Interview by Lori Bizzoco. Written by Meghan Khameraj.
Leanne Ford took the interior design world by storm and made a name for herself with a now-famous 1907 schoolhouse renovation in Pittsburgh, her hometown. The home which is referred to as The Schoolhouse Project was featured in Country Living Magazine, and helped cement her career. Since then, Ford, whose designs are best described as modern, yet lived-in, continues to build a following with her signature “white on white” aesthetic. She leads design projects in Pennsylvania, New York, and Los Angeles and is a published author and HGTV staple on top of it all.
In our celebrity interview, Leanne Ford gives us valuable interior design advice and insight into her upcoming projects.
In a recent celebrity interview with CupidsPulse.com, Ford gives interior design advice and discusses her busy schedule full of new projects. She even gets personal and reveals some design details in her child’s nursery.
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The house and specifically the bathroom, that solidified Leanne Ford’s reputation was The Schoolhouse Project. This project recognized her white and minimalist aesthetic, as the walls of the main living area were painted white, but the floor was left black for the perfect contrasting touch. In the bathroom, she knocked out the crawl space to create room for the bathtub. Though Ford’s style was unique and grabbed the attention of the design world, when asked about the biggest risk she’s ever taken, this was not one she would count in that category. “Honestly, everything is a risk in some form,” the designer says. “If you’re not making yourself nervous, you aren’t doing anything special.”
In addition to the time she spends on interior design projects, Ford and her brother Steve can be seen renovating old homes on their HGTV hit show, Restored By The Fords which is slated to come back for Season 3 early next year. She also recently appeared on A Very Brady Renovation and the new competition show, Rock The Block.
On A Very Brady Renovation, which premiered September 9th, the six surviving members of The Brady Bunch cast came together with current HGTV stars to renovate the San Fernando Valley house used in exterior shots on the series. Ford says, “We just knew we had to get it right…we were not accepting anything less than perfect on that place.” As for Rock The Block, which premieres on October 21st, four of HGTV’s brightest stars, including Leanne Ford, square off in a home renovation showdown. Ironically, Ford admits that she’s “the least competitive person, probably, like ever.” However, she did mention that there is a healthy competition among the other women on the show.Â
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Although she is kept extremely busy on professional projects, Ford and her husband are focused on their family. In March they welcomed their first daughter, Ever Allen Ford. When asked if there was anything special about the baby’s nursery design, Ford says that she didn’t have a pre-determined vision. However, she tells us that the baby has a “Love Wall,” going on to explain that this is a wall of “love letters and sweet things” that she and her husband have given to each other over the years.
Design ideas like sentimental additions to her daughter’s nursery seem to come naturally for the HGTV reality star. However, to some couples, a redesign could destroy a marriage or relationship. When it comes to working through how your home will look when you are a couple, Ford gives us some healthy relationship advice, explaining how two people can come to an agreement on differing design opinions and the risks of making a big change in your home. She says compromise is the best way to keep the peace at home. It sounds like picking your battle is important. To reduce nerves when it comes to a big home renovation she says, “It doesn’t mean that everything has to go away…if you want to do it, you’re going to love it!”
A busy schedule won’t stop Leanne Ford! On top of her numerous design gigs and being a mother, Ford has no plans to slow down anytime soon. Check out Leanne Ford on Rock the Block, premiering October 21st on HGTV.
Keep up with Leanne on Twitter @HeyLeanneFord and Instagram.
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