Fall 2017 EditionAlumni & Friends Magazine
Design, build, live
Leanne Ford counts going to Ohio University as “one of the top five best decisions” she’s made in her life.
Cat Hofacker, BSJ ’18 | October 12, 2017
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“That is a shopping day at a fun shop here in Pittsburgh called Weiss House,” Ford said about the photo above. “They’re a big go-to for me for the HGTV show and other projects.” The furniture selection is “all old and new mix, great selections and great curations,” she says. Photo courtesy of Leanne Ford Interiors
That’s saying something, considering all Ford has accomplished since ohiotoday last checked in with her in 2008. After her work restoring a 1907 Pennsylvania schoolhouse was featured in Country Living , Ford left her career as an independent stylist to become an interior designer. Now, her signature style is making waves. Her work has been featured in publications such as Gentleman’s Quarterly and Better Homes and Gardens , and “Restored by the Fords,” a home restoration show on HGTV, launches in 2018.
“My entire career can be traced back to saying ‘Yes’ to new jobs that scared me or seemed out of my league,” says Ford, BSS ’03. “People would ask me to do something new that I didn’t necessarily know how to do, and I would say ‘Yes!’ then figure out how to do it.”
While Ford was still working in fashion, people started approaching her with requests to design their homes. She jumped in.
“I said, ‘Sure!’ and called my friend Dan up and asked, ‘What do I need to know to do this?’ If you keep being open to new opportunities and keep creating, you will be blown away at where your career will naturally take you.”
Ford credits OHIO's University College bachelor’s degree in specialized studies (BSS) program for allowing her the flexibility to design her own degree, which she called integrated retail communications. It’s a degree that mixes art, fashion, design, and public relations skills.
“Finding the BSS program was an amazing benefit for me,” Ford says. “When it was time for me to get out into the real world and apply for jobs, I already had a portfolio, book, and website to show, along with my resume. I was cruising!”
And although interior design wasn’t the focus of her degree, Ford said the skills she acquired in the BSS program “carry through perfectly.”
“Restored by the Fords” will feature Ford as designer and her older brother, Steve, as carpenter. They collaborate on renovations to clients’ homes in rural Pennsylvania, and season one will showcase a whopping eight restorations in six months. This is no small feat, considering one house can take up to a year to transform and complete. Ford’s approach to these projects is to step back and “let the space speak.”
“The client is first and foremost what matters,” Ford said. “My job as an interior designer is to fade into the background of a project. Then the space speaks. If you really listen to a home or space, it naturally has a style and flow that fits with it.”
