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"  The Littlest Lamb Orphanage &amp;quot;All day long I&amp;#039;m around fabrics and wall papers and accessories. Decorating can feel like an indulgent profession to be in. A couple of years ago, I started wanting to do something that would bring the services I offer to people who need them but can&amp;#039;t afford them. Then I got to know Mira Riad, whose brothers, Maury and Mickey, run Fortuny. &amp;quot;Mira had founded an organization called the Littlest Lamb that was building an orphanage in Egypt, where adoption is illegal. Children in Egypt who don&amp;#039;t have parents live on the streets or in orphanages that are poorly maintained. Her plans for the facility included sports fields and an art room and library, plus a spa and wellness center that would provide income for the orphanage \u2014 it was a massive undertaking. &amp;quot;Mira had amazing contributors involved in the project, including an architect and a contractor who work on large-scale projects like airports and hospitals. But she needed someone to make sure the place didn&amp;#039;t look too commercial, so it wouldn&amp;#039;t be just, &amp;#039;Let&amp;#039;s paint everything white.&amp;#039; She asked me to join as a consultant, to help make the orphanage look pretty and feel good to be in. &amp;quot;The design of the complex is based on the Nubian style of architecture, which combines indoor living with outdoor spaces like terraces, walkways, and breezeways. I wanted to use natural materials and things that are made in Egypt and used in homes there. We went to a salvage yard and found a wonderful old door that became the front door of the orphanage, and reclaimed tiles to install in some of the courtyards. The colors of the surrounding landscape are terra-cotta red, ocher, and bright blue, and we took that palette and softened it a bit for the interiors. The furniture is all very simple, and we&amp;#039;ll buy bedspreads and carpets in the market or find a weaver to work with. &amp;quot;Egypt has the same artisan traditions as Turkey and Morocco \u2014 there are wonderful lamps made of perforated metal and things in alabaster and blown glass. Discovering that has been part of the thrill for me, along with the chance to help make people&amp;#039;s lives better through the use of design.&amp;quot; \u2014Malcolm James Kutner, Interior Designer, littlestlamb.org The Alpha Workshops &amp;quot;Alpha is a decorative-arts studio that trains and employs people living with HIV and AIDS in things like gold leafing and furniture making. I&amp;#039;m chairman of the board, and I always have at least a little Alpha, if not a lot, in every job I do. I&amp;#039;ve used its Eden Roc lamp again and again. It was designed by a student who has since passed away, but his creation lives on, and sales of it continue to support our work.&amp;quot; \u2014Jamie Drake, Interior Designer, alphaworkshops.org Ronald McDonald Houses &amp;quot;With the high costs of health care, long hospital stays for ill children are often out of the question. Ronald McDonald Houses provide shelter and food for sick kids and their families. Bill Diamond and I designed the interior of one in 1987, but it recently needed updating. We got other designers involved \u2014 almost like a showhouse, except these rooms aren&amp;#039;t going away. You walk in the door and see one sick kid, and your heart just melts. You can&amp;#039;t say no.&amp;quot; \u2014Anthony Baratta, Interior Designer, rmhc.org Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans &amp;quot;When I was a young woman making a home in New Orleans, I got involved in the Preservation Resource Center, which focuses on rebuilding blighted properties and helping people move into them \u2014 both to save houses and to keep neighborhoods vibrant. Since Hurricane Katrina, the center&amp;#039;s work has become more important than ever. New Orleans is one of America&amp;#039;s architectural treasures.&amp;quot; \u2014Jane Scott Hodges, Founder of Leontine Linens, prcno.org The Garden Conservancy &amp;quot;I&amp;#039;ve always been a preservationist and passionate about gardens. The conservancy&amp;#039;s mission is to save gardens and make them accessible to the public. For instance, there is a fantastic topiary garden by a man named Pearl Fryar, now in his 70s. He took leftover shrubs no one wanted and sculpted them with a chain saw. It&amp;#039;s unlike anything you&amp;#039;ve ever seen. We&amp;#039;ve placed a horticulturist with him and raise funds for maintenance.&amp;quot; \u2014Suzanne Rheinstein, Interior Designer, gardenconservancy.org ------------- Plus: Beautiful Designer Living Rooms &amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;gt;10 Designers Share How to Get Their Look &amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;gt;Thomas O&amp;#039;Brien&amp;#039;s Design Essentials &amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;gt;Interior Designers&amp;#039; Best Advice &amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;gt;Designers&amp;#039; Best Kitchen Tips &amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;gt; "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/fun-at-home/news/a1829/designers-charitable-causes/>