“Education is the key to transformation.” A simple, yet strong, message from one determined designer. Armed with degrees in Environmental Studies, from the University of Colorado in Boulder, and Interior Design, from Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Stephany Catlin Taddeo plans on educating everyone she knows about sustainability issues, transforming the world in the process. And she is well on her way. Less than three years after graduation, she has already earned certification as a LEED Accredited Professional [LEED AP] and developed her own website dedicated to all things green. Let us introduce you to the future of design.
Double Duty
This enthusiastic Colorado native first became interested in sustainability issues during her undergraduate years in Environmental Studies. Though she went to work for corporate America after her first graduation ceremony, Stephany’s thoughts continued to drift toward design. With her husband’s moral support, she took the leap and returned to academia, but continued to work part-time at Xerox Corporation in sales, which she does anything but regret. “I cannot tell you how much my sales background can and will help me in the interior design field. We are always selling.”
It wasn’t until she went back to school for interior design that Stephany truly understood how she could contribute to the globe’s well-being by having the least impact on the earth’s environment with sustainable design practices. She was forced to contribute to her bank account first, however, so she accepted a retail position at a furniture and home accessories store after graduation. After just a few short months in the A&D industry, she discovered more of what she was looking for when she landed a job as a Project Manager / Designer at a Haworth dealership in Denver, where she caters to commercial clientele.
Going For The Green
Though she leans towards sustainability in any field, her ultimate ambition is to practice residential design with an emphasis on sustainable design and green building. “I really think it is important to make our homes as healthy, sustainable, and nurturing as possible.”
To work towards that goal as quickly as possible, she understood that the first step was more education and, eventually, accreditation. Therefore, drawing upon her concern for the environment and her passion for thoughtful design, she made it priority number one to earn her certification as a LEED AP. “Becoming a LEED Accredited Professional takes a lot of work, especially if you are new to the field. I was lucky to have an environmental background. It took a lot of studying.”
Today she gains additional industry knowledge by membership in the U.S. Green Building Council [USGBC] and the American Society of Interior Designers [ASID]. “Both of these organizations are great for networking in the design and related fields. They also offer a wealth of resources and continuing education, which we can never have enough of.”
Hyper And Hyperlinked
Stephany is eager to apply all of her accumulated knowledge in practice as soon as possible, and to facilitate that goal, she ambitiously launched her own website dedicated to the cause: SCTGreenDesign.com. “I started my website as a way to market myself, but marketing green design just grew from it. If I can help to educate a few people about green design, then I can help to transform their views about it.”
She sums up her commitment to green design on her website’s home page: “I am dedicated to the integration of sustainable practices into the building and design profession; not only in the work we produce for our clients, but in the daily processes of our firms. This integration should take place through thoughtful education and implementation to not only benefit the environment, but the well-being of our society as a whole. As an environmentally responsible Interior Designer, I am committed to educating my fellow professionals, clients, and anybody who is willing to listen, about sustainable practices and their implementation in the building and design profession.”
Dreaming In Shades Of Green
Who knows? Someday Stephany may take the industry by storm and become the face of green design. Until then, we wondered how would she convince the public to take an interest in eco-friendliness if she were given the opportunity to star in her own five-minute television spot…
“I think that change begins one person at a time. If each person starts to change one thing they do on a daily basis into a sustainable practice, it can be very far reaching. And, once they spread that word, it keeps the fire burning… very grassroots. If we can start the change at an individual level and demand that corporations produce products that are good for the environment (by selecting green products, buying from environmentally responsible companies, etc.) and use production processes that are environmentally friendly, we will be heard!
“This goes for professional practice as well. If we can educate our colleagues and clients about sustainable practices, it can go a long way towards a sustainable future. We have a lot to look forward to in the field of sustainable design and green building. I am very excited and inspired by what we can do as individuals.”
Getting Personal
If $10,000 landed in your lap today, what would you do with it? I would put it in the bank and use it to start my own Green Design business.
What was the best book you read in 2005? Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough & Michael Braungart. I would definitely recommend it to others. A close second would be Philosophy of Sustainable Design by Jason F. McLennan. [Note: You can purchase these through our SHOP section and help support P&C.]
Where do you hope to travel in 2006? I hope to travel to Portland and places in the northwest where green building has really taken a foothold.
To bridge the gap between the student / educational community and the professional / manufacturer community of the interior design world, and not to die of boredom while we do it.
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Mannington Commercial'sTx:Style Design Challenge 2012 has named a winner: Katie Henry of One Eleven Design in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Her design, Stacked Up, was chosen by public vote from among four finalists. Katie will create a full carpet collection to be manufactured and marketed by Mannington, and will receive a total purse of $7,000 and a trip to the International Furniture Fair in Milan. GO HERE to see the winning design.
Enough Said T-Shirts
Created by a couple of Milwaukee interior designers with a quirky sense of humor, a healthy dose of sarcasm and a heaping serving of caring. Check out Enough Said to find fun t-shirts with a message.
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“Education is the key to transformation.” A simple, yet strong, message from one determined designer. Armed with degrees in Environmental Studies, from the 
