Linda Woodrum is no stranger to the HGTV Dream Home project. In fact, the 2009 version will mark the 12th time she has been the interior designer on an HGTV Dream Home. In this interview with Residential Design & Build magazine, Linda discusses her goals for the home, how the location in California wine country affects the decisions she makes, and the importance of early and consistent communication with all members of the design and construction team.
How does the style of the house affect your interior-design plan?
The style of a house can totally drive the interior design, that is, a period house or historical house that becomes very true to its time or period. Or you can decide to identify what is positive about the style of a house and play that up and then have lots of fun and go a little crazy. It is always important to think about the people who are going to live in the house and what their needs are and what will make them be comfortable and love their home. It is all very personal and unique to each family, so that is really the starting point.
What do you have planned for the interior design on this project?
We are just about to choose the furniture for this amazing house and we just might have a few surprises planned. We have such a great ceiling height and it gives the rooms such an amazing airy feel. We will definitely play on that. Also, that incredible wine-country location and the type of lifestyle play in to the design style; casual, sophisticated and welcoming — the kind of home you just cannot wait to share with family and friends. For now we have to keep the specifics under wraps.
What are your goals for the home?
The home is just going to be so fabulous and already we have location, location, location. Add the wonderful design of the house itself, which is so part of the vernacular of the wine country. Lots of charm and the wonderful way it sits on the lot with the beautiful mature oak trees right in front makes it feel as if it has been there for years and years. And to be walking distance from downtown Sonoma is another gift. I feel like the home is already a very special dream package that we are just going to be having fun adding furniture to to complete an already very special home.
What are the challenges you anticipate?
I never think of what we do as challenging because it is so much fun. There is research to get to know the area and lifestyle of the area, but look where we are. We travel to a wonderful spot and stay in Sonoma and then work there. We get to shop for all the things that come together to make a home, from flooring, cabinets and plumbing hardware to furniture and dishes. Lots of fun things to look at and buy. It is just a great and wonderful, very fun job.
Did you work with the designer during the design process? How?
The best homes are the result of the clients, the architects and the interior designer working together, right from the beginning. The more input and conversations, the clearer the ideas everyone will have about what the clients really want in their home. Communication is the key.
Are you in contact with the builder during construction for any reason? Why?
Communication with the builder is so important, as is a good working relationship. The builder produces the end product and he is only as good as the information he gets from the people involved in the planning stages. Building a house is an immense project and when details about selections are not communicated to the builder in a timely and professional manner, there will be a lot of unhappy people before the project ends and maybe at the end.
![PHOTO](javascript:popup("http://img.hgtvpro.com/HPRO/2008/07/30/DH09_LindaWoodrum_bio_e.jpg",350,450))
