House Of Two: Challenging Stereotypes in Interior Design

This article explores the unique interior design challenges and solutions for the residence of Lindenwood University president, Jim Evans, and his wife, Lois. The 9,200-square-foot house in St. Charles functions simultaneously as a comfortable private home and a sophisticated venue for entertaining university dignitaries and donors. Mitchell Wall Architecture and Design, along with senior designer Colleen Ertl of Diane Breckenridge Interiors, were tasked with creating a space that could seamlessly transition between these two distinct purposes. The design approach involved essentially creating "two houses in one." The formal areas, intended for university events, boast an elegant and traditional aesthetic. The dining room, for instance, seats 14 people and features a coffered ceiling, a grand fireplace, and French doors opening to a balcony. Its design evokes a modern interpretation of "Downton Abbey" style, balancing formality with comfort. The color palette in this space incorporates browns, greens, blues, cream, and touches of gold, aiming for a timeless yet contemporary feel that avoids being perceived as old or stuffy. This room is routinely used for formal occasions, donor engagements, alumni gatherings, and meetings with the university's board of directors. Adjacent to the dining room, the living room is designed in the style of a grand hall, complete with a dark, wood-beamed ceiling and an elegant fireplace. An inlaid floor visually connects the two formal spaces, with the color scheme from the dining room echoed in an area rug in the living room. Ertl emphasized the importance of the furniture being comfortable and inviting, despite the room's formal function as a receiving area for events. The goal was to create an atmosphere where guests could feel at ease and "just plop down." In contrast to these public and formal spaces, the residence also includes private, more casual living areas. These are primarily located on the lower level and feature a cozy kitchen, a breakfast nook, a hearth room, and a master-bedroom suite. The overall house comprises four bedrooms and eight bathrooms, demonstrating the extensive scale of the property. A key aspect of the design strategy was to ensure the house felt like a personal home rather than merely a showroom. This was achieved by incorporating personal touches throughout the space. For example, large bookshelves, standing 15 feet tall, display photographs and other items personal to the Evanses and Lindenwood University. The article also mentions an antique piano, a focal point in one of the rooms, which has a long history with Lindenwood University. However, the designers acknowledge that the house, particularly its cream-colored sofa, is not designed to be pet-friendly, highlighting a practical consideration in maintaining the pristine environment required for official functions. The architectural style of the house is described as "Collegiate Gothic" by Carol Wall of Mitchell Wall, a style often seen on Ivy League campuses, further reinforcing its connection to the university environment. This dual-purpose design successfully merges the requirements of a high-profile public residence with the need for a comfortable private dwelling, creating a functional and aesthetically pleasing environment for its occupants and their guests. #InteriorDesign #ResidentialArchitecture #HomeDecor #LindenwoodUniversity #StCharles #MitchellWallArchitecture #DianeBreckenridgeInteriors #CollegiateGothic

