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Creating Happier Designs


Design by Alida and Miller Design, Photo by Jessie Prince Photography

August 3, 2020

The year of 2020 has not been the best. Because of recent events – most notably, the pandemic – a third of Americans are reporting signs of clinical depression and anxiety, according to a recent survey by the U.S. Census Bureau. With everyone spending more time at home, one of the best ways a designer can help solve this problem is to do what they already do: create beautiful, happy spaces. KBB spoke with five designers known for their joy-filled designs to find out more.

rae duncanDesign by Rae Duncan Interior Design, Photography by Peter Poliak

KBB: In light of current events, do you feel the beauty of interior design is impactful?

“Absolutely, without a doubt – yes! I think that answer might sound counter intuitive to some people, because they might be thinking with such scary, real and important issues and events happening in the world, who has time to focus on materialistic or shallow things like décor and design? But I think for the first time – maybe ever – there is a larger number of people seeing the emotional value in creating a home that makes them feel happy, peaceful and safe.”

Jessica McClendon, Glamour Nest Interior Design, Los Angeles

“Definitely! With people spending more time at home, we are finding that homeowners are now, more than ever, understanding the importance of having a space that reflects not only their personality but also fits their needs. Having a functional space is a life-changing experience that can undoubtedly enhance one’s day-to-day routine.”

Zoë Feldman, Zoë Feldman Design, Washington, D.C.

KBB: What is the most important component in creating an interior that makes its homeowners happier?

“Have them stick to their likes and dislikes. Don’t let them be swayed by trends, unless they love that particular trend and want it in their home for a while. Let their personality shine through. Have a lot of light coming in, and if that’s difficult, place mirrors around the home to reflect the light.”

Margaret Scholley, Alida and Miller Design, Bangalow, Australia

“The first question I typically ask a client at the start of a project is, ‘How do you want the space to make you feel?’ Being able to translate their answer into the space is the most important element I keep coming back to during the design process. Understanding their likes, dislikes and way of life are crucial to the success of a project.”

Emily Ruddo, Emily Ruddo Interior Design, Los Angeles

“It’s our job to uncover what makes our clients happy and what speaks to them. There is never a cookie cutter design; each project and client is very unique, so it’s most important to create a space that illustrates our client’s life and treasures while keeping functionality at the top of the list.”

– Rae Duncan, Rae Duncan Interior Design, Chicago

“The most important component in creating an interior that makes your client happy is to get clear on what makes your client and the people they love happy! Once you get that figured out, you can then use that information to make thoughtful design choices in your client’s home. Have your client do some good old-fashioned journaling. Have them keep in mind that they might have different emotional needs for different areas of their home. For example, in the family room an emotional need might be spending time with family, while the bedroom might be about having time to meditate or to have alone time to recharge.  Getting clear on our emotional needs is all about figuring out who we are and what drives us. Not the idealized version of ourselves, but the truest, best version. It’s the foundation of good design.”

McClendon, Glamour Nest Interior Design

emily ruddoDesign by Emily Ruddo Design, Photo by Meghan Bob Photography

 

KBB: Can marketing your designs as “happy” or “joyful” improve your business?

“I think if the interior designer is happy and joyful, this will translate over to the client. Happy and joyful people usually make the people and places around them happy and joyful also.”

Scholley, Alida and Miller Design

“It definitely can’t hurt. In our current environment, we are all craving anything happy, joyful and positive.”

Ruddo, Emily Ruddo Interior Design

“I’m not a marketing expert, so I will say this – happiness and joy are achieved differently for different people. That is the true beauty of design, and honestly, the world. This means that a calm, beachy living room can provide happiness and joy just as much as a bold, colorful living room. It just depends on who you ask. So in some ways, I think every interior designer is creating happy and joyful designs, so long as they truly listen to their clients.”

McClendon, Glamour Nest Interior Design

“At the end of the day, everyone is looking for happiness, right? Our goal is to provide a service to people by making a house their home. Comfort plays a large role in this distinction, as well as capturing the voice of our client through our specifications. If the client is happy with our end product, we know we have done our job right!”

Feldman, Zoë Feldman Design

mcclendonDesign by Glamour Nest Interior Design, Photography by Scott Rockels

 

KBB: What is the role of color or art in creating a happier design?

“Color and art are everything. Painting walls your favorite color or placing a throw and cushion on a couch full of color and texture is an inexpensive way to make that room glow with happiness. Art can take you to an imaginary fun place, and we all need that right now. Not all art is expensive, either. Paint your own canvas full of wonderful colors, visit local shops for art or frame your kids’ paintings.”

Scholley, Alida and Miller Design

“Color is always an important element in each of my projects. It’s such a powerful way to create an emotion, and when the client loves that particular color, it absolutely makes them happier. I advise clients to choose what they love, regardless of trends, because no matter how much time passes, what they love will always work in any space.”

Ruddo, Emily Ruddo Interior Design

“Color and art represent the indescribable parts of our souls, which make them key components in creating a happier design. Color represents our spirit while also providing a path to alter or change our spirit. It’s fascinating how different people are attracted to different colors. Art is the same! If I’ve done my job, then art that matches the client’s heart will also work with the space I’ve designed for them.”

McClendon, Glamour Nest Interior Design

“Color is an area where we feel like we excel. We love to push the envelope with unexpected paint pairings and pops of color to create these party trick moments. Paint is an amazing and affordable way to introduce color into a space, whether the application is on the walls, trim, doors, recessed niches and furniture finishes, etc. The result adds personality tailored uniquely to the homeowner.”

Feldman, Zoë Feldman Design

 

zoe zeldmanDesign by Zoë Feldman Design, Photography by Stacy-Zarin-Goldberg