It doesn’t matter what your personal taste in design is, there’s something about luxe designs that’s more than that. Whether you appreciate farm style, contemporary, or mid-century modern, when we walk into somewhere grand it affects us. Everyone can remember the feeling of walking into a space and going wide-eyed for a moment. That feeling, that sense of awe, is Ali Budd’s specialty.
Now, with the premiere of House of Ali, she — along with her all-female design team — is helping people bring a bit of “awe” home to them. We recently sat down with Ali Budd to ask about her new show, design inspiration and all the hilarious havoc that comes with running a design business.
Catch new episodes of House of Ali every Thursday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV Canada.
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Ready Set Show
We asked Ali how she was feeling about her new show and if any nerves were coming along with it. “You know, no. I think it’s because we followed pretty much what we were already doing. Of course, sitting for hair and makeup before I go to work isn’t the norm, but it was the same whirlwind of everything we were already doing. Only now with cameras.”
Related: Ali Budd and Her Team Head North to Design a Luxury Lakehouse
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First Impressions
It’s difficult to not be charmed by Ali, from the moment she sat down with us there was an air of levity. “I’m just hoping that people are into the show and think it’s fun. I hope they think it’s funny and want to watch more. At the end of the day, it’s their decision.” From where we’re sitting House of Ali seems like it’ll be all that and more.
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First Inspirations
When asked about her design inspirations, it’s impossible to not notice her light up as she starts to look all around for unique colours and textures. “My brain’s kind of always moving, I’ll see some strange colour or texture on the side of a building and think wouldn’t that be cool.”
“There’s so much talent in Canada. We have some incredible design minds, and my peers are always a source of inspiration.”
Related: Get to Know Designer Ali Budd
Essential Living
One phrase you’ll see on the Ali Budd Interiors website is that they believe there is a distinct difference between a house and a home. We wanted to know some of the things that made the difference between the two. “You have to really live in your home. Nowhere is off-limits to my kids, I have two dogs, [and] I think people are surprised because we’re not precious about anything in my house. I love the chaos.”
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Essential Luxe
As important as making a space feel comfortable, making it feel grand is just as important. “I feel like the ultimate luxury is getting into bed at night. Your mattress, your sheets, your pillows, all of that is important. So, the designs around that bed are just as important. I’m a big believer in good beds.”
You May Also Like: 10 Ways to Transform Your Family Bedroom Into a Luxury Spa Retreat
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New Designs
When talking about the show and what fans could expect, we asked if there were any particular designs that she was excited for audiences to see. “All of them. Every time we do a project, we’re so invested and we’re so excited. I hope this shows our range because I think there’s something in there for everybody.”
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Hands-On Bliss
“I love the front and back end of it.” Speaking more about the projects she and her team had this season, Ali gets more animated and excited as she runs through the process of them all. “I love it when we’re brainstorming and imagining. Then, have clients understand and sign off on the vision you’re creating. Then there’s the end, where all the blood, sweat and tears pay off — you get to see something that started in your brain.”
Related: The Best Luxury Homes in Alberta Listed Under $1 Million
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Designer Destinations
Fans of Ali will already know that she’s done some incredible builds in incredible locations. We asked her what some of the perks and challenges of doing some destination design. “Just getting things from A to B. We’ve been doing this a while, and I never want to say we’ve worked out all the kinks, but we have a team dedicated to [the] organization. I love being able to work in other cities.”
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What’s Next?
“I don’t really know; I’m still working away.” There seems to be no slowing down for Ali and her team. “We have some really exciting projects coming up. We just finished a home in Costa Rica, that just launched as a rental. I build for other people all the time, but that was the first start-to-finish build for myself.”
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Final Celebration
The first season of your own show is a huge milestone. We wanted to know how she’d be celebrating the premiere. “I’m not one to do a big celebration. I’d rather just watch in my bed with a glass of wine.” It certainly sounds like an ideal way to watch; we’ll be following in her lead.
See more of Ali and her team’s stunning designs in House of Ali on HGTV Canada.
