Nicole Arnold’s Interior Design Mantras

Most designers have some “rules of thumb” or mantras that span their career and come in quite useful when encouraging a client to embrace a new idea or encourage them to step out of their comfort zones. Clients are always interested to know what these are, so I thought I’d share a few of my faves!

Clients will often show me a photo that they’ve come across or an item they’re unsure of moving from a prior location and say “I love it, but where would I put it?” as if that’s the qualifier for purchasing or holding onto the item. I don’t think that’s necessarily true. If you love it, you will eventually find a spectacular place for it.

One thing I love to do is brainstorm with clients about new and different ways to look at items and either find ways to augment them so that they sit well with their new décor, or think of new rooms or purposes where they can be featured. For instance, a living room accessory may find its new home in a bathroom or kitchen. I say, stick with your gut on your affinity to the item and keep an open mind. We’ll find a place for that!

The color black provides a great contrast to any other color and is tantamount in making your room design have depth. I honestly don’t think there’s a room’s color palette that I’ve come across that can’t handle a little black. Whether making a bold statement with foundational elements like a sofa, cocktail table or large piece of art, or having just a fabulous vase or set of coasters, don’t underestimate the power this color has to pop a room!

If I say this once a week, I say it 50 times!! (This is not an excuse to be evasive, by the way ?.) I honestly believe that there are aesthetic boundaries in design and my job is to keep a client within those. If during the selection process, they prefer to veer a little more to the left or right of where I’m recommending, a lot of times that’s okay. What’s not okay is to agree with my clients on things that I feel are absolutely wrong and I willingly and tactfully share my feedback in those situations. Design should be fun and it’s about the client, after all. It needs to feel comfortable and pleasing to them at the end of the project. This flexibility has earned me great trust and repeat referrals because they know I’ll be honest with them.

Luxury means different things to different people. I categorize it as a service or product that a client pursues that’s not necessarily a need, but a desirable treat for themselves. They invest in this service beyond their everyday expenditures and look forward to a spectacular result. Everyone deserves to live in a space that they love. That being said, it’s not really defined with a dollar amount or a price tag; we treat every project with the same professional approach, regardless of the cost or level of design. Our clients deserve a “luxury” experience in any situation which means being provided with a turn-key experience and LOVING their upgrades at the end of the project, feeling their investment was worthwhile.

So, yes I mean this literally, but also in a more broad sense. NEVER underestimate the impact one or two “little” items can have in a room. Those spectacular pillows, that crystal vase, the fringe on those draperies or that one light fixture… These are all small pieces of a room’s composition, but when used strategically as focal points or subtle punctuation, they can make all the difference. The color, texture and size of these items are all important in making them get the credit they’re due in the overall design. It’s all in the details!!