Designers with diverse styles and projects keep the same thought uppermost in mind-to always reflect the clients taste, personality and style in fulfilling their goals. By Suzy Patterson

France Lavin, France Lavin Design

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ince 1987, France Lavin has been handling every aspect of interior design projects, from working with architects and contractors all the way through to installing the final accessories. But if you happen to be the impatient type, her intriguing new One-Day Designs service might be just what you crave.

     “This is my new favorite type of job,” enthuses Lavin. ‘It’s instant gratification. It’s like ‘Trading Spaces,’ except that you don’t have to trade!”

      For her One-Day Designs projects, Lavin teams up with fellow designer Rebecca Strobel to come in and totally redo a house in one day, using mostly the client’s same furniture and accessories.

     “At the end of the day, clients come back and they can’t believe it’s the same house,” she grins. “It’s fun to see their reactions. And it’s incredibly exciting to have such quick results!”

      Lavin describes her One-Day service as “fluffing.”

     “We move furniture, we change the paintings on the walls, we’ll even go out and shop for what’s needed,” she says. “But basically we just take what the client has and revitalize it by changing how it’s used. It can be absolutely beautiful.”

     For homeowners who want a fresh new look without investing time or money in a lengthy remodeling process, One- Day Designs has been a hugely popular success. Marvels one surprised client, “I never realized my house could be so warm and inviting!”

      Of course, Lavin still is sought out primarily for work of a more traditional scope in her chosen specialty of creative home remodels. “I do primarily residential work,” she says, ‘and I’m now doing more in the hospitality industry.”

      She has transformed not only residences in Denver, but vacation homes from Breckenridge to the New Jersey shore to the beaches of Naples, Florida.

     “My designs tend to be very elegant, but comfortable,” says Lavin. “Our environments are so important to us. Most of my clients know what makes them feel good, but don’t know how to create it. I work closely with them to achieve what they want.”

      Like most interior designers, Lavin quizzes her clients extensively about lifestyles, desires, and preferences. “I love people, and I end up being good friends with most of my clients,” she says. “They trust me to make what they want beautiful.”

      And for those wondering how to choose an interior designer, France Lavin has a practical bit of advice. ‘If you don’t want to have dinner with your designer… she’s not the right one for you.”

Suzy Patterson is an award-winning marketing consultant, copywriter, and freelance journalist who is a frequent contributor to Architecture & Design of the West and other publications.

Excerpted with permission from Architecture & Design of the West.