Hello and Welcome to DOCENT - your guide to design intelligence, creative solutions and earthly beauty.
The year 2020 – a time of clear sight – barely got started before a global pandemic forced us to slow down and rethink how we live and work. As a small business owner, a mom of two teenagers and a creative problem-solver, I am committed to using my skills to build a healthier future. My mission of creating interiors that look and FEEL good has never felt more needed as cocooning at home becomes the new normal.
Before we dive into my tips for creating stylish and soulful homes, I want to address a common misconception between the work of interior designers and decorators. INTERIOR DESIGN is the art and science of understanding human behavior to create functional spaces that also adhere to regulatory requirements. DECORATING is what I refer to as the final layer – the adorning of a space with furnishings, art and other beautiful objects. While in the real world the role of designer and decorator can overlap, it is important for clients to be clear on the unique backgrounds of each.
With a Masters in Interior Design, and a family full of engineers, I find the technical aspects of design invigorating, even thought provoking. But, when a project moves into “the final layer” phase, I turn into quite the romantic…creating a home is first and foremost an emotional endeavor requiring sensitivity and heart intelligence. There are no hard and set decorating rules, but I am happy to share a few guidelines that have helped me “bring soul home”.
A lifetime of detail shots and vignettes provide study for the palettes of future projects
GET PERSONAL
A home is not a glossy showroom, it is a living, breathing story of who you are. It reflects the places you have been, the people you have loved and what soothes your soul. There is no need to justify or overthink what you find beautiful or valuable, just be yourself. People with character own homes with character and that makes the world more interesting. Ultimately, the question to ask yourself is - Does my home tell the story of who I am?
A Texas born client who spends hours selecting the framing for her collection of vintage Bedouin textiles isn’t following the “boho chic “trend. She is honoring her childhood living on an ARAMCO campus in Saudi Arabia. A busy music producer who spends thousands restoring original mid-century modern pieces instead of buying new editions, wants to feel connected to his middle class Michigan roots (the epicenter of MCM). While these choices may tie into larger design trends, they are made meaningful by personal history.
This mid-century kitchen needed more storage but has very few walls. Why not suspend translucent upper cabinets along the bank of windows and harvest the natural light to back-light custom Ginko leaf printed glass? And for this vivacious client who loves butterflies, just for fun, we took it to the extreme - notice the drawer pulls and the mosaic floor inlay | For the powder room, my client fell head-over-heels for this double rose mural from Thomas Lavin and Flie Paper. I paired it with a custom exotic rosewood vanity and biomorph modern pulls from Liz’s | A favorite snap of rolled painted papers captured at a boutique in Lisbon | A tiny paper bowl with a bright yellow stripe at my client’s home in Venice | My favorite Blackman Cruz armchair for my client’s home in Crestwood Hills
SET THE STAGE THROUGH EMOTION
Did you know that the heart’s electrical field is about 60 times greater than that of the brain? No wonder we humans respond to emotions, good or bad, with such verve. Want to feel calm, inspired or glamorous? Create a room around a desired emotion, mood or idea. At its essence, the final layer of design is about storytelling and nothing moves a story along like emotion. Getting clear on how a client wants to FEEL in a room organically streamlines my selection process. When a client tells me she wants to feel like she is stepping into a Balinese spa in the morning, I immediately start to generate a scouting list. A client that wants to feel inspired by 1940’s glamour when she steps into her dressing room will conjure up a different list. Emotional clarity creates momentum.
I created a moody haven for this dynamic client and his unique art collection | Silver leaf, antiqued mirror and black sheers reflect and veil the light while beaded brocade drapes shroud the room and frame the view. I especially love the Alexa Lixfeld glass floating on my custom mirrored and upholstered coffee table - it’s placed just next to my client’s ouija board | A favorite snap captured at a Nilufar Depot
LEARN TO SEE LIKE A PHOTOGRAPHER
Learning to see like a photographer is a bit more involved than owning a smartphone. It’s about understanding light, establishing a focal point and creating a frame for entry. The same principles can be applied to decorating a room. Natural light sources are a designer’s guardian angels, infusing spaces with luminosity and grace. Arranging furnishings and objects to accentuate light sources creates a natural setting and relaxes the senses. People intuitively look for a focal point when entering a room, so make it a worthy one. Studying the work of photographers to deconstruct how they used light and frame the shot helps me stay focused. In this Beverly Hills spa shower, gifted photographer Joshua McHugh illustrates how it’s done.
MASTER THE MIX
There is a reason Parisian interiors are so often cited for their refined yet effortless chic. French interior designers have perfected mastering the mix of the classic with the modern. This aesthetic is both sophisticated and livable, not to mention loaded with character. I am an enthusiastic fan of placing a mid-century modern chair next an 18th-century dresser or ultra-modern lighting against an ornate floral background. The creative tension that exists between different periods and styles adds a rich layer of history and originality. I also advise to mix straight lines with curves and high design with simple craft. Let your room come alive with human history and a wide range of creativity.
A sleek eclectic living room from a recent Santa Monica project I designed with Michael Kovac of Kovac Design Studio. The dining area features the polished Emco rockers from my client’s former London loft where Philippe Starck was their interior designer | I designed this overscaled cedar screen for the lobby of Claud Beelman’s Getty Oil Tower located in mid-city and paired it with a group of upholstered ottomans and an over scaled craftsman-esque floral carpet | A favorite snap captured at the Moooi install in Milan
EXTENDED STUDYOne of my life’s mantras is “You only know what you know and it is never everything”. My passion for art and design (and my motivation for launching DOCENT) stems from my insatiable curiosity. Creating a home that reflects the authentic you is a life-long exercise in self-discovery. Follow your natural interests to a deeper well of knowledge and you will find more to love. Travel, attend gallery auctions, museum lectures or surf the world from your Miesian leather daybed. Remember, sophistication is a knowledge base, not a large bank account. I leave you with this from design icon and lover of life, Le Corbusier-
“The home should be the treasure chest of living.”
