Many of my projects involve renovation of existing spaces; most of them include decoration. I draw on many sources of inspiration for my design choices, but most of the decoration springs from the clients’ fantasy of how they see their lives lived. Some of the most challenging projects involve clients who have no specific desires and own nothing that they cherish.
Good design is all about balance. Every decision no matter how large or small involves balancing color, scale, texture, symmetry, quality or provenance. This makes interior design a somewhat practical common sense craft. It is this innate tendency that I think sets me apart from many other designers. I often defer to my gut feeling when options are neither right nor wrong. Good editing is important to achieve a beautifully balanced interior. What not to include is often as important as what is included.
Possibly the most important ingredient in the client/ designer mix is personality. No amount of talent can overcome a disagreeable personality. A designer has to be a diplomat able to deal with family members, trades people, and all the professionals that provide service to the industry.
As each project is different than those that came before it, I like to analyze a residence to discover its essence; what is it that makes it what it is? It is the architectural and purpose driven integrity of a place that tells you why to see it in a specific way. I enjoy that discovery and enjoy responding to it through beautiful and practical interior design.
Residential design is in my blood. My earliest memories are of the way light filtered through the Venetian blinds in my bedroom. Even then I was critical of the way my room looked, but in the manner of a set designer I sometimes appreciated things that I thought of as a flaw or quirkiness but that evoked an emotion that I enjoyed.
In spite of art history and design classes, it is seeing that has been my teacher. Knowledge of periods and styles is of course a very important tool for any designer, but seeing how those periods and styles have been used and abused throughout history allows me to not only understand the intention of an interior, but what the result evokes intentional or not.
The bones of any interior are of course the envelope that contains it. Architecture doesn’t have to dictate any specific aspect of an interior, but it must be considered in any design even if it is to be avoided. Often good design requires “tweaking” the envelope. I like to approach this part of the job with a less is more stance. Too often interiors are gutted to reflect the architects ego or current trends. Many times these same interiors are then restored at great cost. The client’s needs should dictate the changes made to a space, but a good designer can do this without altering the essence of that space, unless of course that is the intention.
As many of my jobs are in pre-war Manhattan apartment houses I have a great deal of experience altering spaces from a sensitive point of view. These apartments are highly sought for their space and architecture. Their form of ownership and government oversight require thorough planning and clever design to accomplish what is needed and still pass muster with Boards of Directors and the Department of Buildings. This type of work requires one to be practical and diplomatic. Needless to say, all of this gets expensive, so showing a client how to save money and where it’s necessary to spend it is important. This is an area that I find challenging and very rewarding when accomplished.