BRAVO TV'S 'MILLION DOLLAR DECORATOR' TO ADDRESS BREAKFAST

Award-winning Los Angeles-based designer, author and star of Bravo TV’s ‘Million Dollar Decorators', Mary McDonald, will dazzle patrons at the upcoming Near & Far Aid Designer House Tour breakfast on Friday, May 3rd in Fairfield, Connecticut.

The celebrated breakfast featuring McDonald precedes the 2013 Designer House Tour which features five exceptional designer homes in the exclusive enclaves of Westport, Southport and Fairfield. The breakfast will take place from 9:15 AM to 10:45 AM at the Patterson Club, 1118 Cross Highway, Fairfield. Tickets are $65 and can be purchased at www.NEARANDFAIRAID.ORG.

Near & Far Aid, an all-volunteer organization, has granted over $12 million since the year 2000 to Fairfield County agencies helping break the cycle of poverty. The Designer House Tour is one of four major fundraising events for Near & Far Aid. With very little overhead and no paid staff, Near & Far Aid directs 95% of net proceeds from fundraising events back into the community, granting funds to deserving agency partners who further the organization's mission of targeting poverty and changing lives.

“An innovator and a true creative force, Mary McDonald will capture patrons and guests with her style, passion and commitment to creating unique places of beauty,” said House Tour Breakfast co-chairman Trish Donelon. “Near & Far Aid is honored to have Ms. McDonald as our featured speaker and she promises to inspire the audience with her expertise and accomplishments as a leader in the design industry.”“Mary McDonald’s presence at Near & Far Aid’s Designer House Tour Breakfast is apropos given her legendary status in the industry.

"She will delight patrons with her captivating knowledge on how to bring glamour and style to your home,” added House Tour Breakfast co-chair Elish Hickey Telling.

McDonald, a visionary designer with a roster of A-list clients ranging from celebrities to Forbes 400 CEO’s, is consistently ranked as one of House Beautiful's 100 Top Designers. Ms. McDonald has been the recipient of the prestigious Stars of Design Award as well as being honored as one of the top 25 designers by Veranda Magazine. McDonald’s gorgeous interiors have captivated the design industry and have been featured in renowned national publications including Town & Country, Veranda, House Beautiful, the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Vogue.

McDonald’s style combines old-world elegance with a modern sensibility resulting in a fearless iconic style. McDonald’s ability to combine bold patterns, Chinoiserie, and classic influences with an impeccable sense of color has established her signature style.

From the refurbishment of Buster Keaton’s legendary villa to the overhaul of the Luxe Hotel in Bel Air, California as well as the Moinka Chiang retail boutique in SoHo, McDonald’s projects captivate the world. House Beautiful said ‘her work is timeless and glamorous all spun together with a keen fashion sense. She’s a fearless, exuberant user of accessories.’

McDonald’s first book, Mary McDonald: Interiors, the Allure of Style, was published by Rizzoli in October 2010 and is currently in its fifth printing. The book showcases McDonald’s sophisticated and ravishing interiors, thematically divided, with over 250 sumptuous photographs. McDonald is currently working on her second book due in 2014.

Her first fabric and trim collection for F. Schumacher is slated to launch this spring as well as an extensive rug line for Patterson Flynn and Martin to follow. She continues to add new designs each season to her lighting collection for Robert Abbey while working on projects in New York, Utah, Florida and California.