When I design a house, I don’t design it according to what I like. I design it according to what the client likes. This means if I have 20 clients at the same time, none of their homes looks the same. This is opposed to designers with a cookie-cutter look: When you walk into a home, you know immediately which designer did it.
For me, the most important step in my process is getting into my client’s head and understanding them. Only then can the look truly reflect who they are.
To do this, I need two things from a client:
1. Find Out the Client’s Aesthetic: To do this, I work with a book called Dream Homes, which contains about six different styles such as contemporary, exotic and cool minimalism. Each style has 100 different photographs. I give the client this book. Each member of the family gets colored tabs, and they go through the book putting the colored tabs on the pictures that they like.
When they are done, I sit down with them and go through an interview process to discover what they like about each photograph. This is an illuminating process. We find out some very interesting things: One client liked unique lamps, so we added several of these to the design. Another client wanted to bring the outdoors in, so among others design elements, we recommended a table fashioned from a tree root.
This works so well that many clients want to own the book so they can keep the tabs to remember the process! They love being involved, and it seems like fun instead of work.
Continue Reading August 18th, 2010
Many parents think they have to choose between enjoying a beautiful home or having a home solely dedicated to their children’s enjoyment. The good news is that you don’t have to choose! I help clients design a sophisticated home that is also accessible and fun for kids.
In the past, the parents picked out kids’ rooms — complete with a boat bed and blue wallpaper. Today’s young kids, however, have strong opinions and know what they like and don’t like.
When I look at design, I look at how kids are going to use their own rooms as well as the rest of the house. I look at the children’s needs both educationally and motivationally and how to give them space to be active (and also space for downtime).
I offer a unique program for families with kids. I bring in an elementary school teacher with design abilities. The teacher sits down and talks to the kids to discover their interests, where they are in their development, their likes, dislikes and tastes. Kids can have magical ideas — and my job is to see how they can come to life.
Continue Reading August 4th, 2010
Modern life moves really fast. Since we don’t want to get left behind, we move right along with it. But there’s a point where if you don’t take the time to recharge your batteries, you come up empty. The most common place to recharge is your home; there’s just something about coming home and feeling like you are in a warm cocoon — a protected and safe place. But if your home isn’t a comforting place for you, the hectic pace of outside comes in with you. It’s essential to have a sanctuary where you can relax, exhale, calm your mind and body and draw new inspiration.
I help clients create this relaxing sanctuary. To do this, I first get to understand each client as a unique individual. So instead of a cookie-cutter design, I know what inspires you to relax. I’ve learned that most people don’t know “the look” they want. But they know it when they see it. So, it’s my job to listen carefully and find the look that will give you that wonderful “ah-ha!” moment. Then, you can just “sink into” the space and enjoy.
Relaxing means different things to different people: Right now, I’m doing a hot pink and black home, and to my client that color combination is extremely soothing. I take the colors and objects that are calming and nourishing for you and turn them into something beautiful — instead of making assumptions and jumping to design conclusions. At the day’s end, you’ll have a place where you can sit down with a glass of wine or cup of tea and feel that it totally reflects who you are.
In my work, I take a holistic approach. When people hear the word “holistic,” they think of acupuncture or naturopathic medicine. But holistic health is healing the psyche. When working on design, I focus on creating a healing environment in many ways.
Continue Reading July 7th, 2010
I recently went to visit a client in Pebble Beach whose home was about to begin construction. One of the best features about this stunning home was a wonderful kitchen and outside eating area. But when I walked through the house, I noticed something odd: There was no door that connected the kitchen and the outdoor eating area! So anyone who wanted to eat outside needed to walk through a formal living room to get to the outdoor eating space.
This is why it’s so important to never lose sight of the big picture.
Whether you’re doing a remodel on a single room, an addition or new construction, looking at a blueprint doesn’t really give you the full picture. And even the best contractor can’t focus on every tiny detail or completely contemplate the finished look of your house.
The contractor says, “I need you to pick out the lighting by tomorrow.” The client just hopes to get it right. Many homeowners building or remodeling find themselves making big decisions in a vacuum.
An interior designer should always focus on how you’ll use your space. First, I talk to you and discover what’s important to you. Then I walk through each area to think about how you’ll live there. I pull a vision together and understand how to make things harmonious (cabinet doors, tiling, paint colors, and lighting) for a finished look.
Continue Reading June 23rd, 2010
