The ED A-Lister gives us a preview of his new book, The Curated Home.
By Samantha Swenson, ELLE Decor
Tell me about the new book.
I wanted The Curated Home to be slightly different from your typical coffee table design book, which is basically just a portfolio of a designer’s or design firm’s work. It’s not like a DIY book, but it contains tips and suggestions for creating interesting interiors that are tailored specifically to the homeowner.
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What was your inspiration for the book’s title?
The title is something that was always important to me, especially the last part of the title: “a fresh take on tradition.” I find that people sometimes have a negative reaction to the word “tradition” or “traditional.” If I work with a young couple who have inherited antique pieces, I make sure we approach those elements with a fresh take so that they don’t look dated. How can we edit those pieces? How can we make them look more modern or contemporary? A little more editing can go a long way.
What are some of the greatest challenges you encounter when working with clients?
One challenge I encounter, especially being based in San Francisco where tech is such a prominent and wonderful thing, is that people want everything so much faster than things can actually happen. But design is still very much a process. All of the selections and ordering and working with vendors to get things still takes time. Some of the challenges these days are educating and working with clients to tell them that design does take time.
Has your upbringing influenced your approach to design?
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[post_ads]My parents’ influence on me as an only child has definitely played a part in my life. They would bring me to art galleries, museums, and on trips around the world because it was easy to tote me along. My father did a lot of home restoration and remodeling, which gave me insights into interior design.
What do you think makes your work recognizable?
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People often ask if I have a specific style. I think I might have consistency throughout my portfolio, but I love all periods and styles. I love monochromatic interiors, but I also love layers, wallpaper, bright colors, and accents. That’s part of what I love about my job: I can put different hats on as I work with different clients.
Do you have a favorite room to design?
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I find kids’ rooms to be particularly fun. It’s the one space in a house that has so many different lives: there’s the nursery phase, the toddler phase, the young kid phase, the tween phase, the teenager phase, etc. While your dining room and kitchen might stay the same over the years, a kid’s room goes through so many changes.
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If you could only give your readers one piece of advice, what would it be?
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Create a space that is unique and special to you.
