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Interview :: J.K. Kling Interior Design

April 13, 2015 · Comments { 4 }

I was instantly drawn to the fresh, elegant and traditional minimalism of the interiors showcased in the portfolio of J.K. Kling Associates. With over 25 years of experience, Judy Kling and daughter Wendy Wolcott are transforming interiors from Manhattan to Palm Beach. Rich in pattern, color and comfort, the design duo creates the kind of spaces that make you not want to leave your home. So I’m thrilled to be interviewing Wendy Wolcott of J.K. Kling Associates today!

Simplified Bee: I love that you are a mother – daughter team! When did you realize that you wanted to design together?

Wendy Wolcott: Ever since my mother started J.K. Kling Associates when I was fourteen, I would intern for her during the summers and was always involved in the business in one way or another. It was not until working with David Easton in New York City that I realized what a great opportunity it would be working for my mother. Although working for an amazing firm like David’s was invaluable, nothing could compare to the hands on experience you get with having your mother as your boss.

marble backsplash // designer kitchen // JK Kling

SB: What are your personal styles? How are they similar? Different?

WW: Our personal styles are very much alike. We gravitate towards a more neutral palette that is well edited yet comfortable. Wendy tends to designs with a more modern look and practical, kid friendly approach due to having two boys and a dog. Judy, on the other hand, has a more classic and sophisticate style in which she combines antiques and modern accents beautifully.

SB: Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?

WW: There are so many fabulous architects and designers that we would love to work with but if we could only pick one, Billy Baldwin would be an honor to work with. One of our favorite quotes from Billy was “I have always believed that architecture is more important than decoration. Scale and proportion give everlasting satisfaction that cannot be achieved by only icing the cake.” Billy was very much ahead of his time. The image above could easily be from the 1960’s or today.

SB: Do you have “go to” paint colors? If so, which ones?

WW: We are very loyal to our Benjamin Moore colors. BM White Dove and Super White can be found in almost all of our homes; however right now we are coveting Farrow & Ball’s High Lacquer Hague Blue.

SB: Which of today’s interior design trends are here to stay and which ones will we see fade away?

WW: While ikats and over-scaled patterns have been in and out of the spotlight for decades there may be a trend towards smaller more minimalistic patterns and design in the future.

SB: Where do you recommend clients splurge versus save?

WW: We always clients to encourage invest in at least one good piece of art. You can fill your home with great looking pieces, in any price range, but great art that speaks to you is priceless.

SB: What excites you most about interior design today?

WW: Since Judy entered the business, in 1984, her absolute passion is what the internet has brought to interior design. There was once a time where you had to research, travel and scout. Nowadays, so much is accessible right from your design studio.

SB: Fill in the blank. No room is complete without…

WW: No room is complete without great lighting and something personal. A room can change completely with the right light bulb and personal photographs of friends and family. We also feel no bedroom is complete with out the most luxurious bedding, nothing can make is better than the softest ironed sheets and a downy bed.

powder room with chic wallpaper // JK Kling

SB: Do you have a favorite design tip or words of wisdom when decorating?

WW: Every eight to ten years a room needs a face lift. No matter how well a room is kept fresh and modern touches always make a difference.

SB: What’s next for J.K. Kling Associates?

WW: Since the opening of our new Palm Beach office, our past year has been filled with travel, wonderful clients and exciting new projects. We can only hope to continue on this fantastic path.

Thank you Wendy for your time. We look forward to seeing your next project!

*all photos provided by J.K. Kling Associates

Read full story By Cristin on April 13, 2015 in Bathroom, Bedroom, Features, foyers, interior design, Interiors, interview, Interviews, Kitchen, Living Room, living rooms, pattern, wallpaper

Interview :: Claud Gurney of de Gournay

October 28, 2014 · Comments { 3 }

I’ve always admired the work of de Gournay. Renowned for exquisite hand-painted wallpapers, furnishings and porcelain, each de Gournay creation is simply a work of art. So I was thrilled to meet Rachel Cecil-Gurney, daughter of founder Claude Cecil Gurney recently in San Francisco. Rachel showed me first hand samples from their gorgeous collections. Not only are the designs inspiring, but the attention to detail and quality is outstanding.

Taken from my iphone, this St. Laurent wallpaper (below) was inspired by Yves Saint Laurent’s apartment and is one of my personal favorites.

St. Laurent wallpaper detail // de Gournay // simplified bee #wallpaper

I asked Rachel about de Gournay’s history and was surprised at the answer. Claud Gurney founded the London-based high-end luxury brand nearly 30 years ago, but didn’t start in design, but had an amazing mentor. I had to find out more and am thrilled to be interviewing him today.

chinoiserie wallpaper // de gournay // simplified bee (source)

Simplified Bee: Tell us a little about your career and what led you to designing hand-painted wallcoverings and founding de Gournay?

