I don’t find it to be a coincidence that the first room I designed was black and white; I was also thirteen and it was my own bedroom. All of the furniture was iron, there were accents of silver and gold, and I simply loved it.
Fast forward two decades and my home are still black and white. An antique French iron cocktail table grounds our living room… an iron headboard is in the master… even my daughters’ bed is black metal. I reflect on this often and have come to realize that in my own personal space I need a blank canvas for my otherwise very stimulating world. I need a peaceful, restful place to call home and clear my overly creative mind.
All-day long (since I was a young child!) my mind thinks in visuals. I look at a pattern, texture, or color and can see how it can be applied in space, and the effect it will have. I am a firm believer that color theory is real, and should be taken into consideration within your home. I personally find loud, bright colors too jarring for a home; however, I recognize someone working in accounting, or as a secretary, may need a little ‘life’ in their home. Something exciting and stimulating to come home to.
That is why the first step in my projects is to get to know my Clients, their day-to-day life and tailor a palette for them. For example, we recently completed a project for a bachelor who has a very busy work-life and wanted the right balance of masculine and feminine. We created a textural, neutral palette as a backdrop to allow for loud art and the right feminine accents. I also always preach about the power of a dark bedroom. Scientifically speaking it’s proven that sleeping in a dark room evokes the nostalgia of being in the womb… a safe place to rest. My personal bedrooms have always been dark… and I am mean very dark. It’s not always that easy convincing my Clients to do the same; however, those that take the risk are converted. (Just ask the lucky homeowners of the “Best Bedroom Award” winning design- they said now they sleep too well!) If my Clients aren’t ready to commit to a black bedroom, I at least encourage dark bedding or drapes. The depth in those soft textiles can be enough to get the job done.