I Hate Red, You're Fired! ; The Colorful Life of an Interior Designer

Hailed by Architectural Digest as one of the top 100 designers today, William W. Stubbs has crafted urban penthouses, vacation retreats, and country mansions worldwide, from Hawaii to Moscow. In this lively memoir, he shares the extraordinary and often hilarious adventures that have marked his career. Illustrated with over 150 color photographs of his transformative work, the narrative details the creative processes behind some of his most remarkable projects. Notable examples include the renovation of a modest Mexican vacation house into a stunning mansion overlooking Acapulco Bay, and the conversion of a century-old schoolhouse in Newport, Rhode Island, into stylish apartments for seniors. The book also recounts the project that inspired its title—a Houston penthouse designed around the color red, which initially led to his dismissal by an impulsive client, only for the client to later fall in love with the finished space. Additionally, Stubbs showcases his most breathtaking achievement: a Ukrainian dacha transformed from a Soviet retreat into a regal estate, complete with jewel-like rooms, a hidden bar, a state-of-the-art home theater, and an underground wine cellar, all set within a beautifully designed park featuring a man-made lake and charming bridges. This entertaining volume is a unique blend of design and storytelling that readers will cherish.