Finalists Chosen in Second Annual ASID Georgia/Archstone Apartments Interior Design Contest

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The management of Westchester at Peachtree Valley, an Archstone community in Atlanta, has selected the top three finalists in the Second Annual ASID Georgia/Archstone Apartments Interior Design Contest. Chosen from a pool of fifteen designers, each finalist brings a unique style and distinct perspective to interior design.

Each designer will have four weeks and a budget of $10,000 to complete the transformation of a one-bedroom apartment at Westchester at Peachtree Valley. Beginning July 1, members of the public will have the opportunity to tour the apartments and vote for their favorite. The winning design will be unveiled at a gala event co-hosted by Jezebel Magazine on August 21.

Public tours of the apartments will continue through September 30, 2008, with everyone who tours the apartments being entered into a drawing for a chance to win the designer contents of the apartments. Three winners will be chosen at random from all tour entries on October 1, 2008.

Finalists for the Second Annual ASID Georgia/Archstone Apartments Interior Design Contest are:

Robert Grayson

Robert Grayson is the creative director and owner of Robert Grayson Interiors LLC, which he formed this year. Prior to going out on his own, Robert was the Project Manager and Lead Designer for Summerour Interiors, Sr. Designer at Hendrick, Inc. and Sr. Designer and Partner at Brooks/Burr, Inc. His project experience encompasses a wide range of contract and residential installations from small residential models to over 100,000 SF high-end law firms. Before moving to Atlanta and pursuing his interests in interior design, Robert worked as an art director for one of Houston’s premier graphic design and marketing firms. He has won numerous awards and recognition both in the areas of graphic design and interior design. Being a total “design addict,” he spends much of his free time antiquing and photographing architectural and furniture details. Robert is a graduate of Clemson University’s College of Architecture.

Corinne Matthews

Corinne Matthews is the owner and principle interior designer for Dream Room Designs, LLC, which was established in 2002. She is known for her cutting-edge and innovative approach to design. Corinne skillfully transforms ordinary spaces into her clients’ dream rooms. Her background, education, and experiences have enabled her inherent understanding of space, color, design and style that translates into every project. Corinne has been recognized for her work in Atlanta, New York, California and Texas. She began her career as a junior high school science teacher and then after receiving her Master's in Public Health from Hunter College in New York went on to work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a public health advisor. During this time, Corinne worked part-time making custom window treatments and bedding as well as custom furniture. Realizing this was a dream she wanted to pursue full-time, she went back to school and received her Bachelor's Degree of Fine Art in Interior Design from the Art Institute of Atlanta. Corinne is also a member of the American Society of Interior Designers.

Linda Balocco

Linda Balocco was born in Turin, a Northern Italy Baroccan town surrounded by the Alps. Linda’s mother was from Siena, a beautiful medieval town in Tuscany. Spending long vacations in Tuscany, Linda has been in touch with Renaissance Art since she was a child. She later moved to Como, another beautiful town in North Italy. Linda studied at The Polytechnic of Milan, where she graduated in architecture. She began to work with an architect, but after only a few months, one of her sons fell ill and she had to stop working. Years passed, and Linda worked when she could. She later met some people who asked her to design costumes for a show of contemporary-classic dance. The show was a success and Linda continued with stage design for four years. It was after those four years her husband bought a company in the USA and brought the family overseas. Linda made the decision to go back to work and currently attends the Art Institute of Atlanta, where she will graduate with honors this week. Linda hopes to continue her studies and obtain her Masters Degree in Color and Lighting.

For more information and full contest rules, visit Westchester at Peachtree Valley at 40 Peachtree Valley Road NE in Atlanta.

About Archstone

Archstone is a recognized leader in apartment investment and operations. The company's portfolio is concentrated in many of the most desirable neighborhoods in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, the Los Angeles area, the San Diego area, the San Francisco Bay Area, the New York metropolitan area, Seattle and Boston. The company continually upgrades the quality of its portfolio through the selective sale of assets, using proceeds to fund investments in assets with even better growth prospects. Archstone strives to provide great apartments and great service to its customers—backed by unconditional service guarantees. As of March 31, 2008, the company owned or had an ownership position in 420 communities, representing 87,134 units, including units under construction.