12 Client Asks That Absolutely TRIGGER Designers

This article showcases six distinct interior design projects by local Rochester designers, highlighting their unique approaches to transforming living spaces. Each project demonstrates how designers blend client needs with creative vision to achieve functional and aesthetically pleasing outcomes. Bob Breissinger, owner of Designers Library, details a kitchen remodel in a Perinton ranch house. The original kitchen was dark and enclosed, prompting a complete overhaul. Breissinger's team removed soffits, gutted the room, and eliminated a wall between the dining room and den to create an open floor plan. This transformation allowed for two islands, a 36-inch stove, a prep sink, and various ovens. White perimeter cabinets, white and amber-gray granite counters, and glass-fronted, lit cabinets contribute to a light and airy feel. Walnut-stained oak floors were matched to existing den floors, creating a cohesive look. The project dramatically changed the home's feel and functionality, making it ideal for cooking and entertaining. Ayse Lewis, an interior designer based in Canandaigua and Rochester, shares her personal project: an 800-square-foot cottage on Canandaigua Lake that she transformed into a 2,000-square-foot, two-story home. Lewis, who always envisioned living on a boat, retained the original footprint due to legal requirements but maximized the lake views with numerous windows. Her design features a non-traditional nautical theme, incorporating colors from nature with touches of red and black. The master bedroom offers spectacular views, with a black-and-white zigzag rug evoking waves and pinkish-yellow lighting creating a sunset ambiance. The all-white, open-plan kitchen takes advantage of the lake views, designed to let natural outdoor colors infuse the space. Lewis emphasizes meaningful design that balances aesthetics with practicality, especially for a home frequently visited by grandchildren. Margit Jacobson, an interior designer and senior project manager at Leighton Design Group, discusses designing a grandchildren's suite in a Canandaigua Lake house. This project creatively utilized existing architectural elements like a pickled-wood ceiling, wood floors, and sloped roof angles to create specialized children's spaces. Jacobson focused on making the room functional and whimsical. She designed a reading nook with a daybed and open storage in a corner, alongside Dutch doors concealing a playroom. A built-in desk with a continuous paper scroll for art projects and a metal board above it offers creative outlets. The closet was converted into a nursery with wallpaper, built-in storage, and a chandelier, transforming it into a magical space. Jacobson highlights the satisfaction of seeing children actively engage with the room as intended. Robin Muto, owner of Robin Muto Interiors, addresses the challenge of merging disparate aesthetic preferences of a husband and wife in a Pittsford home. Muto, an interior and lighting designer, navigated the couple's preference for French Country (feminine) and industrial urban (masculine) styles. Through inspiration photos, she discovered common ground in the color gray and a rustic, warm aesthetic. The project, a whole-house interior design completed in two phases, prioritized the family room as a stylistic anchor. Muto opted for simplicity, focusing on color and texture rather than elaborate patterns. Elements like plain natural linen drapes, a traditional English sofa in linen velvet, a shabby-chic linen sofa, an industrial coffee table ottoman, and burgundy chairs were combined to create a handsome yet inviting space that satisfied both partners. Heather DeMoras, from Heather DeMoras Design Consultants, recounts the renovation of a 1901 Queen Anne home in Canandaigua. The goal was to preserve its Victorian charm while updating it for modern living. DeMoras conducted extensive research to ensure period appropriateness, incorporating Victorian and Arts & Crafts styles for a more casual feel. Period hardware, lighting from Historic Houseparts, and Bradbury & Bradbury wall coverings were selected, with colors inspired by the home's stained-glass windows. The kitchen was expanded by integrating the butler's pantry and a smoking room, featuring hidden appliances and custom cherry cupboards. Bathrooms incorporated Carrara marble, hand-painted subway tile, and oil-rubbed bronze fixtures. In the bedroom, a fabric matching the wall-covering was used for curtains around a bay window, creating a cohesive and anchored look. Jason Longo, founder of JDL Design, shares a career-defining project with a client in Henrietta. This client, a positive and resilient woman, sought a