Q & A

Question

Email from South Carolina coast: My husband and I have enjoyed seeing your work on your web-site and your ads. One of the things we have noticed about your rooms is that they are all very different, and they are all beautiful whether they are casual or formal. Just what makes a room beautiful in your opinion?

Answer

Thanks for your e-mail. Beauty and well-designed interiors are hard to define. "Beauty" for one person is not "beauty" for another. Given the decorating style of the client, two starting points are critical in the design process to create a "beautiful, inviting and comfortable room". The first is the "back-drop" and the next is the actual components - furnishings, art, accessories. Beautiful rooms can be formal or casual, colorful or quiet, large or small.

The back-drop serves as the "stage". This includes the architectural elements, wall and window treatments, color palette, overall and accent lighting. Then comes the furnishings, art and accessories which are based on the client's personal needs. Scale and proportion are key, hard-to-define elements in the design process.

Sometimes the design process begins with a wonderful painting or an exquisite rug - sometimes the client and I together find the starting place with a "key" fabric or just a favorite color!

Many settings can have all of the visual elements of a truly "beautiful" room or home, but if they lack the spirit of the people who live there, they lack not only beauty, but often comfort.

I have often said, "If every house has a story, the story they tell should never be mine." I use this as a guiding principle in every design project regardless of size and style. Every room and style can reflect beauty as well as the client's personal style...this process may take work on the client's and the designer's respect, but it is always a conceivable goal.

To take this personalizing step further and to infuse this into a real-life situation, I often have to step back and hang a "not-so-perfect" painting over the mantle, let Aunt Hattie's porcelain lamp take a place of honor on the living room sofa table and accessorize with "treasures" that I would not treasure in my own home. I have learned that there is a "tasteful" way to display almost anything - I simply alert the client that this is not the ultimate solution.

One should be able to relax and "browse" in a beautiful environment - remembering good times and good friends with photographs or pick up an antique paper weight and chuckle at how you managed to get the dealer down $5 whole dollars! This is your home - not a museum.

Last, I want to re-emphasize "comfort". Beautiful rooms invite the owners and their families and friends to return to these rooms not only because of their beauty but also because of the comfort level they offer. Comfortable sofas and chairs are basic necessities. Tables that are meant to be used are essential. Adequate lighting for conversing and reading is key. Accent lighting is equally important. "Comfort and beauty", whether in a casual or formal setting, are key components in a design. There is no reason to compromise either.

I hope I have helped to define "beauty in interior design". It's a hard question because it covers so many aspects of design. Thanks for visiting our web-site.

Anita

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