Designers of the Year 2021: Introducing our Interior Design Judges

We’re so close to deadline day now! Our 14th annual WL Designers of the Year celebrates the best and brightest designers in Western Canada€”and we can’t wait to showcase yours in our September 2021 issue. Enter now to place your work in front of these top designers from around the world.

Marie Soliman, Bergman Design House

Marie Soliman, Founder and Creative Director of Bergman Design House and Njord by Bergman, is an award-winning designer with 16 years of design experience in the hospitality, commercial and residential sectors, who lead the design process of top global interior design firm HBA prior to founding Bergman Design House in 2017.

An avid visual artist as well as a designer, Marie's keen eye for the timeless and the well-crafted has guided her on journeys around the world to spearhead such globally recognized projects as BXR London, We11, NOR hotel Norway, and Eagle Lodge in Botswana, among others.

Dubbed a €œchameleon of design€ by British GQ magazine, Marie's vision stems from her belief in the vital spark of adventurous souls willing to take risks ,and try and test new ideas in the service of creating fabulous and engaging experiences. Her goal is always to bring fresh ideas to the fore, while revelling in €” not fearing €” the chaos of creation.

Her latest project, Laowai, a concealed hospitality concept in Vancouver’s Chinatown neighbourhood, is her first North American venture, with another scheduled for completion later this year in New York City.

Paul Lavoie, Paul Lavoie Interior Design

Paul Lavoie Interior Design is a Calgary-based interior design firm specializing in residential design, and is one of the most published firms in Western Canada. Paul’s career has been documented by design magazines such as Architectural Digest, Luxe and many international publications.

Paul Lavoie is a leading name in the design industry, for creating perfectly executed spaces that truly reflect the individual style of the people that live in them. His team creates interior design that is not only classic and functional, but distinctly creative. 

Mitchell Freedland, Mitchell Freedland Design

Mitchell Freedland is principal of his namesake design studio based in Vancouver Canada. The studio specializes in custom crafted interiors for both private and commercial clients for local and international projects. The multi-award-winning studio takes pride in the timeless appeal of their tailored and classic work. An ability to truly listen and interpret a client's goals and aspirations is a hallmark or firm with the number of repeat clients as its testament. €œIt's all about meticulously creating a final environment that endures,€ says Freedland. Mitchell Freedland is NCIDQ certified, a Registered Interior Designer and a member of the Interior Designers Institute of British Columbia (IDIBC),and a member of The Interior Designers of Canada (IDC).