Meet the Designer: Sonia Centonze

HGTV.com: How was working with an actual homeowner/room on Designer Finals different from the classroom setting?
Centonze: In school, you often get to pick your client's profile and their taste and program end up "magically" matching yours. This is fun and as a student because you have a chance to explore your design style, but the reality of the profession is that you have to deal with and accommodate different styles. In my case, I had to step out of my contemporary comfort zone and into a more plush and traditional world. It was a good test, a real design final exam.

The experience was great. After the initial ambivalence (I would swing from "I am so thrilled to be doing this" to "what the heck did I get myself into?"), I immersed myself into the project and loved it. I was blessed to be assigned to clients such as Susan and Brooke (Floethe), with whom I clicked from the beginning and whose enthusiasm for the project was most contagious.

HGTV.com: What was your inspiration for the design?
Centonze: The inspiration came from books, my own personal experience and from Susan and Brooke, who had diligently done their homework and collected a few images of spaces they liked. They wanted their dining and living area to be Tuscan-inspired, so it was helpful that I had visited the Italian region a few times! The choice of warm colors was clear to me from the beginning. The real inspiration was making a connection between the outdoors (since to me that's a big part of what Tuscany is all about) and the area I was designing. So I brought in a few "outside" elements and tried to incorporate rustic touches into the design. Since my clients didn't mind an eclectic look as long as it was cohesive, I was able to assemble different styles in one area and still fulfill the Tuscan-inspired criterion.

HGTV.com: What did you learn from your experience on the show?
Centonze: The experience on Designer Finals allowed me to learn two important lessons. First, how important it is to be knowledgeable about the trades involved in the process. As a designer, you need to know all you can about construction, welding, sewing, carpentry, etc., otherwise you are at the mercy of other people's opinions and either cut yourself short or design something impossible to achieve. Basically, you need to know what can and can't be done. Case in point: the refacing of the fireplace in Susan and Brooke's living room. I was given all sorts of different opinions by the various tradespeople I spoke with. I ended up trusting my instincts and going for something that was difficult but doable. In the end, it all worked out perfectly (many thanks to Jason and Brett for their skilled and hard work).

The second thing I learned is how important details really are. All along I was committed to giving the Floethes a quality foundation, a strong skeleton if you will, to which they could add their own elements later on. So I focused most of my attention on the big ticket items neglecting, perhaps, some of the smaller details. The end result was exactly what I had planned and envisioned, but it seemed to lack my personal touch. Nothing major, but if I were to do it all over again I would devote a little more time to choosing the artwork and accessories.

HGTV.com: Is there any fun or interesting behind-the-scenes information to share?
Centonze: For the most part we were on schedule during the makeover, so I enjoyed the process without much stress. There was a moment, though, not long before the reveal, when my heart skipped a beat and I wondered whether I was going to have a major flop. The carpet around the fireplace area had been rolled back so that concrete could be poured to extend the hearth. The plan was that Susan would call a professional she knew to cut the carpet and tuck it back in, but she forgot and although it was my job to remind her, I forgot as well. When we realized what had happened, she got on the phone and amazingly managed to have the installer come by on time!

HGTV.com: Who is your favorite designer? What are your favorite interior design books and/or magazines?
Centonze: Personally, I enjoy designing spaces more than decorating them, so I tend to read more about architects than designers. I find inspiration in works that range from whimsical (like those of Hundertwasser or Gaudi) to contemporary (Legorreta, Calatrava, Isozaki, Gehry). I admire design that is both original and universal.
As for magazines, I subscribe to Interior Design and Dwell, but I also pick up individual issues of Natural Home, GA Houses and InDesign.

HGTV.com: Are there any other remarks you would like to make?
Centonze: Absolutely. The makeover turned out to be a great experience because of the people involved in it.
The TV crew was awesome (fun and professional). The homeowners were outstanding--friendly, open-minded and cooperative. Had they not been so nice and helpful, I would have been quite stressed. My mentor, Briggs MacDonald, was outstanding and deserves a special thank you for his encouragement and flexibility. Last but not least, ALL the volunteers were AMAZING! I was really lucky to end up with a group of people who were skilled, energetic, fun-loving and had the best of attitudes. It sounds so cliché, but I mean it...without them the makeover wouldn't have been half as successful.