Claud Gurney: My career spans farming, accounting, consulting, economics, banking, property development and design .. as you can imagine the joy of doing something creative won out over the drudge of finance and banking and I have never looked back. I am a great believer that if you do what you love you have a good chance of being successful at it eventually and if you do what you don’t love you may as well be 6 feet under .. There are lots of other narratives as to why I specifically ended up founding de Gournay around needing some wallpaper for my home and being quoted an outrageously high sum for the supply of that paper and quickly working out that it would be cheaper to set up my own firm than to buy from a company in New York .. the rest is history ..

(source)

SB: Who has been a mentor to you?

CG: My mother – taking me round to auction sales when I was very young – from 8 years onwards .. understanding how to buy and sell and how to appreciate value and to create value where others saw none.

(source)

SB: How would you describe your personal style and how has it evolved over the years?

CG: I hope that I don’t have a style – at least I don’t try to project a style .. so I shall leave that for others to judge. I have a belief that one should only buy the best and thereby one is rarely disappointed – whether it is food or clothes or houses or racehorses.

(source)

SB: What type of architecture are you drawn to?

CG: It is hard not to be drawn to the maximum amount of light and simple lines with a combination of mainly rectangles and some curves. I think that combining straight lines and curves well and creating light and space is key to goo architecture. That means classical, some 18^th century and some contemporary architecture. Of course it all has to be adapted to the climate one is inhabiting ..

(source)

SB: Which other designers, artists or creative people are you loving at the moment?

CG: I have always loved Manuel Canovas and Alezandra Gioia (who coloured Colony’s fabrics for many years) and John Stefanides for their ability with colour. There are not that many designers capable of mixing different colours and patterns well – but many who can work in black & white!

(source)

SB: Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?

CG: Alain Garcia seems to be the man of the moment and although I hate trends and fashions I love the way he can make so much from so little – he has a real decorator’s touch and it all seems so effortless for him. I ma hoping he will design some wallpaper for us one day.

(source)

SB: What is the process behind a de Gournay work?

CG: Art, art & art.

(source)

SB: I’ve loved seeing de Gournay in social media circles. What is your advice to other décor companies or interior designers or who are timid about trying social media marketing outlets?

CG: Like mathematics it is a dark art until one knows how to do it .. once one has started to do it one finds it easy and it starts to become addictive .. but like all addictions it should be tightly controlled.

(source)

SB: What are you looking forward to?

CG: Complete freedom for a little while followed soon thereafter by more projects and plans and new houses to build and decorate for myself .. stopping, savoring,enjoying and moving on .. and starting all over again …

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Read full story By Cristin on October 28, 2014 in baby and children, baby nursery room, bathrooms, bedrooms, boy's bedroom, chinoiserie, dining rooms, Features, interior design, Interiors, interview, Interviews, wallpaper

Interview :: Interior Designer Meredith Heron

June 10, 2014 · Comments { 7 }

She’s beautiful, witty and a fabulous interior designer. I had the pleasure of meeting Canada’s Meredith Heron while touring KBIS with BlogTour earlier this year and liked her from hello. I also became an instant fan of her classic design style with a modern unexpected twist. Meredith has an amazing eye for combining color, pattern and textures. She makes it look effortlessly. Each space is inviting, unique and fresh. In addition to being a great person and having an impressive design portfolio, Meredith has regularly been featured as guest host and design expert on national television programs such as Restaurant Makeover, which has been seen by audiences all over the world. What can this woman not do?!

I’m thrilled to be interviewing Meredith today!

Simplified Bee: Your signature designs are fresh, colorful and bold. When did you know you wanted to be an interior designer?

Meredith Heron: I wanted to be a designer when I was 9 going on 10. My parents had split, I lived with my dad and he was working with an interior decorator. Her office was beside my hairdressers. I loved wallpaper. The selection process was so much fun and I never tired of flipping through the books. I wanted my dad to marry her. He didn’t. It was probably the worst mistake of his life. My stepmother isn’t nearly as cool. Heck, she’s not even nice. I put that aside however until my early 20s when, as an elementary school teacher I realized I had made a huge mistake choosing that as my career path. At this point, design was a hobby. I was poor as teachers are terribly underpaid or were back then when they first started out. I took a job making paint at Home Depot and became an in-demand associate. After too many requests to come to people’s homes I decided to go back to school part time for design which I did over the next 3.5 yrs. I made the leap in 2002 to leave teaching just shy of my 30th birthday. I haven’t looked back since.

modern traditional breakfast nook - meredith heron design

SB: How would you describe your personal style and how has it evolved over the years?

