Mount Ida Interior Design Students Spotlighted on HGTV’s Designer Finals
Seniors Celeste Aguilar (Plymouth, MA), Leah Duridas (Milford, MA), Jillian Leavitt (Eliot, ME) and Laura Radebaugh (Belchertown, MA) were selected to take part in HGTV’s interior design reality show, Designer Finals. Appearing in separate episodes, these students were given the unique opportunity to take what they’d learned in the classroom at Mount Ida and apply it to a real-world redesign.
Students began by interviewing the homeowners, after which they drew up plans that were reviewed by faculty and other mentors before being presented to their clients. Once designs were approved, the students had just 48 hours and $3,000 to complete the redesign.
Celeste designed a Tuscan inspired kitchen that included reconstructing the room’s entryway, and Laura managed the redo of a family room. Jillian made over a room for three college students that she dubbed “Mantown,” while Leah redesigned a room overlooking the ocean, incorporating bamboo to take advantage of the natural surroundings.
When choosing students to appear on the show, HGTV looks for schools that are accredited by the Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research (FIDER). Mount Ida is one of only a few colleges in the Boston area that can claim this prestigious accreditation.
Designer Finals reaches millions of homes each week and allows interior design students from around the country to showcase their skills and creativity. You can watch these Mount Ida students in action throughout late January and February.