light, efficient, and eco-friendly home with warm colors after her husband's passing. Longo, who went full-time with his design company around this time, collaborated closely with her. The project involved improving the entry by creating a foyer and separating it from the new dining room (originally the living room) with a wall. The great room became the new living room. Longo reconfigured windows, added walls, and installed a flat wall of windows with an alcove in the dining room, alongside built-ins and an arch-top alcove. In the living room, square windows were replaced with a small arched window above a tiled fireplace, flanked by new windows. The client's trust allowed for significant structural changes. Longo reflects on her profound impact, as she validated his work and inspired him, even as she battled terminal cancer during the project's completion. #InteriorDesign #HomeRenovation #KitchenRemodel #LakesideLiving #ChildrensRoomDesign #VictorianHome #DesignChallenges #ClientRelationships #SpaceTransformation

Decorating a dining room can be an expensive endeavor, but interior designers often turn to thrift stores to find unique and cost-effective pieces for their clients, even high-end ones. This approach allows for personalization and character while managing budgets. Several key categories of dining room decor are frequently sourced from secondhand shops. Artwork and frames are prime candidates for thrifting. Designers like Elle Cantrell of Elle Du Monde suggest looking for original art or interesting frames that can be repurposed. Frames, for instance, can be used for textiles or mirrors, offering versatility beyond traditional art display. The significant cost savings on frames and art make thrifting a practical choice for adding visual interest. Dinnerware is another item frequently found in thrift stores. Michelle Lynne of ML Interiors Group highlights the abundance of donated china sets that can elevate a table setting. These ceramic pieces, including porcelain, stoneware, and earthenware, are durable and can be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Thrifting also extends to flatware and silverware, offering opportunities to acquire complete or complementary sets at a fraction of the retail price. Statement lighting, such as chandeliers or pendants, is often available at affordable prices in secondhand shops. When selecting lighting, designers consider not only style but also scale, ensuring the fixture is appropriate for the dining table, room dimensions, and ceiling height. It is crucial to have a qualified electrician or handyman inspect any secondhand lighting fixture for safety before installation. Wool rugs are a durable and aesthetically pleasing option that designers often seek out in thrift stores. Elle Cantrell notes that unique, one-of-a-kind wool rugs, whether antique or contemporary, can be found. Wool's natural durability means these rugs can often be professionally cleaned and restored to their original condition, providing a long-lasting and stylish floor covering. Serveware, encompassing items like bread baskets, casseroles, salt-and-pepper shakers, and gravy boats, is another category with a rich selection in thrift shops. Lynne specifically mentions a preference for unique serving trays that can make a statement, often complementing other decor elements like bold wallpaper. Even decorative accents like foo dogs can be discovered. Finally, candle holders are excellent thrift store finds, especially for creating ambiance during special occasions without significant investment. Thrift stores offer a diverse range of styles and materials, from glass votives and wooden pillar holders to brass candelabras. Designers suggest collecting a mixed grouping of antique candlestick holders to craft dramatic tablescapes, or using attractive candlesticks as standalone decorative objects when candles are not lit. This strategic thrifting allows designers to furnish dining rooms with distinctive, high-quality items while adhering to budget constraints. #DiningRoomDecor #ThriftShopping #InteriorDesignTips #SecondhandFinds #HomeDecorBudget #VintageDecor #SustainableDesign #DesignersSecrets

