Wow, wow, wow what an amazing response yesterday and over night with people signing up for my new online design course all over the world. From California to Canada, New Zealand to Switzerland its a little overwhelming but so exciting thank you guys, very much look forward to connecting in May!
I thought I would start today's post off with who inspires me,a question I am often asked by the press. Often times I say Kelly Wearstler and Jonathan Adler for having their own very distinctive aesthetic and following it, no matter what. Another couple whose designs I adore is Roman and Williams, their designs are on the other side of the spectrum to Wearstler and Adlerâs. but I adore them. Iâve mentioned them in the past but who cares I'm mentioning them again, because they are just fabulous.
Their design is very considered, extremely beautiful think rugged Americana - filament bulbs, taxidermy - old time curios that sort of thing. Their interiors don't shout look at me, they just quietly do what they are supposed to do. Their apartment (below) in NYC is filled with leather chairs, built in bookcases, animal skins, antique prints. Itâs a boho almost magical look (they used to set design in Hollywood) and I for one love their work. They also designed the ACE hotel where I hold my NYC Design Classes, a hotel lobby which for me knocks all other pretentious hotel lobby's out of the park!
Every time I feel my designs are going a little off radar (in a bad way not a good way) I flick through images of Roman Williams interiors  - and it pulls me back from going to far over the top. Fundamentally I want my interiors to feel beautiful not gimmicky or crazy, yes I like oddball (they don't btw) as I need that twist but that's the thing about being inspired by a person or design firm - you can look at their work and pull from it what you love and ignore what you don't, like a tool box. So I'm inspired by Adler's sense of fun, and Wearstler's sense of going over the top but also Roman and Williams sensibility of quietly producing interiors that take your breath away.
Often times my interiors happen organically -there was never a plan to go dark, play around with scale and push boundaries it just sort of happened that way. I dabbled, I took a few risks and it works - so if you are in a dither about which way to take your space look at people who inspire you. Jot down what you love, ignore what you don't and suddenly out of that melting pot will come something very much your own, and just when you think you've nailed it WHAM BAM you'll come across a beautiful interior like this one below, and you'll want to push harder, do better and produce something that drops the jaw to the floor in one second instead of three!
It never ends this decorating lark, you are never really finished but as Martha Stewart would say â that is a good thing!
