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July 6, 2009

Bill Ford

The bowties! The matching reading glasses! The sunny, sparkly personality! Interior designer and artist Bill Ford knows how to put good things together. It’s our turn to get together with this patron of Paducah!

Bill Ford, you are cute, cute, cute, no doubt about it! The bowties! The specs! Have you always been so dapper, even as a kid?
Oh my gosh! I don’t know. I was a typical kid. I just started wearing bowties about five years ago. It reflects my business to be color-coordinated. I always match my bowties with my shirts and reading glasses.

DAR-LING! Where do you get your ties? You must have thousands!
Beau Ties Ltd of Vermont. And no, not thousands. Probably about 50. I have a bowtie for any occasion!

And your specs?
Medical Spa 7. And Montgomery Gardens and Davis Drugs also have a great selection.

I’m so excited about reading glasses now! I’m totally going to buy some like yours! So tell us about Bill Ford Interiors!
I do interior design for commercial and residences. I do new homes, old homes — one room, a whole house. I do pen and ink drawings on note cards, and I do calligraphy for wedding invitations and just married signs. I do a little bit of everything.

You did a bunch of calligraphy for my wedding invitations!
I remember! That was awhile back.

Three and a half years ago, though the Facebook Team just recognized my marriage last week. They gave us two thumbs’ up, though.
Oh, well I’m glad to hear that.

Me, too! So how did you get interested in interior design?
I just have always loved interiors. As a kid watching movies, I loved seeing what the rooms looked like.

Which movies?
Any movie with Vincent Minnelli — he influenced his set designers. MGM and Warner Brothers movies had the best sets.

So that inspired you to become an interior designer?
I started as a graphic artist in Memphis, but eventually began working for a couple who did interiors. And I just loved it.

Are you from Memphis?
I was born in Fulton, Ky., but I grew up in Columbus, Miss. When my mother got ill, she moved back to Fulton, and then I moved there to care for her.

When was this?
I came here in 1989. And I worked in Paducah during the day and drove back to Fulton at night to check on her. She lived for about five or six years after I got here. It was hard to get started doing interiors because I didn’t know anybody.

But look at you now! Everyone knows Bill Ford!
Well, thank you for saying that. I get out a lot. I make an effort to go to most events and see people. And I’ve done a lot of homes now.

Tell us about your process. When folks hire you to spruce up their homes, what are the steps?
I’d come and look at things you have, take in the colors and ask what you like and what you’d like me to do with your home. I read people well, so I can usually lock into what they like.

I don’t have any two homes that look alike. We’re a small town, so I want everyone’s homes to look different from one another. I work with country, traditional, eclectic looks, modern — just about everything. I love mixing contemporary with traditional.

Your own home is gorgeous.
It’s very traditional. As you can see, I like using small-scaled furniture. That way, more people can fit in a room and it makes it easier for people to sit and visit. I also put a reading lamp next to each chair, and I use lights to light up artwork on people’s walls. And I always recommend soft lights. Those are more flattering to a woman’s skin tones.

Well, THAT is definitely important! No doubt! Where all do you shop for pieces? Where’s your favorite gettin’ place?
I Buy Local as much as I can. In fact, I was the first one to sign up for that program when I heard about it through the Chamber. I do a lot of shopping at Higdon’s, Fleming’s, Thomas Furniture, Norma Kellum — and several other places in our area. I try to alternate among them all so that each store gets plenty of my business.

We actually did a fun story about you awhile back on iList Paducah.
I remember! I’d staged a home in Olivet Village using art from LowerTown and PAPA artists.

You are so sweet, Bill Ford. I’d hire you just so I could hang around you every day!
I enjoy it. I feel like I’m at a party every time I meet with somebody. Your clients become your friends. Each person is totally different from the other. My work is very gratifying. I’m blessed to be given the talent that I can do this.

I hear you throw a rockin’ dinner party every June.
Yes, I belong to a supper club. There are 18 of us — we’ve been together for about 20 years. And we take turns hosting one another each month. My month is June, so I always take off two days to prepare for it. I always hire a music student from St. Mary High School to play classical music while we have dinner outside.

Oh lá lá! Al fresco?
Yes. I visited the Vatican about 10-15 years ago. I went up in the dome and looked out on all the gardens, and I took photos. And that inspired what I’ve done in my back yard. You’ll see that it has a real European feel. I love it. I’m always out there in the mornings working on it.

Wow! What did you serve this June?
This time I did a baked ham, fresh green beans from the Farmers’ Market, corn on the cob and a new recipe for potato salad that everyone just loved.

And your libations?
Just beer and wine. And soda. Not everybody drinks alcohol.

Oh, I know! And I always forget that whenever we have a dinner party! I’m always like, “We have martinis, wine and beer. Oh, um, and water.”
You can do great things with water, though. I always have a cold jug with slices of cucumber in it. People love it.

Ha! I wonder if martini olives would work.
I’d recommend getting some cucumbers at the Farmers’ Market.

Done! So in addition to Buying Local, you’re also a wonderful supporter of the arts. I see you at EVERYTHING!
I am a supporter of the arts in Paducah — I think it’s very important. I always go to the Carson Center. I love the Market House Theatre. And I love WKMS radio. I have five or six radios in the house, and I turn them all on every morning so that I can listen to the news while I’m working in the garden or getting ready for my day. I also read the Paducah Sun every morning. And I check iList Paducah to see what’s going on.

Right on!
I love your Web site.

You were a very early fan of the site, which we so appreciate!
Oh yes, I still tell everybody about it.

We like that! And you’re a longtime supporter of the Lourdes Foundation.
Yes, I design the Mardi Gras poster every year. I also donate paintings to help support various auctions.

How often do you paint?
Just on the weekends. I have a little studio downstairs, and I like to go down there and work on pieces.

Bill Ford, when do you find time for a love life?
Well, I’m a very happy bachelor, but I do have a very special lady friend. I have lots of friends that I see. In fact, I was out to dinner at Cynthia’s the other night, then we stopped in at Toucan’s and one of my women friends was there and she got me out on the dance floor! Then two other women came up and said something like when you’re done with her, would you dance with us. So that’s always fun.

Well, I suspect there are plenty of women friends who’d like to change your bachelor status!
I’m very happy. I guess I’m a little spoiled in my lifestyle. I don’t have anybody to answer to — I do what I want to. I guess you could say it’s a selfish existence, but I do enjoy being with my friends.

I don’t think there’s anything selfish about it. Life is good when you’re Bill Ford, and you sure do awfully good things for all of us.
Life is good. I love life, and I’m blessed to have the friends I have. Like a lot of people, 9/11 had a big affect on me. There’s nothing worse to me than what happened on 9/11. It affected my thinking. I appreciate life even more. So now I wake up and know that every day is going to be a good day.

Design on, Bill Ford! Design on!