Sara Story, a New York–based interior designer, embraces challenges in both her personal and professional life. She tackles significant physical feats annually, such as marathons or mountain climbs, to push her boundaries and maintain focus, a mindset she applies to navigating the complexities of the interior design industry. Her upbringing in Tokyo and later Texas exposed her to a diverse range of interior aesthetics, from the edited Japanese styles to the relaxed Texan sensibilities. After completing a psychology degree, Story pursued architecture and interior design, eventually working with Victoria Hagan before establishing her own firm in 2003. Story's design work, which frequently draws inspiration from fine art, has garnered critical acclaim and magazine features. She is set to release her debut book, "The Art of Home." In discussions on "The Business of Home Podcast," Story shared insights into her professional journey, including the intricacies of hiring and retaining staff, and the critical importance of establishing clear boundaries with clients. Her background in psychology has been particularly instrumental in her approach to client interactions. Story emphasizes the significance of timing in client meetings, concluding that an optimal duration is approximately two hours. She explains that meetings typically begin with a positive reception of design concepts; however, extending beyond this timeframe can lead to clients overthinking and second-guessing, causing a decline in momentum. This precise understanding of client psychology allows her to maintain productivity and positive client relationships. Story also highlighted a crucial business insight she gained: the inextricable link between an efficient business and a successful one. While creativity is paramount in design, she stresses that effective business operations are equally vital. She credits Victoria Hagan for teaching her the practical aspects of running a design firm efficiently, asserting that while creative talent might be inherent, business acumen often needs to be learned and cultivated. This balance of creativity and business efficiency is a cornerstone of her firm's success. In a related segment, "The Thursday Show" podcast, hosts Dennis Scully and Fred Nicolaus discussed current design industry news, including Amazon's exit from the furniture business, advancements in AI-generated building materials, and the impact of dorm-room shopping on retailers and designers. Designer Summer Thornton also contributed to the discussion, detailing her new hospitality project, Casa Rosada, located in Mexico. #InteriorDesign #ClientManagement #BusinessStrategy #PodcastInterview #DesignPsychology #ProfessionalDevelopment #TimeManagement #CreativeBusiness #DesignIndustry

The latest lighting collection, a collaboration between HGTV veteran Leanne Ford and Target's in-house home brand Project62, has garnered significant attention from interior designers, stylists, DIY bloggers, and photographers. Leanne Ford is recognized for her ability to select unique lighting, evidenced in her previous projects and her personal farmhouse. The collection features wallet-friendly options such as woven floor lamps, metal dome pendants, and industrial brass sconces, offering a diverse range of styles. The article showcases ten ways professionals have integrated these fixtures into their designs, providing practical styling lessons. For instance, San Diego interior designer Michelle Janeen utilizes a metal dome floor lamp in a reading nook. The incorporation of a matte black fixture alongside whitewashed brick, warm wood, and a jute rug demonstrates how mixing materials can make industrial pieces feel less austere and more inviting. DIY enthusiast Megan Schlachtenhaufen's Wisconsin farmhouse illustrates how varied design styles—boho, mid-century, and contemporary—can coexist harmoniously by mimicking design concepts throughout the space. The same floor lamp used by Janeen adopts a contemporary tone in Schlachtenhaufen's living room due to a complementary chandelier. Latisha Carlson's Albuquerque dining room features Ford's natural woven pendant light, which seamlessly integrates with wishbone chairs and a live-edge wood table. This example highlights the effectiveness of a unified textural scheme to achieve design cohesion. Victoria Smith from SF Girl by Bay demonstrates how a perforated floor lamp creates a moody glow in a bedroom, elevating the surrounding art and furniture and defining a distinct lounge area. In Jen Streeter’s Indiana home, a basket light in a living room with string lights, a swing chair, and a disco ball showcases how a white painted light fixture can create a focal point against older architectural details like wood ceiling beams. Photographer Paige Jones highlights a basket fixture in her minimalist dining room, allowing its silhouette to be the central element. This approach suggests that incorporating natural wovens and smooth-edged silhouettes can offer a fresh take on classic trends like shiplap. Designer Brady Tolbert uses a black metal dome table lamp to accentuate soulful objects in his bedroom, such as a Pierre Jeanneret chair and a gallery wall, proving that affordability in design can coexist with high-end pieces. Kaylee Sossamon's Parisian