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COLORED BY HER SURROUNDINGS Cunningham's designs are inspired by her sur- roundings. While living in Colorado, her designs were influenced by the Rocky Mountains and the vegetation. Now in Las Vegas, she finds that she is inspired by Red Rock Canyon, a national conserva- tion area near her home and the desert. "Everybody comes to Vegas to see the lights and all of the shows and magic that's in Las Vegas, yet the true magic is nature – and that's right here in Red Rock," she states. "The desert surround paired with red-hued colors of carved rocks adds to the distinctive palette of nature when designing in Las Vegas." DESIGN ISN'T ABOUT ME While designers tend to have strong opinions about what they like, Cunningham knows that it's not okay to steamroll clients with one's own personal tastes and preferences; rather, she prides herself on always putting the client's needs first. "The design isn't about me; the design is about the client," she says. A project that exemplifies this was one in which she catered to a toddler. Cunningham's clients recounted a fear that their young son would come into the newly renovated kitchen, open up cabinets and drawers and take things out. They said he did this in the current kitchen, as if he were looking for something. Upon hearing this, Cunningham began thinking that a drawer designated solely for the tot might solve the problem. She made sure to include a drawer in the remodeled kitchen that was low enough for the child to access. "Everything is at his level," explains Cunningham. "The family has told us that he's not obsessed with opening every drawer and cabinet in the home anymore – he goes [straight] to his drawer." ▪ Hollywood lights and sparkling hardware highlight this leather-covered make-up vanity, while a tufted bench and oversized porcelain sink crystallize the bath- room's 'Hollywood glamour' effect. Photo: Grey Crawford Circle No. 16 on Product Card