Biography of Doug Wilson

Doug Wilson is a modern day Renaissance man – a designer, author, television showman and philanthropist. While he is perhaps best known as the “colorful” designer for his daring, high-impact rooms on TLC’s hit series “Trading Spaces,” this small-town boy turned design-phenom extends well beyond his television persona. Raised five miles outside the town limits of Broadlands, Illinois, population 350, Wilson uses the purity and serenity of his childhood home as inspiration for melding organic elements with a fresh, sophisticated and inherently American sense of style.

His contemporary designs are simple yet sophisticated, and Wilson has packaged his expertise into a uniquely comprehensive portfolio. He has three television shows on TLC – “America’s Ugliest,” “Moving Up” and “Trading Spaces.” He recently made his dynamic home designs accessible to all with his new lighting line, Doug Wilson Illuminations and home accents line, Elements by Doug Wilson. He also published his debut design book, Doug’s Rooms, and pens a regular design column for In Touch Weekly.

Wilson’s unique design sensibility has caught the attention of New York’s elite including Barbara Walters and Mayor Michael Bloomberg; renowned designers Jamie Drake, Albert Hadley and Alexa Hampton; and national media including the “TODAY Show,” “The View,” CNN and Fox News Channel as well as House Beautiful, House & Garden, InStyle Home, Elle Décor and The New York Times.

A master of intricate wall treatments and decorative painting techniques, Wilson often showcases his bold and powerful 21st century design sense. From a table suspended in mid-air in an elegant yellow and black dining room to a space created as an exact replica of a Pullman car, Wilson is not afraid to tackle big challenges in a remarkable way. His fearless approach to design has resulted in furniture literally tossed out of a three-story window, tears in an infamous “Trading Spaces” episode, and even an unexpected kiss from a grateful homeowner.

While Wilson is bringing unconventional design into the homes of viewers across the nation, he is also working to make “doable” design accessible to everyone – not just those lucky few who are chosen to appear on an interior design television show or who can afford a high-end decorator. In his book Doug’s Rooms: Transforming Your Space One Room at a Time (Clarkson Potter), Wilson provides room design ideas, pictorial how-tos, and decorating advice encouraging readers to focus on a specific touchstone for each room – a swatch of fabric, a favorite knick-knack, or a thrift-shop treasure – to create their space.

Wilson also is a man with a big imagination and huge heart. Motivated by his nephew’s personal experience with Rhabdoid cancer of the kidney – one of the most aggressive and lethal malignancies in pediatric oncology, Wilson is actively involved in the fight against this rare form of juvenile cancer. He became involved with the Ronald McDonald House™ through his nephew’s stay during treatments and has taped a public service announcement for the organization based on his family’s experiences.

Given Doug Wilson’s comprehensive portfolio, this celebrity designer is well on his way to transforming America’s homes…one room at a time.