Jamie Herzlinger’s business has her splitting time between both coasts.
But it was this interior designer’s Colorado roots and experience that helped her hone her craft enough to recently woo producers of “Open House” on NBC.
Herzlinger, 49, grew up in Colorado. Her father and grandfather owned the Herzlinger Coat Co. and maintained suites at the Brown Palace and Broadmoor hotels as Denver’s Daniels & Fisher department store was among their biggest accounts.
The designer’s fondest Colorado memories include learning to ski on Ajax Mountain in Aspen. As an adult, Herzlinger formerly ran a Denver-based fashion label.
“(Colorado) taught me how to take into account where a project is located and allow that landscape to influence my design,” says Herzlinger, who will host an upcoming segment of “Open House,” a series that showcases luxurious living and interior design tips. “I am always aware now of what views I’m taking in and how natural sunlight influences my color palette.”
Herzlinger’s edition of “Open House” airs later this month. Her firm has concurrently launched “Open House” webisodes — called B.Y.O.D. or Bring Your Own Design) — featuring practical solutions for common design challenges. Check them out at .
Question:What was it like filming for television?
Answer:We filmed for four hours, shooting over 7,000 square feet of house with no retakes and no reshoots.
Q:What are your design influences?
A:Natural light influences me greatly.. . . Light also plays a strong component in people’s attitudes.
Q:How do the “Open House” webisodes vary from the show?
A:NBC wants to get into the social media market. So we shot four or five little webisodes on design and design tips. We talk about luxury and minimalism, what kind of accessories to choose and the importance of scale.
For example, one of the episodes deals with floor transitions when working with open spaces. Do you change flooring materials when you do a great room? . . . All of the sudden, great rooms become popular, the lifestyle changes, and the walls come down.
Q:And you are launching a new company in November?
A:Yes, it’s called JAMIE, and I’ve been working on it for the past 10 years. . . . Here’s how it works: Right now if you were to call me, I would come up with the design and you would pay me $225 an hour to put together a real lifestyle. When you work with JAMIE, you send me photos of your room. Then I give you a paint palette and a scaled floor plan with suggestions for wall coverings, furniture and fabrics. . . .
Each room is $3,500. If they just want paint (suggestions), they get two different paint palettes per room for $500.
Q:Are more television shows in your future?
A:Eventually, I would like to have my own television show. My goal is to one day very soon be the face of the market that represents aspirational luxury.
Sheba R. Wheeler: 303-954-1283 or swheeler@denverpost.com.
