HGTV Design Star & Chicago’s Own Tiffany Brooks: Classic Design with a “Little Funk”
So from week to week, I bit my nails as Tiffany designed a kitchen, loft, a school bus (yes a school bus!), and finally a hotel suite. She was lively, engaging and her designs were creative and colorful. I’m so glad I didn’t turn, but stayed glued to each episode because … she won! (See the winning moment here!)
Many don’t understand the significance of seeing an African American woman win this competition. But it’s not just winning HGTV Design Star that was significant. Black Interior Designers are few and far between. Tiffany was interviewed by the Huffington Post and asked about the lack of black designers working as full-time professionals. She had this to say,
“We are a rarity in the design field; it’s something I have noticed. We are so talented and creative as African Americans. We were born with something inside of us; we have stories to tell; we have the gift of history to relate to, and we can translate that into interiors, fashion, photography, art, everything. I just don’t want black people as a culture to fall into the mold of “I have to go get a business degree … and just work, work, work in an office setting. That’s what I find. Even talking with friends, they’re [often] doing something that’s not really a true passion. I don’t know if black people as a whole shy away from their passion and that could be the reason. Are we systematically trained to think that we can’t do what we love to do everyday at work?”
Tiffany told Huffington Post that she did not realize what her true passion was until she was 30 years old. She was working in high-end property management. Her boss had her do a model unit and the model won an award. She beat people who had been staging model homes for 20 or more years. It was then that her passion was unleashed. She made a bet with her boss that if the model won an award, she would go into interior design full-time.
Thankfully, Tiffany won the award, went into Interior Design full-time, auditioned for HGTV Design Star and won! Amazing proof that it’s never too late to pursue that which has being lying dormant inside of you. She is now named one of the Top 20 African American Designers in America.
Tiffany’s design style is what she calls, “classic with a twist” or “classic with a little bit of funk.” The way she infuses color is funky indeed. It makes even me (a self-avowed monochromatic devotee) adore color. Take a look …
This purple sofa and tailored ottoman is everything! It’s bold yet feminine. Tiffany designed the artwork above the sofa and explains how simple it is to create here.
We absolutely love this room. One of Tiffany’s signatures is to create silhouettes in her designs. And this pop of berry is stunning!
This South Loop condo is fabulous. Tiffany often grounds a room by using neutrals and adds splashes of vibrant colors. In this room, the silk pillows, and dining room chairs upholstered with African fabrics makes this room warm and wonderful.
We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Tiffany. She’s a force to be reckoned with. To contract with Tiffany or see more of her designs, please visit Tiffany Brooks Interiors or her brand new digs in Grayslake, Illinois. You may also visit her on HGTV.
VeraLisa Davis
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