Interior designer Kari Whitman is beating a path to stardom on both coasts.
But this Colorado native still longs for the comforts of home.
Here Whitman discusses her Colorado roots, her animal-rescue efforts and her new Women’s Entertainment Network reality show, “Designer to the Stars: Kari Whitman.”
Q: What ties do you have to Colorado?
A: I was born in Colorado Springs and raised in Boulder. I’m obsessed with skiing. Depending on my work schedule, I try to come back to the state six or eight times a year. I love being home because it grounds me. It feels so good to be in an environment that doesn’t involve Hollywood and status.
Q: You’ve been bi-coastal for the last 14 years. How has that lifestyle affected you?
A: Don’t get me wrong, I love Los Angeles and New York. I’ve learned how to be a strong business woman and how to keep my own code of honor, ethics and integrity. Style-wise, these two cities are a melting pot of different types of people, whether they are South American, European or Iranian. But (there) is a lot of pressure to succeed.
Q: What is the Ace of Hearts Foundation?
A: It’s the animal-rescue foundation I started in Los Angeles. It’s named for my beloved dog, Ace, who died of old age. I rescued Ace from a shelter 12 years ago on the very day, within the very hour, he was scheduled to be euthanized. When he died, I had this energy inside of me that was sad and angry. But I thought I could use it constructively and do something in honor of him.
I started running the foundation seven years ago. It’s for all breeds, although I specialize in American Bulldogs. We have a very high kill rate in L.A. County – 500 dogs every day. Thirty-five percent of those dogs are purebreds.
Q: How do your Hollywood clients react when your passion for dogs intermingles with their design projects?
A: I’ve got to be honest; I’ve been very lucky. Most of my clients understand what I’m doing and find it pretty endearing. They understand when I’ve got a tragic thing that comes up with a dog, whether it is sick or has gotten hit.
But I have turned down some non-celebrities and high-profile, rich clients (when) I feel (they) won’t connect with me on this issue. If clients have an issue with my time and me giving back, I won’t take that client. It feels really good for me to give back. I’ve saved over 1,267 dogs in six years that were going to be euthanized.
Q: Do you persuade your clients to become dog owners?
A: When my clients tell me that they want good energy in their homes, I always tell them the best energy to bring into a house is a dog. Jessica Alba is an amazing person. She just adopted one of my dogs. I was working on her home and she just fell in love with this beautiful American Bulldog with two different- colored eyes. It’s kinda cool because a lot of the celebrities end up getting a dog from me. If they don’t have one yet, they have one by the time I finish designing their house.
Home writer Sheba R. Wheeler can be reached at 303-954-1283 or swheeler@denverpost.com.
