Design Style {Q & A}

THE INTERVIEW

What is the overall concept of this room?

The overall concept for the room is a modern coastal theme. Many people love the idea of a relaxing spa or beachy décor, but shy away from it because they don’t want cliché items like seashells all around. Costal flair can be created without having to be overly obvious. In this dining room, clean lined pieces were mixed with turquoise art and accessories to get the style without the stigma.

It’s a very clean design with what could be hard lines. Talk about the items in the room that soften those lines.

Every modern design needs layers of texture to balance out the hard lines. In this room, drapery panels pool onto the floor and a thick shag wool rug grounds the space and softens the edges, without taking away from the modern aesthetic.

How do you choose accessories?

Accessories are always selected to infuse color into the space. In this case, the art, lamps and accents such as the fish and turquoise coral sculptures were used to tell the nautical story in an understated and modern manner.

Why did you choose to mix the leather chairs with bench seating?

One of the best ways to break up the monotony of leather dining chairs is to mix in a bench. Benches create a more laid back atmosphere and are the perfect way to add extra seating. However, it is important that the bench also blends well with the design as a whole. To create continuity, a bench in the same wood as the table was incorporated.

How do you choose artwork for a room that is open to other areas?

When designing a room, the first thing to select is the color palette. I like to choose my large scale furniture pieces in neutral colors and then pick a bold color, like turquoise, to carry throughout every room in the the house with art and accessories. Since most floor plans are open today, this creates a great sense of movement from room to room. For me, the artwork is really the item that completes the design and creates the cohesive look.

The chandelier is stylist, yet is a simple design; talk about this choice.

The chandelier is clean-lined, but the round shape adds an element of interest and balance to the space. It’s a modern take on a nautical rope. To me, themes don’t have to be overt or over the top.  It’s the little elements like these that really tell the story and complete the design.

[Interviewer: AY Magazine | Quotes: Christine Howard | Photos: Nancy Nolan for I.O. METRO]