 

Iantha Carley, Iantha Carley Interiors:

 

Iantha is very familiar with The Washington Design Center, having worked in the Kravet, Lee Jofa and Century showrooms.  Iantha Carley Interiors is dedicated to creating living spaces that are reflections of your lifestyle.  They go beyond trendy to create spaces that are stylish and timeless, yet functional.

 

Scott Cooke, Scott Cooke Design:

 

Cooke’s love of design was nurtured early in life by his paternal grandfather, Dr. Andrew B. Cooke, who commissioned famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright to build the Cooke House, on an acre of lakefront property three blocks from the ocean in Virginia Beach. Spending extended time in the home as a child left an indelible imprint, and a love of simple, yet dramatic proportion, which is the mainstay of Cooke’s design sensibility.

 

 

Julie Dastvan, Dastvan Designs Inc.:

 

From color consultations to bathroom and kitchen renovations Julie works with each client as if they were her only client. Her clients have come to appreciate Julie’s ability to repurpose existing pieces and integrate new ones, to find creative solutions to various design challenges, to nudge her clients towards new color palates, and to know that she is as invested in their home as they are.

 

Zoe Feldman, Zoe Feldman Design

 

Drawing inspiration from the traditional style reminiscent of her New York training and education with her early exposure to modern art and design, Zoe works with clients to create a space to suit their personal needs.  Her finely tuned knowledge of color, detail and function allows her to work in a range of styles to construct a signature look tailored to reflect the space in which she is working.

 

Barbara Franceski, Barbara Franceski LLC

 

Barbara Franceski creates interiors with lots of personality that are at once elegant, interesting, and inviting.  By blending classical with contemporary, she consistently delivers beautifully detailed homes.  Her hallmark is thoughtful customization – designing luxurious, unique spaces that seem perfectly at ease within their environment.

 

Samantha Friedman, Samantha Friedman Interior Designs:

 

Samantha Friedman Interior Designs, a personalized interior design company, is the culmination of over 15 years of experience serving clients and offering creative and luxurious solutions to their everyday needs.  As an interior designer, her goal is to create a livable design and make you as comfortable in your own home as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A charming nursery by Samantha Friedman

 

 

 

 

 

Samantha Friendman's Dining Room from the Spring 2009 WDC DreamHome

 

Lee Gorsky, Lee G. Designs

 

Lee Gorsky brings her innovative design sense and keen eye to every project. She creates interiors that are as beautiful as they are functional. From the smallest detail to the big picture, everything is taken into consideration when designing spaces to complement her clients’ lifestyles.

 

 

 

 

Catherine Hailey, Hailey Design LLC

 

 

Hailey Design helps the client determine how the space can best accommodate your needs by taking into consideration the function of the space as well as the aesthetic. Working with the client to achieve a space that you will love to spend time in is our primary goal.

 

 

 

 

  

Liz Levin, Liz Levin Interiors

 

Liz Levin’s design vision blends high and low, marrying price points, colors and time periods to create interiors that command interest and captivate with charm. Often faced with the challenges of family dwellings and first time furniture buying jitters, Liz’s team delivers comfortably modern and exciting interiors with a twist. They develop flexible and forgiving solutions for modern living that evolve with your lifestyle to become more comfortable and reflective of your individuality.

Will McGovern, McGovern Design Studio LLC

 

Will McGovern

 

McGovern Design Studio offers a full range of Interior Design, Interior Architecture and Historic Preservation Services.  Their diverse portfolio includes a range of Multi-family Residential Developments, Luxury Single-family Residences, Boutique Hotels, Nightclubs, Specialty Commercial Projects and Branded Environments.

 

The Winter Garden at the Jefferson Hotel. Photo courtesy of ForrestPerkins

 

 

 

Marika Meyer, Marika Meyer Interiors

Marika Meyer Interiors is a full service interior design firm specializing in residential design. The firm’s approach is to merge classic and transitional elements resulting in elegant and sophisticated environments that are also approachable. Marika’s designs reference the architectural integrity of each project, encouraging a harmony of structure and interiors.

 

Erin Paige Pitts, Erin Paige Pitts Interiors

 

Erin’s work ranges from the elegance of formal settings in urban homes to the warmth and cozy appeal of cottages and coastal homes. She continually strives to create interiors that have longevity by using classical elements of the past in a modern and unique way.

All 13 of these notable designers will be celebrated next Wednesday, and three will be announced as the “Ones to Watch” standouts. Who’s your pick?

Click here to RSVP for the reception at 5 p.m. in the Kravet showroom.