A June article in The New York Times titled “In Defense of the Decorator,” chronicled the mixed fortunes in reputation, as well as earnings, of the decorating profession. Along with mourning the shift to DIY, much was made of the armies of artisans and vendors the industry employs. Missing from the discourse however was what the client gains from the experience of working with a decorator. ■ In the ’70s and ’80s, accompanied by a husband who had a good eye and a fondness for decorating, I roamed every antique shop in New York and Connecticut, amassing a considerable collection of antiques and fine fabrics to furnish our first house—a gambrel-roofed Colonial. It was lovely. ■ In the early ’90s, I built my version of a Scottish minister’s house. Built from fieldstone, the Georgian-style property boasted enough en-suite guestrooms to qualify as a small hotel. I knew paneling, along with elegant furnishings, was necessary to detail the large-scale entrance hall and public rooms. I was lost. ■ Fortunately, I enlisted the help of a wonderful designer who revealed a whole new world to me. Out went most of the rustic American and English antiques and in came Italian Baroque and Neoclassical styles from Florian Papp and George Subkoff, Biedermeier from Bernd Goeckler, 19th-century French from Kentshire and wonderful antique lighting fixtures from David Duncan. ■ Choosing wools and silks in a rainbow of colors for rugs by V’Soske was thrilling. We searched for the perfect antique limestone and slabs of marble from around the world, and brilliant fabrics and wallpapers in Passementerie style—detailed with embroideries, fringes, tassels, gimps and cords. ■ The design process turned out to be an eye-opening journey that left me enriched and exhilarated. Looking at the winning projects from the IDAs, I can feel the same excitement and enthusiasm as the homeowners who were able to collaborate with such talented design professionals.