Doug Wilson is Trading Spaces' quintessential showman. Armed with expertise gleaned from years of working with such luminary clients as Barbara Walters and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Doug's design choices purposefully push the edge of creativity. His engaging television persona has garnered Doug a place in modern media and in the hearts of fans across the country.

Professional Background: 
As a student at the University of Illinois, Doug studied voice and theater. He starred in numerous college and professional productions, including Annie Get Your Gun and Grease. Broadway soon called, and Doug departed from his studies to launch his own part-magic, part-musical benefit variety show, The Road to New York. That road turned out to be a direct path for the artistic and equally multifaceted Doug, who further developed a talent for design while working as a skilled carpenter in New York. He then opened a decorative painting boutique and worked steadily for decorating icons Albert Hadley and Mark Hampton, Inc. His work was often cited in savvy trade publications throughout the country, which brought him to the attention of a Trading Spaces producer. The showman designer was once again back on-stage.

Personal History: 
Despite living in New York and being on TV, Doug couldn't have come from a less show-biz background. Doug would like to say that he's from a small town in Illinois, but that's an understatement. The Wilson family resides outside the town limits of Broadlands, Illinois, population 350. Doug was raised on a farm that has been in his family for 150 years, giving him a strong foundation for his self-made success. Doug relishes his Midwest upbringing and uses the purity and serenity of his boyhood home as inspiration for his signature design style.

Design Style: 
Unconventionally stylish and urbane, Doug applies a bold hand to his creations, while using classic fabrics and colors to fuse the two into powerful 21st Century design. A master of intricate wall treatments and decorative painting techniques, Doug often showcases his talents with grand ideas that leave homeowners surprisingly inspired.

The Rooms: 
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 cart, Doug is not afraid to tackle big challenges. Doug's fearless approach to design has resulted in tossed furniture (literally out of a three story high window), tears (the infamous fireplace episode), and even an unexpected kiss (with an enthused homeowner).

Quotable Doug: 
Though he admits to his image as Trading Spaces' resident "bad boy," Doug assures that's all it is - an image. "Trading Spaces is all about theater, it's the perfect mix of drama and design."