About

Rayan, the Founding Editor of The Design Confidential, has never met a project (or a product) she didn't adore! From gardening and cooking to building your own designer furniture pieces, shopping and crafting with the kiddos, The Design Confidential delivers up a well-rounded variety of projects you can do on your own, and for pennies on the dollar. If a rather strenuous regimen of design inspiration and a stringent study of space is just what the doctor ordered...Then you will have come to the right place at The Design Confidential, where we will strive to keep your Style Files full and your Source Books brimming, all with fabulous inspiration and amazing finds for the style inclined...or to satisfy those of you who might be in need of a little retail therapy, whichever you prefer...we like it all, so we're not partial either way!

Hi friends! I'm Rayan, and I author this little blog, this space I call home for so many hours of the day. I am a 'self proclaimed' carpenter, furniture designer, and lover of all things glitter. I'm a mommy to one crazy monster mash of a toddler, a wife, and all an all around bookish nerd. I adore Sci-Fi and Bravo reality tv... I am a trained draftsman (draftswoman? whatever, you get my point and I'm not picky) and the process of design - build is what I live for!

The contents of this site showcase my very wide ranging love of design and all that inspires me. On any given day that might be print design and paper goods, or a furniture piece that I couldn't live without drawing a plan for, perhaps even an inspiring fashion editorial image, that I couldn't help but translate into a Color Palette for home decor. I eat, drink, sleep, and breath design in all it's forms, every second of the day.

I have a sickness I like to call complete and utter design obsession. Yep, ever since I was a wee little youngin...

I was the child who had the most amazing time arranging my toys in vignette's, and creating organizational schemes for my room based on how I used certain items and how pretty those items were. The child who couldn't stay out of the office supply section of any store, or the work spaces of my family members, and as an adult, still can't help but be drawn to anything organized by color. There is nothing quite like a freshly opened box of crayons all in color order. I would be satisfied to leave it as is, and simply enjoy staring it rather than ever using it.

I spent my free time while I was growing up, drawing, painting, and arranging my room, constantly. There is no aspect of art or design I haven't loved for as long as I can remember.

I went to school for architecture for a bit, before deciding it didn't have enough of that design freedom and creativity that I crave, and made the move to Interior Architecture and Design for my degree. My education included furniture design, engineering and ergonomics. This part of my background is where I draw from when I draft plans for you to build.

It has always been my dream to own a retail empire that sells my furniture designs along with other amazing items. With the state of the economy being what it is, and the direction brick and mortar stores have taken, this isn't likely to happen anytime soon...sigh...BUT, providing you with my designs and having you build them, and have them in your homes, is even better.

Other than my sickness and obsession for all thing design and DIY related, I'm a mom. I'm just like you...only perhaps a bit more cranky and a lot more saucy (that's the polite term for what I really mean)...or not?

Money is always an issue in my house and will continue to be even if we achieve great success. Assuming we are smart that is, and we know what's good for us...I will let you know how that works out.

I have amazing retail buying dreams and desires, and only my two hands (and two fairly empty pockets) with which to make those dreams come true.

I started building with wood, when I was around 12, but spent hours upon end (and years and years) building dioramas (spelling?) out of cardboard and things found in nature to try my hand at creation. It was a bit of an obsession frankly (surprised? isn't that an ongoing theme here...my growing list of obsessions? hahaha).

You know..every time I start to tell you my story, I begin to feel like the strangest duck around! perhaps we might be better sutied to talk about you guys... because let's just be honest here...I'm a complete weirdo and just not normal, perhaps they have a "group" for that...

Maybe you guys are the story here? Do you have story that accompanies your building desires and experience? Any weird design obsessions and childhood outpourings of said obsessions?

I would love to hear all about it!