She counts among her major influences Billy Baldwin, Dorothy Draper and Sister Parish.

She says her biggest challenge is getting her clients to see things the way she does.

But she’s pretty good at that.

That’s because Michelle Workman is an interior designer who knows how to match her clients to colors that resonate within themselves.

“A home should showcase the client’s personality, not the designer’s,” she said.  “It’s not about me, but about the essence of a client.  It’s an art, not a job.”

She uses her own intuition mostly.  She listens for what people like and don’t like in clothes and lifestyle, hobbies and interests.  She’s sensitive to whether someone leans toward a traditional or modern point of view.

“Once I have those basics down, I’ll go to color to communicate a large part of their personalities,” she said.  “If they’re outgoing and gregarious with a sense of humor, I’m apt to use more color.  If they’re conservative and elegant, I’ll use more subdued color.”

And she won’t hesitate to educate her clients, if necessary.  If someone hates something she’s suggested, she’ll ask that they try it out for a few days.  “Then I’ll come back and they’ll say: ‘I don’t know why, but I love it.’”

That means, she said, that she’s read them right.

For more on Michelle Workman, go to http://www.michelleworkman.com/

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