La maison
& bright ALL THINGS
beautiful
D AW N D . T O T T Y S E T S T H E S TA G E F O R L I F E B y J O R D A N S TA G G S
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P h o t o g r a p h y c o u r t e s y o f D AW N D . T O T T Y
or Dawn. D. Totty, curating unique interiors always seemed to be just a way of life. The designer, based out of Chattanooga, Tennessee, has brought residential, commercial, and retail spaces across the United States to life for over twentythree years now. But she admits that it wasn’t until recently that she realized what inspired her love of design so many years ago.
Today, Totty is busy serving clients by being what she calls a problem solver, often hired to assist in taking a client’s vision for their home or commercial space, enhancing it, and making it a reality in a timely and affordable manner. The artistic gears that began to turn in her mind as she played with her dollhouse as a child have never quit. “My design doesn’t happen when I walk in through a client’s door; it begins when I pull in the driveway,” she says.
“My precious father built a custom, one-of-a-kind dollhouse for me with electricity, wallpaper, and even handmade doll furniture,” she says. “Little did I know then that the swanky dollhouse would stir a lifelong passion and a love of making all things beautiful!”
It’s clear her knack has hit its stride and then some, as Totty has racked up awards and recognition from national outlets including Houzz and Angie’s List, as well as the Huntsville Realtors Association in Huntsville, Alabama, and more. She is a creative force whose résumé includes having photographs published in Vogue and designing for HGTV star Joanna Gaines’s Magnolia Home furniture showroom in Estill Springs, Tennessee.
Those “things” included not just homes, but also people. Totty graduated from the Interior Design Institute as well as the Staging Diva Institute in Toronto and began her career in the New York fashion industry, where she worked with top modeling agencies as a designer, stylist, consultant, and professional speaker. 64 | SE P T E MBE R 2018
We caught up with Totty to talk about design, life, and trends we might see in homes this year!
