Cassandra J. LaPorte on Design Team for HGTV Show featuring Oakmont, Pa. Home

CAZENOVIA, NY (03/22/2012)(readMedia)-- Cassandra J. LaPorte, of Hadlyme, Ct., had an unexpected opportunity to work on a design challenge for HGTV's Showhouse Showdown. LaPorte, an interior design major at Cazenovia College, Cazenovia, N.Y., interned for CJ Interior Design Studio in Pittsburgh, Pa., in the summer of 2011, at the same time the company's owner, Christine Jones, took on the Showhouse Showdown challenge.

The show's concept is for two designers to design and furnish similar houses in a new development.

The house LaPorte assisted with, in Oakmont, Pa., will be featured on HGTV on Saturday, March 31 at 2:30 p.m., and Friday, April 6 at 1:30 p.m. ( www.hgtv.com/showhouse-showdown/oakmont-pennsylvania-showdown-the-fire-and-water-wall-vs-the-wall-of-mirrors/index.html )

LaPorte, Jones, and another intern, had just four weeks to complete the project, including drawing up the floor plans, completing the renderings, and choosing materials, colors and furnishings. LaPorte's renderings of Jones' designs were shown to the contractor at the end of the second week, and then the team gathered the materials and furnishings and completed the job.

The concept was to create a modern/transitional look throughout the house," she says. "It was tough because the budget was limited for the amount of space. The biggest challenge during this process was time management. There was a lot that needed to get done, and we needed to make sure we didn't neglect the other projects we were working on."

LaPorte notes that in the real world, the design and the time it takes to complete depends largely on the client. "Some clients know what they want and will make up their minds in a matter of a few hours," she says. "Other clients have a harder time deciding on what they like, so they could keep things going for well over a year. A good designer just needs to know how to listen to what the client wants, and be willing to go back and keep working to achieve the look the client wants."

Once the houses were done, area residents were asked to rate the homes. Final results of the challenge will be announced on the April 6 show. LaPorte says, "Christine is great at putting a 'wow factor' in every room, and I think the people who came in really appreciated that. I am really looking forward to seeing the show on March 31 and the outcome of people's rankings on April 6."

Cazenovia College, founded in 1824, is an independent, co-educational, baccalaureate college near Syracuse, N.Y., offering a comprehensive liberal arts education in an exceptional community environment, with academic and co-curricular programs devoted to developing leaders in their professional fields. Cazenovia, named one of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report, is also a national College of Distinction. For more information, visit www.cazenovia.edu.

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