Most of you know that I express my passion for design as both as Design Journalist and a Decorator. I’m always on the hunt for the latest looks and trends to keep you up to date on the ever-evolving world of style. When it comes to my personal home, I try to stay current and contemporary without being too trendy. Yes, we all know that home decor typically requires a refresh after 10 years because looks go in and out of the style. The Mediterranean/Tuscan inspired interiors of the 90s and early 2000s with their faux finishes and heavy-handed embellishments gave way to today’s lighter, streamlined styles. Not everyone is a fan of modern decor. I get it. For me, I want a clean, uncluttered space that feels like I can breathe. I like simple and serene. With this in mind, I invite you on a tour of my personal residence. A Florida modern home that reflects its regional vernacular: slightly pitched rooflines that appear flat from the facade with geometric angles and elevations embracing touches of wood and stone.
Inside, I choose a color palette of white and grey with pops of blue to keep the spaces from swaying too monochromatic. Although my decor is decidedly modern, I didn’t want my rooms to feel cold and sterile like white-box museum space.
I have a formula that I use to decorate my rooms: Texture + Color + Metallic+ Organic =Timeless Decor. Every room should speak to the senses with fabrics pleasing to the touch, plants that ground us in nature, metallic accents to bounce light and brighten the space and natural materials such as wood or stone for timeless appeal.
I don’t think you should be beholden to trends but I do think you can use trends as a springboard to create your own style and draw inspiration. I weave in trendier elements with pillows, accessories and lamps.
Light fixtures add a sculptural presence and are more cost effective to replace in tandem with the latest looks as opposed to entire suites of furniture.
My main living spaces are 24 feet high which presents a challenge with scale. Scale is a tricky concept in living spaces but makes the difference between a so-so and a stellar space. Scale is a subtle thing; it’s subjective yet essential to creating a space that is beautifully proportioned.
Glass and translucent materials such as acrylic allow spaces to visually breathe which is why I designed a glass-paneled staircase with espresso wood railings and added acrylic home decor accents.
For more of my home’s design details, I invite you to check out this video tour of The Design Tourist’s residence filmed with the builder, Jorge Ulibarri, owner of Jorge Ulibarri Custom Homes.
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