Paul
Paul Lafrance, most commonly known as the “Deck Guy” both in the Reality TV megacosm as well as in the average North American home, is also a musician, the CEO and founder of the international design company, Paul Lafrance Design, and the father of four daughters. He plans to one day complete his self-help book for men, which is a life-long project: a study into the intricacies of the female mind. So far, he’s got the title page done.
Paul is the host of HGTV’s Decked Out, Disaster Decks, and Deck Wars as well as one of the judges on Canada’s Handyman Challenge, and moonlights as the head designer at Paul Lafrance Design. Since 1997, he’s been designing and installing everything from groundbreaking backyard retreats, unique interior transformations, and commercial outdoor spaces, to custom built homes. He is known for his infectious energy, quick wit, and unapologetic rock star style.
The Design Wheels
Janna
Janna Lafrance – Wheel turner/Lover of Sushi, Sunshine, and of course, Paul!
Meet Janna Lafrance, co-founder and CAO at Paul Lafrance Design. Married to Paul and older sister to Joey and Josh, she considers herself to be secretly responsible for all things impressive and humorous about Paul Lafrance Design. She’s normally behind the scenes, administrating and keeping the wheels of the organization turning, although periodically she will make appearances at Paul Lafrance Design and Decked Out events, particularly if there is sushi or sunshine involved.
Steven
Steven Williams – Head of Design Sales/Technological Savant
Steven Williams, Head of Design and Sales at Paul Lafrance Design, has been with the company for many years. He’s worn many hats (literally and figuratively), from carpenter, to production manager, to general manager, and has excelled at everything he has put his hand to. A couple of years back, he discovered his affinity for drafting and design and has played a significant role in the Paul Lafrance Design migration to the new design software, “DeckWorks“, which boasts state of the art 3-D technology. A multi-talented individual, he has a reputation for humour, hard work, talent, and general stealth-like maneuvers, and is an absolute asset to the Paul Lafrance Design team!
Sam
Sam – Finance/Marketing/Project Coordinator
Balancing the books is Sam’s specialty and she has been a fantastic asset to Paul Lafrance Design with her number-crunching wizardry. She also a marketing whiz! Between wrangling the budget and keeping day-to-day office operations running smoothly, she keeps the entire company in line with her quick British wit and quirky sense of humour, which is quickly rubbing off on the rest of the team. Sam also is our manager of customer and vendor relations, keeping on top of client care and being the point person for the companies that we work with.
Josh
Josh – Senior Design Consultant/Closet Mad Scientist
Josh brings a high level of skill and mathematical genius to the team. He is a design concept artist, as well as technical wizard and a teacher. Josh supervises the Paul Lafrance Design team and tries his best to inspire budding new PLD superstars. He spends a lot of time silently working, pondering the meaning of life, and honing his exceptional musical talents in piano, guitar, and more!
Gemma
Gemma – Social Media & Project Coordinator/Weekend Warrior
Gemma is behind all the great posts, tweets and blogs that have gained 1,000’s of followers. She’s also our “go to” person when computers and brains freeze simultaneously! In other words, she knows her way around a hard drive, speaks “software”, and generally assists when her co-workers are ready to smash, drop-kick, or launch their lap-tops into another galaxy! Gemma is also a skilled CAD draftsperson and lends a helping hand to the other designers, keeping the department running smoothly. On weekends, she can be found battling in the forests of Ontario with a broadsword, wearing some kind of medieval body armour.
Shuja
Shuja – Design Consultant
Shuja is a whiz with CAD, Vectorworks, and a number of other drafting programs, which combined with his skills as a designer make his contribution to the Paul Lafrance Design team vital. He also has a background in project management, which is a great asset to the team. Shuja frequently unwinds by taking long walks and delighting his friends & coworkers with his passion for the culinary arts! Maybe that’s how he works so well under pressure.
Dan
Dan - Content Needed
(Content Needed)
Chrissy
Chrissy – A mom by day. A designer by night – okay make that designer by day as well.
With a background in architecture and landscape architecture, a passion for people and places (the weirder, the better!), and unyielding ability to find inspiration in the way we live our lives, Chrissy has been designing "life's little luxuries" for more than 13 years. What began as a career in high-end residential landscape design in 2005, has grown to include all scales of spaces from tiny urban backyards, to a townhouse complex, to cottage retreats, and a spa resort. Aside from creating "living rooms" outside the walls of the home, Chrissy has also developed an extensive resume in custom furniture and interior design, many interiors of which have been featured on the Custom Built tv series on HGTV. So if you sit there, eat there, live there, or breathe there, Chrissy is ready for you.
Mike
Mike - Content Needed
(Content Needed)
