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© 2011 real e luxury media.corp - all rights reserved
| Design Perspectives by Karen Jones |
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There is a thin line between fabulous and frightening.“What’s key when you first
enter a room is-- will the design bombard you or invite you in?” says Joe Ginsberg, a
commercial and residential interior designer who once put blackened steel and
a Louis XVI chair in the same living room, much to the client’s delight.
Known for melding traditional materials with what he calls “the street,” Ginsberg’s
clients include Christian Dior, Bloomingdales and Coca-Cola.
Because the properly executed blend of traditional and contemporary
will often create more compelling environments, designers continually
confront the challenges of pairing them.
One secret to success, says Ginsberg, is to “find the commonality” which
can join two completely different styles together. This involves a mastery
of color, textures, materials and more to find the connection to make it
work. “Yes you can have steel and a Louis XVI chair in a room and it
will look horrific if you don’t have the right patterning or finishes to bring
it together.”
Meanwhile, if a client has a favorite style or an accessory they feel they
must have in a room, interior designer Marlaina Teich says she will find
a way to include it. “I don’t want to come in with my vision only.
If they love it, it will be incorporated ” However, she does advise that
when mixing styles, one should be the dominant treatment and the
other used for accents and accessories.
“If you have a lot of contemporary and a lot of traditional in one room
it just looks messy.” A Persian rug, for example, might be just the right
accessory for a room filled with modern furniture and clean lines, or an
oversized piece of contemporary art could add pizazz to a traditional
dining room.
A residential and commercial designer whose clients include Merrill
Lynch,Teich believes firmly that less is more. “People tend to
overdo it. If you want warmth in a room that has eclectic styles,
leave it uncluttered and unify it with color.”
Architect Stephanie Goto has contributed her expertise to many of
New York City’s top tier restaurants, including Monkey Bar and Buddakan.
She says requests to mix traditional and contemporary styles tend to
be “more inspirational than aside by side comparison,” but there are
exceptions. When placing certain antiques and collectibles in a modern
setting, she says it may be best “not to fight something that has inherent
historical value or a beautiful patina to it.”This can be achieved through
the subtle manipulation of color and space.
However sometimes adding contrast is the right approach, says Goto.
Displaying a set of decorative gold leaf plates on an ornate surface,
for example, might “hide them in the same design language.”
Instead, she suggests placing them on a contemporary surface like
an etched mirror or lacquer. “This way you have the beauty
of the decorative gold leaf versus a shiny surface of glass or
lacquer. It brings them to life.”
There are as many design styles available as there are ways to “bring
them to life”in your home. With the proper use of color, patterns,
textures, finishes and knowing when enough is enough, mixing
eclectic styles can be exciting and inviting.
enter a room is-- will the design bombard you or invite you in?” says Joe Ginsberg, a
commercial and residential interior designer who once put blackened steel and
a Louis XVI chair in the same living room, much to the client’s delight.
Known for melding traditional materials with what he calls “the street,” Ginsberg’s
clients include Christian Dior, Bloomingdales and Coca-Cola.
Because the properly executed blend of traditional and contemporary
will often create more compelling environments, designers continually
confront the challenges of pairing them.
One secret to success, says Ginsberg, is to “find the commonality” which
can join two completely different styles together. This involves a mastery
of color, textures, materials and more to find the connection to make it
work. “Yes you can have steel and a Louis XVI chair in a room and it
will look horrific if you don’t have the right patterning or finishes to bring
it together.”
Meanwhile, if a client has a favorite style or an accessory they feel they
must have in a room, interior designer Marlaina Teich says she will find
a way to include it. “I don’t want to come in with my vision only.
If they love it, it will be incorporated ” However, she does advise that
when mixing styles, one should be the dominant treatment and the
other used for accents and accessories.
“If you have a lot of contemporary and a lot of traditional in one room
it just looks messy.” A Persian rug, for example, might be just the right
accessory for a room filled with modern furniture and clean lines, or an
oversized piece of contemporary art could add pizazz to a traditional
dining room.
A residential and commercial designer whose clients include Merrill
Lynch,Teich believes firmly that less is more. “People tend to
overdo it. If you want warmth in a room that has eclectic styles,
leave it uncluttered and unify it with color.”
Architect Stephanie Goto has contributed her expertise to many of
New York City’s top tier restaurants, including Monkey Bar and Buddakan.
She says requests to mix traditional and contemporary styles tend to
be “more inspirational than aside by side comparison,” but there are
exceptions. When placing certain antiques and collectibles in a modern
setting, she says it may be best “not to fight something that has inherent
historical value or a beautiful patina to it.”This can be achieved through
the subtle manipulation of color and space.
However sometimes adding contrast is the right approach, says Goto.
Displaying a set of decorative gold leaf plates on an ornate surface,
for example, might “hide them in the same design language.”
Instead, she suggests placing them on a contemporary surface like
an etched mirror or lacquer. “This way you have the beauty
of the decorative gold leaf versus a shiny surface of glass or
lacquer. It brings them to life.”
There are as many design styles available as there are ways to “bring
them to life”in your home. With the proper use of color, patterns,
textures, finishes and knowing when enough is enough, mixing
eclectic styles can be exciting and inviting.
