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Birmingham News (AL) Designer: 'Extreme' celebrates giving to others February 5, 2005 Six kids. Six beds. Six themes that will entwine to make a magical
room. The Los Angeles woman who gained national fame after designing a bedroom for triplets on ''Good Morning America'' says she wasn't satisfied with just three babies. ''I had to go for double,'' the 100-words-a-second ball of energy shoots out of the phone from her L.A. office. Nava (she goes by her first name professionally) was asked to join the project by Maggie Thomas, the design producer for this show. Thomas designs about every other house on the show. Many of the show's sponsors are contractual: Sears, for example, sponsors the show, and you'll see plenty of its Craftsman tools and Kenmore appliances on screen. Some vendors come with the location. Signature Homes, for example, here in Birmingham signed on to help build, and brought along all its subcontractors, Thomas says. ''They've been remarkable,'' Thomas says. ''Anyone who has ever associated with them as a builder is on board with us.'' Others are invited on a showby-show basis to participate. ''I just contact vendors that seem to supply materials that are to the best benefit of the family with regards to safety and the function of the house, as well as particular styles and designs that we feel they will like,'' Thomas says. ''We just try to find new fresh products that are great for everyone in the country to see.'' When planning the Harris house, Thomas drove to Nava's offices in L.A. and spent hours with Nava going through material samples until they settled on a specific material that would fit the theme Thomas chose for the children's bedroom. ''We are going to create a children's dreamland,'' Nava says of the reaction they want from the 2 1/2-year-old kids. Each will have an individual space that's part of the larger room. While a previous Birmingham News story hinted at a circus theme, Thomas and Nava say that will be only a bit of the room. They don't want to say much partly because they don't want to ruin the family's surprise, they say. Saying yes to ''Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'' was easy for the woman who has designed beautiful, opulent bedding for the children of Bette Midler, Marc Anthony, Leeza Gibbons, Christie Brinkley, Eddie Murphy, Joan Lunden and Melanie Griffith, among others. ''I resent this star designer thing,'' says Nava, whose bedding is sold in Birmingham through Storkland Baby Furniture in Vestavia Hills, ''because I think every baby is a star, the star of his mother's life.'' ''Extreme Makeover'' makes it easy to be part of the show, Nava says. ''The energy of the people is just so magical,'' Nava says. ''There is such excitement about the idea that you're going to give people like the Harrises something. . . . We can always find somebody to donate things, but 'Extreme Makeover' makes it to a point that it's not just about giving. It's a celebration of giving. I think that's why the show is such a success.'' 'Very energetic' Teased about how she's not lacking in energy of her own, she laughs. ''I am a very energetic person,'' she says. ''I'm not just bragging about that. I had a facing-death situation. I had cervical cancer 16 or 17 years ago. The doctor said, 'We may be going downhill.' ''When you hear that, your life changes. You think, 'I'm living. I'm living.''' She had a hysterectomy, but later adopted two children, 12 and 14, who are coming to Birmingham with her. Nava will make a personal appearance this afternoon at Storkland in Vestavia Hills, but expects to spend all night Sunday night helping to get the children's room ready for the big revelation Monday, which is also her 48th birthday. That's why her kids are with her. ''I do not celebrate my birthday away from my boys,'' she says. ''They
are my purpose for being in this universe.'' << Back to News 
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