INSPIRATION: DOLPHINS
When I first met Jael Kirkwood of Port Orchard, Washington, the youngster was living in a motel room with her parents and four sisters because dangerous black mold forced the family out of their home.

She told me her dream was to swim with dolphins, so I designed her bedroom around custom wall coverings created from an underwater photo. Lying in her bed, I hope Jael feels like her dream has come true!

INSPIRATION: PETALS OF THE MUM
Jenessa “Boey” Byers was battling cancer when the Extreme team came to Corvallis, Oregon. Chemotherapy had taken Boey’s hair, so I wanted to give some of her femininity back by designing a colorful, fashion house-like bedroom.

I chose the mum because it’s a flower that, like Boey, is incredibly resilient. She stood strong and made it her mission to help other kids with cancer. Sadly, Boey lost her fight, but her spirit lives on in all of us who knew her.

INSPIRATION: IVY
Abigail Gilliam loved to garden with her father, David. When he died unexpectedly from the effects of toxic mold growing in the family home, Abby pitched in to help care for her five siblings.

The gardening theme I used in her new bedroom represents the bond Abigail had with her father. The room was designed to remind her that even though he’s no longer by her side, he is watching her grow—just like the ivy.

INSPIRATION: GERBERA DAISIES
The kitchen is often the heart of a house. But in the Idaho residence of Ryan and Karia Stockdale, the kitchen was a prison because their children suffer from a rare disorder that prevents ingestion and digestion of most foods. Since eating the wrong thing can be fatal, the Stockdales kept the fridge and cabinets locked.

My plan was to change the kitchen so that they could maintain a safe environment, but in an atmosphere of hope. I chose the gerbera daisy because it represents growth and renewal—things we hope for the Stockdale kids.

INSPIRATION: DECORATIVE BLOCKS
Whenever a pattern catches my eye, I take a photo and file it. Later, I’ll zoom in on specific details or maybe layer it digitally with another image to create an interesting effect. This cast-concrete block wall had straight lines made from a tough material, but the repeating pattern made it lacy and delicate. A bit of a paradox I thought.

Well, Sabrena Jones in Brandon, Mississippi, was a bit of a paradox, too. She mobilized hundreds of volunteers in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, selflessly giving her time, clothing, and food to other families. But, she’s also a very elegant Southern lady whose grace shines through in everything she does. I used the concrete pattern to create custom wallpaper for Sabrena’s bedroom. I was able to convey that something strong can turn out to be very delicate when you look between the lines.

INSPIRATION: FLIGHT PATTERNS
I was in a crowded airport, checked in for a trip that would require several connecting flights to get to rural Oklahoma. There, I’d planned a special project for nine-year-old James Westbrook. After an accident left him paralyzed and in a wheelchair, James got so good at video games that he’d set his sights on becoming a game designer. I was really struggling with what kind of graphic to use as a focal point for his video game-themed room.

I found myself staring at an airline route map and it reminded me of the old-school video game Asteroids. It also made me think of James in a new way. Here I am, bopping around from place to place all the time, but James doesn’t have that luxury. I hope this room inspires him to go wherever his imagination takes him.

INSPIRATION: WHEAT FIELDS
I once saw a gorgeous wheat field, acres of grain swaying back and forth like a sea of gold. I used this image in Julie Carter’s room in Billings, Montana. She and her daughters have a rare brain disorder that can cause paralysis. Knowing that she has no control over the course of the illness, Julie is determined to make a difference in her children’s lives by planting the seeds of love and commitment.

She hopes she’s setting them on the right path to grow into beautiful adults. I found the image of these simple shafts of wheat the perfect symbol of Julie’s pledge to raise her children to grow up strong and stand tall against the winds of adversity.

INSPIRATION: YARN
The Yazzie family of the Navajo Nation in Pinon, Arizona, believe that you take from the land only what you need, even in desperate poverty. For example, to provide heat for his little sister with special needs in the family’s dilapidated single-wide trailer, Garrett Yazzie, then 13, invented an ingenious solar power system made of salvaged soda cans and an old car transmission.

Making the best of the worst, this family never lost respect for the land. Honoring this heritage is where my design began for the master bedroom. Local Navajo weavers’ yarns provided a perfect color palette to represent Mother Earth. I was thinking of brilliant sunsets, rich earth, and vibrant growth. I designed this woven headboard as the room’s focal point in a collaborative effort with the artisans I’d met.

INSPIRATION: APPLE BLOSSOM
Debbie Oatman-Gaitan, who lives in Carmel, NY, with two adopted HIV-positive children, is dedicated to helping other families with children also living with HIV and AIDS. Her involvement includes working with Cap Heartland, a place specifically designed for these kids. The joy she brings to others reminded me of the pleasure of spring: rebirth, growth, and vitality. So, I used an apple blossom motif in her bedroom, which to me is the perfect symbol of renewal and life.

INSPIRATION: FLIP TOPS
I met a remarkable young man who collected flip tops from aluminum cans and turned them into cash. A survivor of a rare form of brain cancer, Mitchell Collins is mentally and hearing-impaired, and he donated the cash he raised to buy toys for kids with cancer. Meeting a teenager so focused on such a small item really moved me. As I started playing around with the tabs, I realized I could make them into a kind of pop art. The more I worked with them, the more ideas I had for wallpaper, bedding, and even accessories.

INSPIRATION: BUTTERFLY
When I found this butterfly, I was taken by its rich, earthy colors and took a photo. First, I thought the colors would be perfect for clothing. But after studying the image, I began to see the butterfly as half of a flower. And that’s how I came to design this floral wallpaper. I wanted a Victorian feel, but with a twist. So, I made the butterfly pattern narrower to open up some space for the creatures to take flight.

INSPIRATION: PALM FRONDS
I used this design for a show we did in Hawaii. Momi Akana used her welfare checks to help start an organization that supports local single moms and kids. Her job is not unlike our goal – to transform the lives of deserving families. The people of Hawaii revere the land and all it represents, so I wanted to bring that theme into her bedroom. Palm fronds are obviously a huge part of the landscape, so I used them as my design inspiration in a room for a selfless woman who works hard to help other Hawaiians in crisis.