Finding Your Style

Most people in this world have a “Style”.  That is not to say that their “Style “is in fashion or something that you as an individual would even like.  For example you may adore a Prada bag that a friend has however it may not suit your specific needs therefore you would never purchase it.   I always tell clients that a room should reflect who they are as individuals, by reflecting their personalities and being extremely functional.  Like people, each room has different requirements that need to be addressed.  The great Billy Baldwin not to be confused with the “actor” was one the most sought after interior designers of the 20^th century.  His client range was incredibly vast from the likes of Babe Paley, Cole Porter to the glamorous past “Vogue Editor” Diana Vreeland   One of his many quotes is  something that inspires me to create beauty with my designs. "Nothing is in good taste unless it suits the way you live. What's practical is beautiful...and suitability always overrules fashion"‘-Billy Baldwin.”

As a designer, this is my job and I help people find their existing style by bringing their personalities into each room while remaining functional.  This is accomplished in 4 Different ways:

• Inspiration
• Color Dynamic
• Furnishing/Space Planning
• Art & Accessories

INSPIRATION:  Inspiration comes from  travel, music, a trip to the market.  I have my clients complete an exercise to assist them with finding their style.  The exercise is fun and basically all they have to do is look through magazines which are a great source of inspiration. Pull tear sheets for color, rooms for floor plan and furniture selections.  You should not be limited to “Shelter Magazines” fashion editorial, car advertisement, colors of gem stones, nature, art, basically anything that inspires you is the starting point to create a room. Collecting these tear sheets creates an inspiration board and gives a visual indication of what your preferences are.  This information is a great source to start designing your room and finding your style.

Inspiration for room interior, Light, Earth and Blue, oil painting by Mark Rothko, 1954


Finished room interior

COLOR DYNAMICS:  When designing a room we first determine the color.  Color sets the canvas for almost every room.  It gives a room emotion that adds to the overall style. It’s the first thing one notices when entering a room and the last thing one remembers.

 
Inspiration for room interior, Pixie Sticks

Finished room interior

FURNISHINGS/SPACE PLANNING:  There are lots of things to take into consideration when planning the layout of an interior.  Beautiful rooms represent a perfect balance between the physical space and the elements that go into it.  When one tends to dominate the other, the room looks and feels unbalanced. The goal of interior Design is to assemble all of these elements such as furniture, lighting, color, materials and accessories to achieve just that.  Every room should have a floor plan, this shows the passageway of the home or room.  The before and after below shows a great example of space planning.  Our client wanted to sleep 6-10 people and have a cool, chic media room.

Space Planning, before image


Finished room interior


ART & ACCESSORIES:  A space can be re-colored and furnished, but it’s the art and accessories that add the finishing personal touches.  Personal artifacts through travel, objects one loves and art creates the icing of a room.  This gives an interior a personal stamp that will make it complete and yours.

Art & Accessories before image


Finished room interior

 
When using these 4 steps, you will find your style and transform your interior to represent you and how you live. What a wonderful place to come home to!
Enjoy,
Warmest Regards,
Chris