Madden, Chris (Casson) 1948-

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MADDEN, Chris (Casson) 1948-

PERSONAL: Born June 1, 1948, in Rockville Centre, NY; married Kevin Madden (a publisher), 1974; children: Patrick, Nick. Education: Attended Fashion Institute of Technology.

ADDRESSES: Offıce—Chris Madden, Inc., 181 Westchester Ave., Suite 408, Port Chester, NY 10573.

CAREER: Interior designer and writer. Worked for Sports Illustrated and Simon and Schuster, Inc.; Farrar, Straus & Giroux, New York, NY, public relations director; founder of Chris Madden, Inc.; Home and Garden Television (HGTV), host of Interiors by Design; designer and spokesperson for Bassett, Mohawk, and J. C. Penney.

WRITINGS:

The Summer House Cookbook, illustrated by Jody Newman, Harcourt (New York, NY), 1979.

(With others) The Photographed Cat, Doubleday (New York, NY), 1980.

(With others) Manhattan, Harry Abrams (New York, NY), 1981.

Baby's First Helpings: Super-Healthy Meals for Super-Healthy Kids, Mary Ellen Family Books (Garden City, NY), 1983.

Interior Visions: Great American Designers and the Showcase House, Stewart, Tabori & Chang (New York, NY), 1988.

Rooms with a View: Two Decades of Outstanding American Interior Design from Kips Bay Decorator Show Houses, PBC International (Glen Cove, NY), 1992.

Kitchens, photographs by Michael Mundy and John Vaughan, Clarkson Potter (New York, NY), 1993.

Bathrooms, photographs by John Vaughan, Clarkson Potter (New York, NY), 1996.

A Room of Her Own: Women's Personal Spaces, photographs by Jennifer Levy, Clarkson Potter (New York, NY), 1997.

Chris Madden's Guide to Personalizing Your Home: Simple, Beautiful Ideas for Every Room, Clarkson Potter (New York, NY), 1997.

Getaways: Carefree Retreats for All Seasons, photographs by Jennifer Levy and Nancy Hill, Clarkson Potter (New York, NY), 2000.

Bedrooms: Creating the Stylish, Comfortable Room of Your Dreams, photographs by Nancy E. Hill, Clarkson Potter (New York, NY), 2001.

Chris Casson Madden's New American Living Rooms, Clarkson Potter (New York, NY), 2003.

Haven: Finding the Keys to Your Personal Decorating Style, photographs by Nancy E. Hill, Clarkson Potter (New York, NY), 2004.

Author of The Complete Lemon Cookbook, 1979; and a column for Scripps Howard News Service.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Chris Madden Haven, a magazine.

SIDELIGHTS: Designer Chris Madden is the host of the television program Interiors by Design, the author of a syndicated column carried by 400 newspapers, and the author of a number of books on interior design. She grew up on Long Island, one of eleven children, and showed an early talent for decorating when her mother allowed her to redo her own bedroom. Madden attended the Fashion Institute of Technology but dropped out several credits shy of a degree. She worked in publishing for a time and met her husband, Kevin, when they were on opposing softball teams in Central Park. At the time Kevin was with New York magazine. He has been the publisher of House & Garden, Self, and Bon Appetit. He became her partner and CEO in 1995, concentrating his efforts on running her growing design company.

Madden has served as Oprah Winfrey's design consultant, and her clients have included celebrities Katie Couric and Toni Morrison. She has designed furniture for Bassett, rugs for Mohawk, and soft goods for J. C. Penney and is the host of the popular Home & Garden television program Interiors by Design. She began publishing in 1979, first with cookbooks, and produced a number of best sellers that help readers create their own spaces. Madden planned to adapt the title of one of her more recent books, Haven: Finding the Keys to Your Personal Decorating Style, as a magazine. Mark Rotella reviewed Haven in Publishers Weekly, commenting that "the tone throughout is warm and upbeat."

Explaining her role as an interior designer to James Brady in Parade, Madden remarked: "I really believe everyone in America deserves a good home. . . . Not a mansion but a good home. That's my message."