MH: I’ve always had good taste but MAN OH MAN did I ever do some really ugly work early on. I focused too much on keeping the prices down and budget DIY decorating. It’s why I rail so much against it now. It really doesn’t pay in the long run and promotes a disposable lifestyle which is completely against what I believe in. I love pattern and colour and with experience I would say that I find myself extremely skilled in combining both to achieve dramatic effects. I see myself as a story teller. Clients hire me to write their biographies but instead of words, I use fabrics, furniture, architectural elements and of course personal items to them. I blend the new with the sentimental, the heirlooms to weave the clients through their decor to create a home. This can’t be about the look for less or budget decorating, yet it doesn’t mean it has to be expensive. It’s really a mind set. Invest in things you love. Hold on to those things that have meaning or remind you of someone you love or a time you cherish. Use these as your foundation and layer. I see my relationship with my clients as one that is not finite but rather is ongoing. We just peel back another layer each time. I now tell people that I am a Modern Traditionalist. That feels right.

interior design quote - meredith heron interivew - simplified bee

blue dining room - meredith heron design

SB: What type of architecture are you drawn to?

MH: Georgian, Edwardian to a degree and Greek Revival. I think that I am a Southern Women with Parisian ancestors trapped in a Canadian’s body. I am a classicist. I love strong bones. I love my architecture to have symmetry so that I can be asymmetrical. I love a good paradox. Irony amuses me even in design. I prefer a more is more approach.

living room - art gallery wall - meredith heron design

SB: Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?

MH: I’m totally freezing up here and feeling like I have to choose and this choice will forever determine I am not sure what but let’s give it a whirl. I would love to collaborate with Tory Burch on something fabulous I am not sure what but I think that our sense of pattern play would make us a great combination. From the design side of things I would love to work with Steve Gambrel whom I adore.

SB: I love that you don’t shy away from bold use of color. Do you have “go to” paint colors? If so, which ones?

MH: I have a reputation for using bold colours but I tend to keep my crazy colour moments to just that moments and I usually express them with fabrics rather than paint. I love white walls, but I love blue/black walls equally as much. Living in Canada we have a much cooler light that is not forgiving to bright colours like you find in the islands or more tropical climates. My go to paint colours – Benjamin Moore’s Raccoon Fur. It’s my standard issue I want a navy kitchen blue/black. We sometimes vary that with it’s lighter counterpart Anchor Gray. C2 Paints has an in between version of the perfect shade of indigo called Mistral. It is my mistress. We use Pratt and Lambert’s Seed Pearl as the perfect white it’s not too yellow and plays nicely with greys and rich blues. Benjamin Moore’s Feather Grey and Whitestone are our go to mauve meets periwinkles. I tend to prefer cooler tints on the walls it’s easier to add a splash of a warmer or more saturated bright in fabric. If I had a formula I would say I go cooler on the walls, I will add a warm pastel on occasion to the ceiling but I let my fabric stories warm things up or incorporate bold and dramatic art.

SB: Which of today’s interior design trends are here to stay and which ones will we see fade away?

MH: I want to give an invisible throat punch to the whole “Abandoned, burned to the ground Belgian Farmhouse with an Industrial Hoarder Complex” look that seems to still be hanging around. Restaurants seem to all wear a similar uniform these days. Paint the walls black, use some splintered wood and tetanus causing metal for furniture and then add a chandelier and call it Industrial Chic… I’m OVVVVVVAHHHH it. I seriously designed restaurants almost ten years ago now that had that look. Let’s agree to move on. I would love to see the return to traditional and layered luxe pick up more steam than the Steampunked to death… ya know? Brass I predicted well over three years ago was making a return and I’m thrilled to see how much it has been embraced so I think that it will continue to make it’s home in the industry.

SB: Where do you recommend clients splurge versus save?

MH: Buy the best sofa you can afford. TRUST ME on this one. I’m currently awaiting my new sofa from Wesley Hall and I literally cannot wait. I have a pretty settee in my living room now but it is SO not comfortable. If you are on a tight budget, use 4×4 white ceramic tiles and offset them in a brick pattern. Add black grout. You can dress it up with brass or crystal or dress it down and make it feel cozy and casual. Silk drapery is often cheaper than cotton or linen. Invest in quality area rugs – Persians are so forgiving we put one by our front door and encourage people to walk in with muddy boots or snowy footwear. Let the mess dry and vacuum it up and it looks fabulous.

SB: Facebook or Pinterest?

MH: I am a social media whore. It’s true. I love chatting with friends on Facebook, but I use Pinterest for work. It’s design porn and I’m addicted. I swear my blood pressure drops when I open my Pinterest Tab and refresh. Until I find something I lust after and must own.

SB: What is your advice to other interior designers who are timid about trying social media marketing outlets?

