TLC Shows Don't Nail The Real Doug Wilson

TAMPA - John Cochrane wasn't the least bit shy about being one of only three men waiting in line to meet TV personality and interior designer extraordinaire Doug Wilson.

"He's so entertaining to watch. He's a real crack-up," said Cochrane, 45, a Scotland native who works in the construction industry. "He's got so much talent. I've taken a lot of his ideas and implemented them in other people's homes."

Now, there was no shortage of women waiting to mingle with Wilson.

"He's better-looking in person than on the show," gushed Donna Ranger, 30, of Ocala. "I just love watching him on 'Trading Spaces.' He's got so much personality."

Wilson, 43, stars in two popular TLC design shows: "Trading Spaces," where neighbors redecorate a room in each other's homes with help from a designer, and "Moving Up," which follows homeowners as they sell one residence and renovate another.

Wilson just bought a restaurant, Jibby's, in Sullivan, Ill., and in June, he'll star as Sky Masterson in a professional production of "Guys and Dolls" there.

He was in Tampa recently rolling up his shirt sleeves for "Decorating Dollars," a promotion by the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino that offered visitors a chance to win up to $250,000 and a design consultation with Wilson.

He chatted before meeting

fans at the hotel, simultaneously munching a corned-beef sandwich on pumpernickel and French fries with a side of Thousand Island dressing (his favorite).

You're on two design shows. Which is your favorite?

(Without hesitation) "Moving Up." It's real, absolutely real. The show allows me to really get into the style and personality of the homeowner. They really tell us how they feel, and I like that. As a designer, it's my challenge to keep asking them questions until I figure out what they're looking for.

There's so much that goes into the process of renovation. I have to consider their body posture, how they look at me, the way they're feeling. When they're reserved, that's when the challenge is much harder. But it's very, very real.

Which celebrity designer would you trust with your home?

None of them (laughing). I love Frank the congenial "Trading Spaces" designer Frank Bielec. I love Frank. But I know what I want and what I need.

I'm really more down-to-earth than one might think. I've got an eclectic flair rooted in the fundamentals of design. A lot of people wouldn't know that about me.

What piece of furniture best reflects your taste?

My favorite is a stargazer chair from Africa made of natural wood. They call it the first La-Z-Boy. A lot of people probably wouldn't think I'd have something like that in my home.

What's the most important design element of a room? Lighting? Color?

It's a combination of fabric, lighting, paint and texture. You can't have just one element. Everything plays off each other.

Here in Florida, you have lots of windows and natural light that flows in, so you can focus on that. But in a smaller, darker home, you would have to focus more on color and texture to bring in the things the room lacks. It's a balance of all the elements in design.

One of your makeovers made the homeowner cry and resulted in furniture being thrown from a three-story building. Is it upsetting when folks don't like your work?

Well, I can't control their tear ducts. (He bursts into song to the tune of Frank Sinatra's "My Way"): I tossed an awful couch out a window near a highway. ... It's raw, against the law, I do things MY WAY.

I do things my way. I'm not going to sugarcoat things. The truth hurts. In order for people to move ahead, you have to be truthful.

What if I were to say something about your blouse. (He whispers something into the ear of Vickie Kuracka, director of public relations for Seminole Casino). You'd want to know the truth, wouldn't you?

This is a nice shirt. What's wrong with it? Tell me what you whispered. I dare you!

It was just a joke.

You've been described as a bad boy, temperamental, and I've even heard the word "jerk" used. Is Doug Wilson misunderstood?

(Chuckles, then a serious tone.) We're creating television. It's entertainment.

I'm trying to create a show where people are at the edge of their seats and stay tuned to the end of the show to see the room. That's where my theater training comes in. I try to keep it theatrical, funny, sarcastic, whimsical, edgy, sincere and any other adjective you can think of.

Sounds like you are misunderstood.

I'm just an easygoing, funny, real, down-to-earth guy from Illinois.