"Did you know...?"

An episode of the “Extreme Makeover” TV show inspired our charity program, Designing Smiles!

We Europeans have a saying, “Everything is bigger in America”. But as we know, sometimes bigger doesn't always mean better, and when we flip over the coin and check out the other side, the reality of life can be less than perfect...

I watched my first episode of Extreme Makeovers in Montreal (although it was originally produced by a UK based TV company) and I was amazed... by the extremes!

Not only by the speed of the build, and the size of the houses (OMG, everything really IS bigger in America) but by the stories behind each show. Now I know that misery makes great television, but Hey Guys, I challenge you to watch this show without counting your blessings....and emptying a box -full of Kleenex!

The episode I watched went out into the local community,

and their crew just kept going: cleaning up, fixing up, getting local people involved...in people. How cool is that?

And after I'd dried my eyes I realized that I wanted to do something to help. As a family we donate when we can, we re-cycle clothing, we try. But I wanted to do something more...

I know that good design improves the lifestyles of the people it touches, by making surroundings more functional, optimizing natural light, and creating beauty from banality. But wouldn't it be great if, by taking our services to a wider market, we could help people who needed so much more? People needing the fundamental basics of life? And that's how, and why, our company’s charity program, “Designing Smiles” came to be. .

We're starting small with a donation of $3 from each design service sold,  but we're going to grow together.

So lets make great design make a great difference, at all levels of society!

Check out our chosen charities at www.designatdistance.com