Lawrenceville interior designer gets some fresh recognition from HGTV

Her work transforming an awkward, cramped kitchen into an inviting space ideal for entertaining has earned a Pittsburgh newcomer national attention.

Interior designer Lauren Levant Bland, 32, of Lawrenceville won for Most Dramatic Transformation in HGTV's Fresh Faces of Design competition identifying the Top 10 American designers under age 35.

I was really thrilled says Levant Bland, owner of Lauren Levant Interior. I always like it when I know the design I've done pleases the client, and to think it's also been intriguing for other people to see is a wonderful honor.

In their search for the newest crop of up-and-coming talent, HGTV invited designers from all over the country to submit their work. A panel of industry leaders then selected finalists for awards in 10 categories, and the public voted to select the winners.

Levant Bland's work turning the bright-yellow, country-style kitchen into a warm, more natural space for a client in Washington, D.C., will be featured across the HGTV family of websites, mobile apps and in HGTV Magazine. The opportunity to reach so many people with her work is exciting for the young designer.

There are probably at least a few projects that I will never know of or see that have been inspired in some way by that, she says. When people save it to their idea books and talk about it, your design keeps going, and that's really cool.

The original space was disjointed and cramped, with an off-center window and an oddly peaked roof. Levant Bland brought in wood beams to help unify the ceiling and bring in more consistent lighting. She created a more cohesive workspace with a peninsula and prep sink piece, upgraded equipment and a more neutral color scheme.

Homeowner Helen Beckner says, because her family loves to cook, they put a great deal of thought into what their dream kitchen would include. Levant Bland helped make that vision a reality, she says.

Because the space has some quirks to it, we knew that we needed someone with creativity and vision to design a kitchen that was functional as well as beautiful, she says. Before hiring Lauren, I met with seven other kitchen designers. Lauren was the only one to come up with a solution to our issues on the spot in our first meeting before I even hired her.

Lauren has a keen eye and a unique ability to visualize a space when she enters it. She knew the minute she walked into my original kitchen that the space needed beams to unify it.

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Lawrenceville interior designer gets some fresh recognition from HGTV