Article Number : 646 |
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| Date | 11/2/2005 9:06:24 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=646 |
| Abstract | New York—Sue Rodner, an Interiors by Decorating Den (IDD) decorator/franchisee in Gatersburg, Md., has been named the van franchisor’s Decorator of the Year for 2004... |
| Article | New York—Sue Rodner, an Interiors by Decorating Den (IDD) decorator/franchisee in Gatersburg, Md., has been named the van franchisor’s Decorator of the Year for 2004. Rodner won the buying group’s 20th annual Dream Room Contest which IDD sponsors for its members as a way for them to show off their work to “an astute panel” of judges from a cross section of shelter and trade magazines, of which Floor Covering News has represented the flooring industry for the past decade. Rodner also received two first place honors in the contest’s individual categories for her Bathroom and Window Treatment designs. The Decorator of the Year honor was bestowed upon her for her makeover in the Bedroom category. In addition to Rodner, two other designers were honored for their interior excellence. Karan Booream of Harwick, Mass., won first runner-up for her Living Room design, and Myriam Payne of Weston, Fla., received second place for her Dining Room makeover. “If it were not for our annual contest I would never have been as fully aware of how talented our interior decorators are,” said Carol Donayre Bugg, IDD’s vice president and director of design. “They take average, outdated spaces and transform them into awesome, fashionable rooms that address the practical needs and personal dreams of their clients. Because of them, I have had the pleasure of compiling four books based on their extraordinaire work, with my latest being ‘Creating Great Guest Rooms.’” For Rodner, who started her franchise business in 2000, “the work that is submitted is just fabulous. I feel humbled to be among the other designers who entered. “My clients are just as excited and proud as I am knowing they are working with the Decorator of the Year,” she added. “They have a new-found appreciation for me and my work.” In order to be named Decorator of the Year, Rodner competed against 300 other design projects in 12 categories submitted by Interiors franchisees. To determine the winners, judging took place at New York’s Doral Plaza. Entries were displayed by category: bedroom, dining room, home office, living room, commercial, bathroom, etc. Members must adhere to the contest rules, which are relatively simple-to-follow. For example, entries must be submitted on story boards and include before and after photographs of the project with the after picture to be taken professionally; a description of the job, including the desires and wishes of the client; budget; time frame; any special restrictions or themes with which they had to work, etc. Judges were then asked to pick individual category winners, along with their second and third place choices based on a set of criteria established by IDD. After the individual category winners are determined, they are then judged together to ascertain the Decorator of the Year. Making its first appearance was the People’s Choice Award which was judged by the group’s franchisees at their annual conference. The winners were: Payne, for her Dining Room design, first place; Bobalea Driskill of Fort Worth, Tex., in the Misc. category, second place, and Connie Thompson of Washington, N.J., won third place for her Family Room makeover. Because IDD recognizes itself as a “custom retail/design service company,” the Dream Room Contest is a way to help its members “further enhance their portfolios; recognize, reward and promote franchise owners and decorators on a local, regional, national and international level, and promote the franchisor’s three main principles of design—creative problem solving, lifestyle design concepts and using the company’s preferred suppliers and products.” For more information about IDD, call 317/471-4999. —Kathlene Vercellino |