Laurie Smith
As a child, Laurie Smith dreamed of becoming a dancer. She received a degree in broadcast journalism and worked as an on-camera reporter at CNN in Atlanta before moving to New York City to train at the School of Design. She was happy working as an interior decorator in Jackson, but she missed performing and craved the excitement of being on stage. When the hit cable series Trading Spaces came along, she was able to combine the two things she loves the most. She was one of the first designers to take on the Trading Spaces challenge of redecorating one room for under $1,000 in 48 hours. Her love of bold and vivid colors, and the use of fine, exquisite fabrics are reflected in her recent book, Discovering Home (Meredith, 2005). She lives in Mississippi.