My life is about having relationships with people who trust me to tell their stories. The only way I know to design is personally. For me, decorating is not about any one style or strategy. It’s about listening to my clients and learning how they imagine living life in their homes. The key is to ask the right questions and create an atmosphere of openness. I am passionate about people and love learning their stories.
My professional story begins in Atlanta, Georgia with the formation of my first firm Dilger Gibson with then partner, Fred Dilger. Thanks to the support of Elton John, our fledgling firm garnered the May 2000 cover story of Architectural Digest featuring the homes we had designed for him in the South of France and Atlanta, Georgia. Soon thereafter I moved to New York City and began my own firm.
When a client calls, I start by inviting them to my atelier located in a townhouse close to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. My goal as a designer is to satisfy my client’s needs on the deepest level. Nothing matters more to me than making them happy. Maybe that is why several of my clients have become some of my closest friends and I am proud to say most of my clients are repeat customers returning to ask me to design more than one home.
My projects range in style and location. I’ve designed London townhouses, New York City lofts, island retreats, and country estates. There is no typical project, not even for the same client. The only constant I’ve found is in the approach: personal design really means getting to know my clients and discovering both how they want to live in their home and how they want to get there. The destination is always worth it, and I can promise that the journey will be fun.
Good press has always been appreciated, but word of mouth is how I’ve gotten most of my work. Whether it’s a celebrity home or the many other homeowners of all walks of life, chances are they got my name and number after they went to a party at a friend’s home and asked, “Who's your decorator?”
For nearly twenty years, I’m grateful to have had many wonderful clients whose homes have been featured on the pages of Architectural Digest. I’m honored to be a regular on the AD 100, the most celebrated list in design that acknowledges the 100 best architects and interior designers around the world.
When Architectural Digest turned 100, they commemorated this milestone with a coffee table book, “A Century of Style”, featuring the best homes from the last 100 years. It’s a thrill to say my East Village townhouse was among those interiors. My firm has also been recognized on the Elle Decor A - List and my work has been shown in magazines and design books worldwide.