philosophy
This introductory paragraph will explain your personal approach to projects including your overall philosophy as well as your signature style, design considerations and the little details that move you.
collections
My first love was books. The smell, the feel, the knowledge, emotions, the places they can take you to. So I love thinking about how to live with them, display them, organize them, and establish spaces in which to enjoy them. I haunt bookstores of all types. And oftentimes I have the privilege of expanding a clients collection.
My second love was art. First as a maker and now as a collector and champion. I buy from my gut and detest art as decoration. I may see something for a client but largely I try to create a canvas of sorts with the home which just waits for work my client loves to be installed. Often an existing collection inspires me. Collecting is my personal passion, so artists consistently inspire me and i encourage this interest in my clients as well.
And then the collections…dishes, vases, shells, what inspires my client to collect inspires me to dream up a deserving housing or way to display these items.
Hardware
We touch the hardware every day. It is jewelry for the home, which should feel sensual to the hand and pleasant to the eye. I often work with hardware companies, cabinetmakers and architects to design custom pieces. I also love to scour antique markets for older pieces to repurpose. These are the moments which can add to the day, finding simple pleasure in the joy of opening a cabinet or door…It’s another opportunity to do something special.
Light
First of all where is the light? Lets watch it and see. Where does it dapple, where blind, where are the dark corners… And how can we enhance this so it meets the needs of the inhabitants? In the winter and the summer? Having reading light when you need it, having dim-able, gentle, seductive lighting for dining rooms, the right fireplace pieces, the sparkle of a hall entry light, appropriate lighting for a bathroom to see your reflection without dark spots, sconce or table light – what is one’s preference? Lighting can make or break a room, a moment. It must be right.
Then we get to layer in beautiful unique fixtures. So many craftsmen, from the past and working today are creating , unique and functional pieces.
TEXTURE
Meeting the sense of touch and sight. One immediately notes texture subconsciously. It can warm or cool, give a sense of history or progress be found in furniture, fabrics or finishes. It is a conscious decision with each piece and as a part of the larger layered whole. There are so many opportunities to enhance this. Multiple textures give a sense of being supported a sense of place. Carpets can be leather or something luxurious but certainly should feel good to bare feet or be able to stand up to muddy boots depending. Bedding, blankets, pillows all opportunities for texture- visual and physical. From walls to ceilings to floor finishes – I love to utilize wallpaper and specialty finishes in both subtle ways. One needs contradictions to bring out each item’s distinctioin. A successful space has a carefully layered sense of texture, which accounts for its environment in this moment.
CHILDREN
Children appreciate beauty and good design on an instinctive level which bubbles up to the surface. Its flat out fun working with kids. They all have opinions and desires which they share readily. Having four diverse children of my own gives me a special understanding of their practical needs and how to meet them in creative ways. But the joy of working with children comes mostly in the simple love of possibility they bring with them. I love to take their ideas, expand on them and make them real. Kids rooms should have art, storage and real furniture. There should be treasures and texture that grow with them.