This article explores various home design trends often considered controversial, highlighting why individuals genuinely appreciate and implement them in their living spaces, often for practical and personal reasons that are overlooked in broader design discussions. The piece compiles insights from members of the BuzzFeed Community, offering diverse perspectives on these polarizing trends. Open shelving in kitchens, frequently criticized for collecting dust and animal hair, is defended by one respondent who argues that consistent use of dishes and glasses prevents such issues. This individual highlights the aesthetic appeal of open shelving, noting it often receives compliments from visitors. The practicality of open shelving is emphasized by its user-centric benefit rather than theoretical maintenance concerns. Open floor plans are another trend that receives mixed reactions. One person expresses dissatisfaction with their current home's enclosed layout, preferring an open plan to avoid feeling isolated while cooking and to foster family togetherness, especially during holidays. This perspective underscores the social and spatial advantages of open floor plans, suggesting their suitability depends on a household's specific needs. Barn doors are championed as effective space-savers, particularly for compact living areas. A contributor views the opposition to barn doors as a "privileged stance," implying that critics might not understand the spatial constraints faced by those living in smaller homes. This viewpoint stresses the functional benefits of barn doors over their aesthetic or perceived trendiness. Microwaves placed over the stove are defended for their convenience and efficient use of kitchen space, especially in smaller kitchens. A kitchen and bath designer argues against the trend of moving microwaves to lower cabinets, noting that bending over to access them is impractical and can pose safety issues for children. The designer emphasizes that while alternative placements may appear sleek, they are not always practical for everyone. The preference for multiple smaller bedrooms over fewer large ones is articulated by a 43-year-old from Utah. This individual appreciates the cozy feeling of smaller rooms and the ability to host more family members during holidays. This highlights a focus on functionality and family accommodation over spaciousness. Clear shower doors, often criticized for showing water spots, are favored by a Georgian resident who believes they make bathrooms feel larger. This person also notes that they are typically used in private settings where modesty is not a concern, dismissing the idea that they compromise privacy. This perspective prioritizes an expansive feel in the bathroom. Mounting TVs above fireplaces is a debated trend. A respondent argues that neck pain from viewing such a setup is indicative of excessive TV watching, and expresses satisfaction with the aesthetic, particularly when using a frame television that resembles art when off. This highlights a personal preference for visual integration and minimizing the appearance of technology. Water closets, which separate the toilet from the rest of the bathroom, are praised by a germophobe for hygiene reasons and for providing privacy, particularly in shared living situations. This emphasizes the health and privacy benefits derived from such a layout. Open kitchens are viewed positively by a Californian resident, who sees them as conducive to a shared social experience during guest visits. This perspective values the communal aspect of cooking and entertaining, contrasting with the idea that kitchens should be hidden due to mess. Painted brick is defended by someone who found their original brick fireplace aesthetically unappealing, stating that limewashing it enhanced the space while preserving texture. This illustrates how personal aesthetic preferences can justify altering original features. Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring is praised for its durability, ease of cleaning, and comfort underfoot, especially for households with toddlers and pets. The individual notes its realistic wood appearance and resilience to spills and scratches. This highlights practical benefits over traditional flooring materials. Black-painted house exteriors are preferred by a Floridian resident due to their low maintenance compared to white exteriors, which required frequent cleaning. This demonstrates a practical advantage in terms of upkeep and long-term appearance. Open staircases are appreciated for allowing light to flow through a home. A 73-year-old from California mentioned incorporating safety rods to protect grandchildren, combining aesthetic preference with functional safety. This illustrates how design choices can be adapted for both beauty and safety. Laundry closets are preferred over dedicated laundry rooms by a respondent who finds them more practical, as laundry is typically folded in other areas of the house while engaging in other activities. This emphasizes efficiency and multi-tasking convenience. Quartz countertops are highly favored for their durability, low maintenance, and wide range of aesthetic options, especially when compared to granite or butcher block. This highlights practical and aesthetic superiority over other countertop materials. Carpeting in bedrooms is advocated for its sound-dampening qualities, comfort, and warmth, particularly during colder months. This challenges the common aversion to carpet by focusing on comfort and practicality in a bedroom setting. Stovetop pot fillers are defended for their convenience, arguing that their utility in filling pots directly at the stove outweighs the minor inconvenience of moving the pot later. This emphasizes the convenience during the cooking process. Modern farmhouses, despite criticism, are appreciated for their clean, modern, and timeless aesthetic. A Texan resident defends this style, suggesting that much of the negativity stems from envy or misapplication of the style. Bare light bulb fixtures are defended, with an electrician recommending frosted bulbs to achieve a soft lighting effect while maintaining the fixture's aesthetic. This highlights how proper bulb choice can enhance controversial lighting styles. The absence of medicine cabinets in bathrooms is supported by a contributor who notes that medicine should not be stored in humid bathroom environments anyway. This practical advice addresses health and storage concerns. Wallpaper is lauded for its historical durability and ease of maintenance, especially for families with children, contrasting with paint which scuffs easily and is difficult to patch seamlessly. This advocates for the long-term practicality and aesthetic benefits of wallpaper. Farmhouse sinks are desired for their large size, which makes washing oversized pots much easier. This highlights a functional benefit for home cooks. Kitchen island cooktops are valued for enabling social interaction, allowing individuals to cook while engaging with family or guests. This emphasizes the social aspect of cooking and entertaining. Wood trim, often deemed outdated, is cherished by a 67-year-old from Ohio for its enduring beauty and the personal effort invested in its upkeep. This perspective emphasizes sentimental value, craftsmanship, and the timeless appeal of natural wood. Each of these perspectives offers a counter-narrative to prevailing design criticisms, underscoring that design preferences are deeply personal and often rooted in practical considerations. #HomeDesign #InteriorDecor #ControversialTrends #PersonalPreferences #KitchenDesign #BathroomDesign #LivingSpaces #DIYHome #ArchitecturalFeatures

