When it comes to interior design, how do you blaze your own trail rather than follow trends? How do give your home that personal touch?
At the April 14 “Trend Chaser vs. Style Maker” event at International Market Square, hosted by the American Society of Interior Designers – Minnesota chapter (ASID), in partnership with Midwest Home magazine, top interior designers shared insight on how they came to discover their own personal styles and how they help clients stay true to themselves when it comes to decorating their homes.
The panel consisted of James Noble of Noble Interiors Inc., Brooke Voss of Brooke Voss Design, Renee LeJeune Hallberg of RLH Studio, and Lucy Penfield of Lucy Interior Design, with Midwest Home editor Chris Lee moderating.
Questions ranged from who the designers’ personal style icons are (everyone from distinguished royalty to 93-year-old Iris Apfel) to the benefits of hiring a designer vs. do-it-yourself (industry connections! Saved time and headaches! An extra set of eyes to help solve an awkward layout, scale pieces appropriately in the space, or approach a blank canvas in a way you might not have thought of on your own!), to how the designers work with clients to achieve a look that best reflects the clients’ personality and lifestyle. Answers were educational, honest, humorous, and sincere. (Tips: Create an idea book of what you like and don’t like from magazine photos, Houzz, or Pinterest, don’t be afraid to think outside the box, and most importantly, have fun and enjoy the process!)
After the presentation, guests enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres and cocktails while viewing beautiful design vignettes created by talented designers Diane Hennen Pearson, Jim Noble, Lola Watson, Leila Lake, Martina Willegale, Laura Antognozzi-Peck, Angela Parker, Lisa Peck, Renae Keller, and Renee LeJeune Hallberg.
Defining your personal style comes down to not only attitude and confidence, but thinking about what you cherish and why (is it useful? Is it beautiful? Is it sentimental?), how you want to use your space, and letting go of the fear that you’re “doing it wrong.” The designers all echoed the sentiment that if a certain piece of furniture or pattern or color or fabric gives you joy, by all means, incorporate it into your home. (If you don’t know how, they’ll help you figure out a way.)
In the words of late designer Billy Baldwin, “Be faithful to your own taste, because nothing you really like is ever out of style.”
By Chrissy Sarinske
Photos by Ehlen Creative
