Until 2004, Ondine was a set decorator in film and television including the HBO hit “Sex and the City.” But when the series finally came to a close she decided she wanted to bring its famous sense of high style -- and her own passion for fine décor -- to real people’s homes, venturing off on her own into the great yonder of interior design. Now she runs her own boutique design firm out of SoHo, with real-life clients who are Hollywood celebs, Washington pundits, Wall Street financiers and world-renown musicians. (Last winter Ondine was asked to submit her book to the office of First Lady Michelle Obama as one of a handful of decorators under consideration to redesign the White House residence.) In 2008 she was a finalist on Bravo’s “Top Design,” giving the reality show’s viewers a first-hand glimpse of the whimsical style and unique eye she brings to every job. As one of the show’s judges, the esteemed Elle Décor Editor Margaret Russell, put it in The Washington Post, “She did a great job on the show making her spaces look really lived-in and layered. The fact that she has been a set decorator means she knows how to conjure a place and channel someone’s personality.” Indeed, Ondine is acutely aware that every client has his or her own tastes, and she is careful to work closely with each of them to bring their visions to life. As a longtime set-designer on television shows and movies, she has worked in all styles and is well-versed in the furnishings and décor of all historical periods. A graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University, Ondine splits her time between New York City, Washington DC and Montauk NY. She lives with her husband Jim Rutenberg, a New York Times journalist, and her red chow, Mr. Fox. In March, Ondine was named one of the “20 Young Designers to Watch in 2010” by Traditional Home magazine, a designation she plans to live up to.