If the entire universe of interior design could be summed up in a phrase, whether budget or luxury, residential or commercial, renters or homeowners, no matter the designer or location or circumstances, that phrase would be this:
You be you.
Do you like deep purple walls? Paint your walls a stunning indigo.
Do you prefer to divide a house into rooms rather than present an open concept? Embrace your preferred space!
Do you prefer brass drawer pulls to gold or stainless steel? Go purchase the brass pulls that caught your eye.
Michael Mitchell is a Charleston-based designer with an iconic store on King Street. His opinions are sought from Nantucket, off the coast of Massachusetts, to Manhattan Beach, outside Los Angeles, and he is not afraid to offer them.
“It’s my job to guide you through your project, so that’s what I do,” he said.
Generally Accepted Principles of Design
Designers have opinions about what constitutes good and bad design, and sometimes, they have their personal idiosyncrasies. On most design issues, though, there is some consensus because the experts share generally accepted principles of design.
For example, Mitchell says buy what you love. It’s hard to imagine any designer disagreeing. “There will always be a place for the pieces you truly adore in your home,” says Stephanie Molster of Charleston-based Stephanie Molster Interiors.
In fact, Molster says, building your own home collection is becoming more necessary because the internet’s democratization of everything has helped trends spread like wildfire. “Most things are readily available at our fingertips, which proves to be extremely convenient in many ways, but also challenging when trying to create a home that doesn’t feel mass-produced. Building a collection, therefore, becomes a great way to add a personalized aesthetic to your home, and I think this desire to create a singularly personal space will only continue to grow,” she said.