MH: It really depends on your personality. I could talk paint off of a wall so I’m really good at being myself and just letting it all hang out on the more chattier outlets. I also have a plethora of pictures to share including my process and what my husband has made me for lunch or dinner so Instagram is a great connecting point for me. If you are shy I would suggest Instagram as the SM to hone first. You can share your Instagram to twitter and Facebook so you can kill three birds with one stone. Blogs aren’t for everyone but a Tumblr esque blog where you can share inspiration is often as impactful as those who are more verbose. Authenticity is thrown around as a buzz word but it’s true. Find the medium that is the best reflection of who you are and allows you to speak in the best voice possible.

SB: You had an exciting collaboration for DXV American Standard earlier this year. Can you tell us more about that and what’s next for Meredith Heron Design?

MH: Thank you! Working with DXV and the team from American Standard has been exceptional. I have been working on a new line of wool and silk bespoke area rugs for my own collection which we should receive our first shipment of over the summer which is incredibly exciting. I also have a very big and exciting collaboration that I will be sharing in the relatively near future but have to stay Mum on the subject for just now. I am a terrible tease yes but I promise the wait will be worth it!!! Building a brand is very much like birthing a baby and raising them into a child and beyond. It’s rewarding, frustrating, isolating, scary and exhilarating often within the same day. I wouldn’t have it any other way!

*all images provided by Meredith Heron Design

Read full story By Cristin on June 10, 2014 in Bathroom, bathrooms, brass, Features, interior design, Interiors, interview, Interviews, Kitchen, Living Room, wallpaper

Interview :: Interior Designer Cynthia Collins

August 8, 2013 · Comments { 1 }

For over two decades, Dallas, Texas based interior designer, Cynthia Collins of Collins Interiors has been creating beautiful interiors that are inviting, timeless and functional. I first saw her work pinned on Pinterest and became an instant fan of her classic style with a fresh twist. Collins Interiors pride themselves in working closely with clients on the smallest of details resulting in designs that is unique and personal. For a timeless, curated look, Cynthia and her team are also known to hand pick antiques, lamps, art or other accessories for clients while traveling abroad.

I’m thrilled to be interviewing Cynthia today!

Simplified Bee: When did you know you wanted to be an interior designer?

Cynthia Collins: As a young girl, I was always keen on my surroundings. It wasn’t until later that I realized at an early age I was responding differently to spaces — I could immediately feel the difference between a pleasant room and an uninviting room. Also, my grandmother collected Asian inspired pieces (she was ahead of her time!) — I just took an interest in her collection at an early on and still love all things with an Asian influence. I think this may have spurred my interest in all things design related!

SB: How would you describe your personal style?

CC: My style evolves — I appreciate a lot of different looks. But I like things to look clean and timeless.

sofa side table lamp and artwork - Collins Interiors

SB: Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?

CC: Matisse! If only, right?! I’d love to commission him for one of his pieces during his Fauvism movement. The colors are brilliant!

SB: Do you have “go to” paint colors? If so, which ones?

CC: One of my favorite whites is Benjamin Moore Linen White. It seems to have the perfect combo of soft and crisp.

SB: Where do you recommend clients splurge?

CC: I’m a big believer in art! Art is the best way to get such a diverse range of colors and mediums into your home. In most cases, great art only appreciates. I also think it’s important to splurge on trims (flanges, cords, tapes, etc) — they are guaranteed to separate your home from your neighbors. So often we see client’s with a big room and a standard size rug. Splurge for a custom-size rug to fit your room. Your room will grow beyond measure!

SB: You have embraced social media and write a blog in addition to being on Facebook. What is your advice to other interior designers who are timid about trying social media marketing outlets?

CC: Do it! I have gotten a wealth of great feedback from our social media efforts — it’s just the nature of the marketing landscape these days. It’s such a helpful tool to connect one-on-one with my clients and followers. We have an instagram too, come find us! @blue_print_store

casual modern dining area with cluster chandelier

interior design tip - lighting sets the mood

SB: Fill in the blank. No room is complete without…

CC: good lighting!!! Great lamps and overhead fixtures are key to setting a comfortable mood in your home.

SB: Tell us about your store Blue Print and how it came to be.

CC: Four of my dear friends and I traveled for years to the UK and France for own design firms and in 2010 decided it was due time for a storefront! Blue Print is a home design shop specializing in custom upholstery, lighting, rugs, accessories and original art set in a restored 1920s home in uptown, Dallas, TX

Phillip Jefferies Wallcovering in Powder Room

SB: What’s next for Collins Interiors?

CC: My staff and I are just buzzing along — we have several projects out of state right now which is keeping us mighty busy! I’ve challenged my team to design new pieces for Blue Print’s custom furniture line. It’s all very fun and exciting!

Thank you Cynthia for your time and we will be on the look out for your new furniture line!

Cristin

*all images courtesy of Collins Interiors

Read full story By Cristin on August 8, 2013 in Bathroom, Bedroom, Features, Girl, interior design, Interiors, interview, Interviews, Kitchen, Living Room

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