When cookbook author and television chef Rachael Ray's syndicated series debuted (it airs in this area at 3 p.m. weekdays on WKYC-TV 3), there was a behind-the-scenes local connection. Pamela Bayer of Pamela Bayer Interiors, an interior design and general contracting firm with offices in Hudson and on the East Coast, decorated the entrance to the studio, art department, greenroom, makeup and dressing rooms, audience area and Ray's office.

Ray made her name on the Food Network with 30-Minute Meals and $40 a Day; Bayer has been making her mark as an interior designer ever since launching her company in 1994 in Tenafly, New Jersey. The firm relocated its headquarters to Hudson in 2005, but Bayer continues to work with clients on the East Coast.

In addition to Ray, those clients include Inside Edition, the syndicated newsmagazine now in its 19th season and anchored by Deborah Norville. For that show, Bayer created five distinct interview sets with themes ranging from contemporary-traditional blends to a New York hotel design style.

Lest you think Bayer only works for high-profile TV personalities, check out her portfolio, which includes mega-homes, vacation retreats, high-rise apartments, condos and historical houses. Visit her website at www.pamelabayer.com.