A chat with “Top Design’s” Big Daddy
September 29, 2008 at 11:14 pm by Helen Herbst in A&E
Kerry Howard, or “Big Daddy,” of Cumming, Ga.’s Howard House Interiors, was a much-loved contestant on the second season of Bravo’s “Top Design.” He was eliminated in episode three when his team’s design (he was paired with fellow contestant Wisit Prapong, who was not eliminated) failed to satisfy their client, Jeffrey Sebelia – winner of “Project Runway” season three – in the window display challenge. I spoke to him about the show, his business and the allure of Atlanta (and its housewives).
So, how was “Top Design?”
It was phenomenal. I had a great time. It was the experience of a lifetime.
What would you say your design style is? Do you have a specialty?
I’m very transitional, which, to me, is defined as a mixture of old and new. I love mixing old architectural elements with new modern pieces, such as a Barcelona chair or really high-end leather. I really just enjoy a challenge to mix old and new things to form an eclectic field.
You were very diplomatic when you got cut in episode three. Were you upset that you didn’t get another chance to prove yourself on an individual challenge?
Yeah, I would have loved to prove myself on an individual basis, but I think the end result was, you know, everything happens for a reason, and it was just my time to go. If I was to do it all over again, I would have loved to start the whole show with an individual challenge, so America could see our personal style, but that’s just the way the ball rolled for me, so I just have to go with the flow.
Have you watched Blade Runner yet [the film his client, Jeffrey Sebelia, wanted his space to be designed around, in Howard’s losing challenge]?
No, I have not. I’m not a real big sci-fi person, but I have gotten an overabundance of clips from people around the country. I have an idea of it, I’m just not a big sci-fi person.
What was your biggest disappointment on the show?
That I had to go home. That was the biggest disappointment overall. I just wanted to be there, to make it to the top three, and it was just shocking for me to have to go home at such an early part of the game. Like I said, it was just beyond my control at that point. I know that other things are going to come out of it, it’s going to be a great experience for me, and it will be something that will follow me for the rest of my career. The overwhelming response that I have gotten from people I don’t even know – I’ve gotten marriage proposals, boyfriends, whatever. I’ve got people who want to come and work for me, work for free, and I was just impressed. Impressed and kinda scared at the same time. It’s been great though.
You’re originally from Easley, S.C. Would you say there’s a certain design aesthetic that comes along with being in the South? How did your upbringing influence you as a designer?
I think being in the South that – even still today, I’m working out of home in South Carolina now, in my hometown – people are so traditional. It’s hard for me to find any pieces of furniture that are even eclectic, you know? My family has a furniture store, and I stopped by yesterday, just to see if I could go through some of their books. One of the sales ladies was looking at what I selected and said, “Oh, that would never sell here.”
It’s so funny how my mindset has changed because when I lived at home and first started my design career, I was ultra-traditional. Because that’s the way I was brought up. But in my career I’ve placed myself in awkward positions working with people who worked with contemporary, modern – purposely to make myself step out of my box, and that has helped develop the designer and the person that I am, being able to push that envelope. It’s so funny – just yesterday I realized how much I’ve really changed from when I used to live in South Carolina to living in a sort of metropolitan area now.
Tell us a little about Howard House Interiors.
The end of October will be my fifth-year anniversary. Previous to moving to the north Atlanta area, I lived in Dublin, Ga., for four years as a design director for a large furniture company there. And my dream was always to be in Atlanta, as long as I can remember, so finally I was so sick of working in small-town America, I just packed my clothes up in my car, left my home – I rented it, but I left it furnished – left everything. I made a decision in a week and moved up here into a friend’s [house] – a friend that I went to college with, her mom had a space to rent. She helped me get my business started. I moved up here on Saturday, and I had my first job on Monday. I had just started calling people that I had worked with and said, “You know, I’m on my own now.” I had started off doing showroom work. I designed furniture showrooms throughout the country, for Broyhill furniture industries. So I was calling these people because I thought if I could just get a cash-flow in, then I can get my feet wet with residential.
Another friend from college who lived in Atlanta said, “I have a friend at work who needs somebody.” She worked at Bellsouth at the time, and one thing led to another, and think I ended up designing four or five homes for people at Bellsouth, for that lady and her little pool of workers there. And one person told another person, and it’s just blossomed from there, unbelievably. This is the first time I’ve actually done any marketing for my work, and honestly, what I think helps me so much is the fact that I really work hard to get to know the people I’m working with, and I’m really, really budget conscious with their money. Even today, as tight as things are. I’m not a big flashy person, I don’t try to put on airs to be something that I’m not. If I go to somebody’s home, I want to be very conscious. I actually try to interview people, and I want to know, “How do you live in that space? Who lives in it? Do you have small children? What stage of life are they in?”
And one thing I think people love too, is that I worked with a lot of young people when I started out at Bellsouth – they were right out of college, but they wanted somebody to help them, and they didn’t have a lot of money. And I would say, “Well, let’s take that couple thousand, or five hundred, and let’s make it work.” It’s funny – now, five years later, I’m getting repeat business from these people; they’re marrying, or they’re moving to their first home. It’s kinda nice to see it all come full circle now. And the TV show, that really helped to take my business to another level
What drew you to Atlanta?
Well, I used to come to the Merchandise Mart with my aunt who had the furniture store in Easley. Gosh, I think I started coming when I was 14 or 15 years old. She would bring me with her, and I remember as a little boy, she had this big Cadillac, and when we’d come in on 85 we’d see the skyline of Atlanta, and my heart would just race, I was so excited to be there.
Each year we would come back, twice a year to the Mart, and I would get all these items, and she used to let me bring my camera and take pictures. Even when I learned to drive, first time I ever drove the car, it was snowing in Atlanta and we were listening to Patsy Cline, and she said, “Do you want to drive the car?” and I said, “Yeah! But I’m afraid I’ll get lost,” and she said, “Don’t worry. You’ll always find a road that takes you back home.” I’ll never forget that. Even today, I travel downtown twice a week, and when 400 merges into 85, I see that skyline, and I have that same feeling every time, that this is home. This is where I need to be, in Atlanta. It’s just in my blood for some reason. It’s a fabulous town, and I love being here, being part of the energy that Atlanta has.
Are you excited about the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” [premiering Oct. 7, also on Bravo]?
I think it’s funny. I think, “Where do they find these women at?” I have no clue. I just think it’s funny. I get a kick out of just watching the commercials for it, and I’m interested to see where they live.
Maybe they need an interior designer.
Yeah, they need Big Daddy!
(Photo courtesy Bravo)
October 1st, 2008 at 9:55 am
[...] Design: A chat with former contestant, Atlanta-based “Big Daddy,” my personal [...]