chic entry features a two-toned wall mellowed by abstract prints and woven accents, demonstrating how pairing art and lighting on a console table can create a curated and welcoming foyer. SoCal interior designer Carol Estes achieves a beachy-vintage aesthetic in her hallway with a woven lamp on a washed wood console, with an oblong shape contributing to a casual, California-cool vibe. Lastly, Toronto-based realtor Audrey Larter pairs a coastal-cool floor lamp with a Hans Wegner Flag chair in a Scandinavian-inspired living room, illustrating that environmental context does not need to dictate design aesthetic. #LeanneFord #TargetCollaboration #HomeLighting #InteriorDesign #DesignTrends #HomeDecor #StylingTips #AffordableDesign #Project62

This article explores various interior design styles and offers practical advice from professional designers on how to decorate a home effectively. It begins by highlighting the importance of identifying a personal design style, suggesting resources like magazines, Pinterest, and Houzz for inspiration. Several prominent design styles are then detailed. The modern design style emphasizes simplicity, clean lines, natural materials, neutral color schemes, and minimal accessories to create a calming environment. Minimalism, similar to modern design, focuses on keeping spaces bright, fresh, and minimally decorated, prioritizing functional decor over numerous decorative items, and often featuring open floor plans and monochromatic palettes. The farmhouse style is characterized by rustic charm, wooden textures, light neutral shades, and warm distressed wood accents. Traditional design is described as a more detailed style, incorporating layered textiles, decorative accessories, millwork, symmetry, and classic elements like chandeliers and fireplaces to achieve a timeless aesthetic. Finally, transitional design is presented as a blend of modern and traditional elements, offering a harmonious combination for those who appreciate both styles. The article then shifts to practical steps for decorating, starting with the functionality of each room. Experts emphasize that a room's purpose and daily use should always guide design choices, influencing furniture selection and material durability, especially in high-traffic areas or homes with children and pets. Regarding space, a common misconception that small rooms require small furniture is addressed; larger pieces can sometimes create a more balanced feel. For open spaces, designers suggest creating zones with furniture to enhance cohesion. Specific guidelines for maintaining clearance around furniture, such as a 3-foot clearance for movement and 18 inches between seating and coffee tables, are also provided. When it comes to furniture, the advice is to invest in quality, well-built pieces for larger items like sofas and chairs, rather than rushing to fill the space with trendy but less durable options. Furniture selection should align with the chosen design aesthetic, such as light neutrals and wood for farmhouse or clean lines and geometric shapes for modern styles. Lighting is presented as an opportunity to add character. Beyond decorative fixtures, the type of light emitted is crucial; warm light bulbs (2700K-3000K) are recommended for a cozy atmosphere. A combination of lighting solutions, including recessed lighting, overhead fixtures, and accent lamps, is suggested for versatility. For decor, the article advises treating it as the 'frosting' that ties a room together. Intentional selection of pieces is key, with a recommendation to invest in substantial, timeless items for the foundation and save on less expensive decorative items that can be easily updated. Local shops and thrift stores are suggested as sources for unique and cost-effective decor. The article concludes with quick tips for success, including ensuring artwork is proportionate, utilizing window treatments, creating mood boards for planning, drawing inspiration from magazines, and prioritizing personal happiness in design choices. Common design misconceptions are also debunked, such as the idea that styles cannot be blended (encouraging mixing complementary styles), the fear of making mistakes (emphasizing that decorating is not permanent), and the belief that cost is an insurmountable barrier (suggesting starting small and experimenting). The 7 principles of interior design—balance, harmony, rhythm, proportion/scale, emphasis, contrast, and details—are also mentioned as fundamental guidelines. #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #DesignStyles #DecoratingTips #RoomDesign #FurnitureSelection #LightingDesign #SpacePlanning #ModernDesign #Minimalism #FarmhouseStyle #TraditionalDesign #TransitionalDesign