Surprise interior designer knows color of success

Surprise resident Dawn Pratt runs the interior-design business Classy Interiors by Dawn, from her home. Pratt focuses on color coordinating and does indoor makeovers for homes and businesses.

She recently made over a house owned by Glendale resident Sherry Simmons.

To show off her work, Pratt will hold an open house at Simmons' new space on Saturday, from 1 to 3 p.m. The home is located at 17715 N. 64th Drive.

At the open house, Pratt will describe some of the techniques she used, such as a painting application used to update, rather than replace kitchen cabinetry.

Question: What is the first thing you do before giving the inside of someone's home a new look?

Answer: The first thing I do is a consultation. We talk about things the client will be keeping so that I can build around that and fit everything together. That way, I can enhance the things they have as personal treasures. After that, I start to give them concrete plans and decide on a color palate.

Q: In Simmons' home, you did a bronze metallic finish on the kitchen ceiling and hung a slate and copper water fountain on a wall in the living room. How do you decide what creative touches a client might like?

A: I take inspiration from our working together. Also, setting does matter. Where is the home located? What is the style of the house? I then try to incorporate the client's personal lifestyle into the space. The key is to have a master plan. I don't make any purchases with out nailing a plan down first and getting sample quotes for everything. That way, when we move forward, the person can feel confident about putting it all together.

Q: What advice do you give to people who want to take on a decorating project themselves?

A: They need to think about the project as a whole. Don't just walk into a store and say, 'Oh, I like this and, oh, I like that,' because then when you get home, it might not all fit together. Draw a little sketch of where you'd like to place things, and then use masking tape to lay out where you might set a love seat or a chair. Be sure to measure the space, and don't overstuff your space by putting too much in.

For more information about Saturday's open house, or to reach Pratt, call 623-521-7088 or visit www.classyinteriorsbydawn.com.

Dawn Pratt