understanding your aesthetic

I like to first meet with my clients at their favorite restaurant. I always say, where you feel most comfortable eating, is usually a great place to start understanding your overall design aesthetic. We are so fortunate here in New York City, there is an abundance of culture and design at our fingertips – especially when it comes to dining out.

It is here, I really get to know my clients and try to dissect how they envision living in their space. The restaurant serves as a great initial design board to gather what is liked and disliked – i.e “I really love the design of this chair, but not the comfort. “comfort is key,” or, “I love the textures and pattern of this wallpaper, but I think it makes the space feel cluttered,” etc.  I then take these sound bites and use them when curating an initial design mood board.

I will always ask - what are the ‘must-haves’ that we absolutely need to keep in the space; i.e. antique furniture passed down, art, rugs, etc. There are always pieces important to my clients that I like to work around. After this meeting, I give myself some time to sit with the space and absorb all of the information I’ve collected. I’ll then put together 3D renderings and play around with furniture layout - from there, I’ll nail down overall color palette, and the design will start to take a life of its own.