MELINDA RITZ BIOGRAPHY From her acclaimed tenure as the set decorator for one of television’s most popular comedy series to her distinctive work within her own interior design firm, Melinda Ritz has utilized her unique approach in creating timeless, innovative spaces, positioning herself as one of the most sought after interior designers in the field. Her talent to create a unique sense of place patterned after each individual client and their space, results in well-conceived, innovative design that give a new personalized definition of “home.” Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, Melinda grew up in the entertainment capital of the world giving her a natural affinity for anything remotely releated. After attending the University of Nevada where she studied Communications, she moved to Los Angeles at 22 and began working in the entertainment industry as a costume designer. Later, Melinda found herself drawn to set decorating and earned her first job on the science fiction cult film “Cherry 2000.” After working as a set designer on feature films and commercials, including the hit “Basic Instinct,” she sought out opportunities in television for the design creativity it provided. After landing her first job in the sitcom “The Sinbad Show,” many television shows later, she was offered a position on the pilot episode of “Will & Grace” which would go on to make television history. “Will & Grace” ran for 8 successful seasons and Melinda served as the set decorator for each episode of the entire run, never once missing a day of work during the span. Nominated for seven Emmy awards, she won three in the category of Art Direction. She pushed herself to constantly implement new ideas and concepts with the producers giving her great freedom to explore her craft. In addition to serving the needs of the show, she also came to see her work as an opportunity to educate viewers as to the many options available when it came to designing their own spaces. Through the medium of television Melinda was able to educate people and give them a visual “snapshot” of what could be achieved with design as never seen before. She used this forum to elevate people’s perception about the endless possibilities that can be achieved through design. Her ability to convey character traits within an environment was integral to her success and when hired by various members of the show to design their houses, she utilized this same approach to create designs that married the personal style and sensibilities of the homeowner. In 1996 Ms Ritz formed Melinda Ritz Interiors as an adjunct to her work on the series and for many years juggled the two careers, designing interiors during the summer hiatus when most were relaxing following months of grueling shooting schedules. By applying the same principles in her independent work that she used to achieve great success in the world of television, Melinda Ritz continues to extend the limits of interior design. By incorporating both architectural and interior design into her conceptualizations and installations, she creates a consistency in her projects for her discriminating and appreciative clients. The subject of numerous media interviews, Melinda Ritz, a member of the Set Decorators Society of America and Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, lives in Glendale, CA. Melinda Ritz Interiors is conveniently housed on the CBS Studio lot in Burbank making her accessible for both industry and consumer projects. Melinda Ritz Interiors, Inc is located at CBS Studios 4024 Radford Avenue in Studio City, CA 91604. Please call 818.655.8510 for more information or visit them online: MelindaRitz.com Press Contact: C Smith Studio C Communications 310.452.3900 csmith@studiocpr.com back to top