Wanda N. Colon

Wanda N. Colón, host of TLC’s “Home Made Simple” is a first generation Puerto Rican-American and one of design television’s most prominent Latina personalities. In addition to hosting “Home Made Simple”, Colón is head of her own private design firm in Los Angeles, as well as being an actor, writer and producer.

The youngest of four children, Colón was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. Her Puerto Rican-born parents created a home full of the vibrant colors, textures and tastes of their culture, while teaching Colón the value of hard work. A close-knit family, they encouraged Colon to pursue her interests in theatre and design. Colón attended Kutztown University in Pennsylvania, where her passion and hard work lead to a year abroad to study acting at Oxford. While at Oxford, she appeared as a lead in the university productions of Sense and Sensibility and Pygmalion. Her interest in all aspects of theatre also led her to study fine arts and set design. After graduation, Colón worked as a bank manager before realizing she didn’t envision a career in banking, prompting her to return to her passion for theatre. Colón had several roles in films shot in Pennsylvania (including M. Night Shymalan’s “Unbreakable” and Steve Buscemi’s “Animal Factory”) before moving to Los Angeles.

While studying acting in Los Angeles, a fellow classmate helped her land a job at Los Angeles based award-winning firm Interior Motives, where Colón’s experience in visual arts and set design shined in the world of interior design. Colón sound found herself in demand as an interior designer, and founded her own firm, Piper Decorative Artisans. Soon, her clients included the likes of Cher, Kelsey Grammer, Paul Stanley (from the rock group KISS), the La Venta Inn in Palos Verdes, and the prestigious Laurence School in the San Fernando Valley. Today, she maintains a busy schedule for her current design firm, Wanda Colón Designs.

Colón appearances on “Designer’s Challenge” and “Designing for the Sexes” got her noticed and she was offered a regular spot, making a big splash when she joined the design team of HGTV’s popular “24 Hour Design.” She even found time to squeeze in an appearance on her former co-host’s new show, “Rate my Space,” before moving on to her current gig as Host/Designer on TLC’s “Home Made Simple.” Colón’s experiences in front of the camera have lead to more opportunities, such as co-hosting informercials with fitness guru Jake Steinfeld (“Body by Jake”), appearing in an upcoming overseas tour for the USO, and signing on as a spokesperson for Febreze.

This year, Colón has produced a short film, “Salt,” from a screenplay based on her short story. She co-stars in the English/Spanish-language dark comedy that is being circulated to film festivals throughout North America and Europe. She also has two other screenplays in development. Colón currently resides in Los Angeles.