'Trading Spaces' designer visits Normal
By Karen Blatter Central Illinois native does signingNORMAL — One furniture store. About 500 people. One "Trading Spaces" designer. Hundreds of autographs. Trading Spaces designer Doug Wilson trekked to Lippmann's Furniture Store, 207 Landmark Drive, Normal, on Saturday for two hours of signing autographs on anything from a piece of wood to an arm to a new pillow for the decorating of a show-inspired room. Wilson, a Champaign-area native, is one of six designers on the show where neighbors or friends use 48 hours, $1,000 and their own manpower to totally transform a room in each other's homes. The Learning Channel show has what some may call a cult following. People watch the show religiously. Some steal ideas from the show. On Saturday, two women even begged Wilson to come to Bloomington-Normal to trade spaces with them. Wilson wants Central Illinois viewers to keep their fingers crossed that the show will come to the region. "We are not scheduled for season three, but hopefully season four," he said. "I am trying to push them to my hometown area (of Champaign). I hope it happens." The first show of the third season airs next Saturday. Ashley Park, 12, of Bloomington had Wilson sign a wood board that she intends to use in her new blue room, which was inspired by one of Wilson's designs. "He has unique ideas of what to do with wood," she said. "We are working on a room right now, with a canopy over the bed and blue is my favorite color." Lucile Handley of Normal was the first in line to get an autograph from Wilson. She arrived at the store at about 8:45 a.m. and Wilson arrived at 10 a.m. "He is a very nice and handsome guy," she said. "I watch every day. (I have been inspired) by the ways of putting things on walls, the loud colors and ways of arranging furniture." Handley said the only design she really did not like was one in which designer Hilda Santo-Tomas put hay on the walls. Designs praisedDuring his visit, Wilson also was complimented many times on his fireplace "cover" from the episode "Seattle: 137th Street." In that episode, one couple said they did not want anything done to their brick fireplace, but the designer covered it with white wood. The room, which formerly had a country look, was redecorated in a modern style. The homeowner cried when she saw the redecorated room, and began tearing down the fireplace cover before TLC's camera crew left her home. Wilson said his favorite part of the show is the designer exit interviews. He said he usually has about a week and a half to plan the room and buy supplies before the first day of taping. Lippmann's manager Josh Murray said people called him all week to find out when the designer was going to be in the store. "People are really excited to meet him," he said. "People started lining up early. They really want to meet him." Photos of Wilson were sold for him to sign for $5 to benefit the Humane Society of Central Illinois. A total of $840 was raised. And for all those followers, fellow "Trading Spaces" designer Laurie Hickson-Smith had her baby on Thursday. She named her son Gibson Witherspoon. |