The interior design industry frequently demonstrates a lack of racial diversity, a long-standing issue highlighted by designers from minority ethnic backgrounds. This deficit is particularly evident when comparing the industry's tendency to appropriate cultural aesthetics with its failure to employ and represent individuals from those same cultures. From early education to professional practice and media representation, the absence of BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) individuals is pronounced. Many design schools and professional environments lack diverse faculty and staff, leading to a homogenous workforce where minority designers often find themselves in the minority. This problem extends to media and television, where BAME designers are rarely featured, contributing to a narrow public perception of who creates in the industry. The industry often adopts terms like "tribal," "boho," or "ethnic" to describe design elements, yet these terms are frequently used without a deep understanding of their origins or the cultures they represent. For example, "tribal" is often broadly applied to crafts from Africa, such as the Kuba cloth from the Congo, which involves time-consuming and laborious traditional techniques. "Boho" originates from "Bohémien," a French term initially referring to people from Bohemia and later to nomadic artists, suggesting an eclectic style inspired by diverse philosophies and ways of life. Similarly, "ethnic design" draws on patterns and handicrafts from non-industrialized cultures across South America, Africa, and Asia, like Persian rugs, which have rich histories tied to specific regions and peoples. These culturally significant crafts are often re-contextualized as interior design trends without proper acknowledgment or credit given to the skilled artisans and communities behind them. This practice raises questions about whether designers are genuinely appreciating and crediting the cultures that inspire them or merely using these elements for aesthetic appeal without supporting the people who originated them. This pattern of repackaging cultural artifacts as fleeting trends diminishes the visibility of diversity that has always existed within the industry. Such actions contribute to an erasure of creative people of color, perpetuating a misrepresentation of the industry. The design community, including major and trade media outlets, social platforms, publications, and events, has a responsibility to promote diversity actively. This involves making conscious efforts to collaborate with, employ, contract, buy from, and promote diverse individuals and businesses. It also entails being transparent and vocal when these efforts fall short. BAME designers already working in the industry are encouraged to increase their visibility. By doing so, they can serve as role models, inspiring and educating younger generations and their families about the viability and inclusivity of creative careers. The ultimate goal is to reach a point where designers are recognized solely for their talent, irrespective of their racial or ethnic background, fostering a truly equitable and diverse industry. #InteriorDesign #RacialDiversity #CulturalAppropriation #DesignIndustry #BAMERepresentation #AestheticBorrowing #CulturalHeritage #Inclusivity #DesignEthics

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

The article explores the integration of craft, culture, and character into interior design, presenting design as a medium for narrative and identity. Chhaya Sharma, Principal Designer at Design ArTEC, details how these three elements contribute to creating authentic and meaningful spaces as Interiors Day approaches on May 31st. The essence of craft in modern interiors is described as a blending of old-world artistry with contemporary simplicity. Handcrafted elements, such as a hand-thrown pottery lamp in a minimalist setting, serve as a connection to the past, highlighting the beauty of imperfections, the value of time, and the human touch. These bespoke items are not merely decorative but are considered future heirlooms, each telling a distinct story within the home's larger narrative. Culture is presented as a crucial contextual element in design, extending beyond the mere incorporation of ethnic motifs. It involves drawing inspiration from the geographical, historical, and social backgrounds of a place and its inhabitants. Designers are increasingly incorporating regional narratives, such as the open, airy designs of Mediterranean homes, or the fusion of distinct Indian cultural themes like Warli paintings with Jaali partitions. This approach creates designs deeply rooted in local traditions and identities. Character in interior design refers to the personal expression embedded within a space through intentional choices. This includes displaying personal artifacts, curated art pieces, and inherited objects, which act as emotional anchors. The goal is to create environments that feel lived-in and authentic, rather than sterile or staged. Examples include mismatched furniture that reflects a history of ownership or hand-painted murals that embody individual reflections, ensuring that the space truly represents its occupants. The article emphasizes that merging craft, culture, and character results in authentic designs that also align with principles of sustainability. Such designs often feature a lower carbon footprint, exhibit greater durability, and promote conscious living. Contemporary designers are increasingly adopting practices like repurposing architectural salvage and utilizing biodegradable materials such as cane, jute, bamboo, and terracotta. Ultimately, interior design is portrayed as a powerful narrative tool. It communicates personal and collective histories, present identities, and future aspirations. Through the thoughtful combination of these three elements, interior design captures memories, upholds traditions, expresses individuality, and celebrates the unique stories of the people and places it inhabits. #InteriorDesign #Craftsmanship #CulturalIntegration #PersonalExpression #SustainableDesign #HomeDecor #DesignNarrative #ArchitecturalSalvage #MindfulLiving