Category: Team

Meet Debbie – HDG’s very own senior interior designer and self-taught artist.

Experienced commercial interior designer Debbie has been with HDG for nearly 20 years. She’s worked on a wide range of projects and brought her special touch to each. Here, Debbie reveals what makes her work so distinctive:

When did you get into painting?

Ever since I was a child, I expressed myself in a creative form through painting, sketching, and drawing. Art has always been an integral part of my life, and it continues to be an outlet for me to relax and renew.

Have you ever worked in the industry as an artist?

I have been an interior designer for over 30 years and an artist for even longer. Prior to 2004, when I joined the HDG team, I worked as a professional artist designing and executing commissioned murals and art. As a side-line, I had the pleasure of teaching art at the elementary school level. It is deeply satisfying to know that my love of art has brought joy to others and inspired young people to explore their creativity. While I no longer work as a professional artist, art is and will remain my great passion. My work can be found throughout the homes of many residences of Darnestown.

Are you working on anything at the moment?

I take inspiration from nature, so right now, you’ll find me sitting on my the porch painting cicadas!

Does being an artist help you become a better designer?

Of course! Interior design is a 3-dimensional painting. The same concepts used in painting and drawing are analogous with interior design – proportion, color, texture, and lighting.

Do you have a painting tip for new artists?

There are no mistakes in art. You can tear it up, paint over it, change the art to something new and different, but there are no mistakes. The key is to express yourself and give light to the creative person within you.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Nature is my inspiration. We are blessed with the most beautiful colors and textures in our natural environment.

Meet Christine, our one-of-a-kind interior designer, and tea maker!

Christine’s passion for tea-making started when she was on a hunt for some nerdy-themed teas for a party. An acquaintance pointed her towards a website where they had a “create your own” function and her passion blossomed from there.

+ How do you pick the flavor profiles?

My three current collections are all Disney-themed, so I try and pull from the movies and the characters for what inspires the flavors: roses and strawberries for Alice in Wonderland, Earl Grey and cream for Beauty & the Beast, etc.

+ What’s a great lesson you’ve learned pursuing this hobby?

I’ve learned about different taste profiles and how to tell what flavors match whether I enjoy them or not: I make no money from this but do donate my 5% to charity and so I want to put together teas that people will enjoy. Sometimes that means stepping outside my comfort zone in terms of taste, so I’ve learned to gauge how to fit those flavors together. Fortunately, I have plenty of guinea pigs… I mean, tea-loving friends who are willing to accept a care package of teas to taste-test for me.

+ How do you find time while working a full-time job?

Typically, I’ll only create one or two blends at a time and just take maybe a half hour to put a blend together while I’m watching Netflix. Each blend requires its own artwork, which is what takes the longest: for my current collections I’m pulling from existing artwork that I have laying around, so it doesn’t take that long. Currently I’m working on some different artwork for my next collection, which is taking a little more time.

+ What’s your next tea collection?

My next collection is “Pangolins in hats”, which will have 8 teas that I’m releasing weekly! Pangolins enjoy the distinction of being the most trafficked animal in the world, to the point where it’s directly responsible for their “endangered” status. I learned about them while choosing charities for a different tea, so I decided to do a collection where every tea was linked to the Pangolin Conservation charity.

Meet Karla… an HDG All Star!!!
Passion for design goes beyond interior design. Apart from being a key member of the HDG design team, Karla has a passion for baking that rises to any occasion.

Let’s do a little Q & A:

+ How did you become interested in baking, Karla?

“I have been interested in baking since I was a child. My mother baked for us all the time, and I loved watching her turn raw materials into something beautiful. As a college student, I became immersed in the world of baking when working part-time at a bakery. There I learned the magic and art of pastries. Five years ago, I found myself suddenly jobless. A friend suggested that I take orders to bake cakes while looking for another full-time job. Slowly, by word of mouth, my clientele grew to what it is today”.

+ How do you find time while working a full-time job?

“When you love what you do it doesn’t feel like work. Most days, I go straight to the kitchen for 3-4 hours. People tend to underestimate the number of hours that go into making a cake, especially when it involves making fondant figurines. On an average, it takes me about 8-12 hours per cake. It is a labor of love and I am inspired by each creation”.

The HDG team is delighted to feature Karla as one of our All Stars!!!