Turning A House Into a Home One Throw Pillow at a Time
Written By: Kiersten Morris Favorite LA Interior Designer
Sarah Barnard of Sarah Barnard Designs
Q: How does it feel to be voted one of LA’s favorite interior designers?
Sarah Barnard: I am grateful so many kind clients, fans and friends took time out of their day to show their support and spread the word.
Q: When it comes to interior design, What are some of the techniques you use. Do you have a signature look?
SB: I give careful consideration to my clients’ unique personalities, lifestyle needs and long-term goals in order to craft customized spaces that contribute to their overall health and happiness. In order to achieve this, I incorporate natural and organic materials and source local, eco-conscious pieces as much as possible. I consider the air quality of a space when adding art and other materials. My aim when designing the look of a space is timelessness and longevity, so I choose classic pieces and styles that will benefit my client rather than following fads or trying to make a signature look.
Q: What is the most rewarding part about being an interior designer?
SB: I am committed to meeting people where they are. I find that many people have anxiety about how their home, hobbies or lifestyle might be perceived by a designer. My team is made up of diverse individuals, and we pride ourselves on enhancing the lifestyle of our clients through design. An authentic home has the potential to be truly restorative and inspiring. Whether that means ultra-healthy materials for a new mom, blending two contrasting styles for a newlywed couple or utilizing universal design for a client with health concerns, it is always rewarding to help improve a client’s home and lifestyle.
Q: How do you incorporate your clients’ style along with elements that you like as well into a home?
SB: The ideas most essential to my work and my design process are healthy living, historic preservation, and the critical connections between life, nature and art. I create beautiful spaces that are environmentally and socially responsible, and this is a value my clients share. The people who come to me have similar aesthetic tastes and desire the natural color palate, organic materials and custom furniture that lends itself to healthy living. Ultimately it is my client’s taste that shows through my recommendations and style choices, however. For inspiration, I prefer to focus on details that have personal meaning for the client, whether it is a motif that reflects a favorite place, an antique with a family history, a special collection or a child’s artwork.
Q: What is a must-have when you’re designing someone’s home?
SB: I believe it’s imperative to bring nature into a space. Beauty and comfort can encourage physical and mental well-being. Our mental, physical and emotional health are connected to the art and design of our surroundings. A visual connection with the outdoors can improve mood and productivity, and what we bring into a home or space (finishes, furniture, artwork) determines both the quality of the air we breathe and how we function in our daily lives. Adding plants and nature-inspired art is a great way to fulfill that human-nature connection.
Sarah Barnard Designs
1507 7th St, Ste 093
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.823.7331
Favorite LA Interior Designer
Lucie M. Ayres of 22 Interiors
Q: How does it feel to be voted one of LA’s favorite interior designers?
Lucie M. Ayres: Spectacular!
Q: When it comes to interior design, What are some of the techniques you use. Do you have a signature look?
LMA: We specialize in deciphering our clients’ idea of a luxurious home into a detailed spatial and visual design plan to make decision-making simple. We are known for loving color, being hyper-organized and delivering impeccable service throughout each phase of our projects.
Q: What is the most rewarding part about being an interior designer?
LMA: Transforming rooms into meaningful spaces for our clients is the big one. It is also incredibly satisfying to create layouts that are functional along with designs that are beautiful.
Q: How do you incorporate your clients’ style along with elements that you like as well into a home?
LMA: Typically our clients have vetted us, and we are aligned aesthetically. However, if we are not aligned, we can be very convincing…
Q: What is a must-have when you’re designing someone’s home?
LMA: Curiosity, a tape measure and a camera!
22 Interiors
3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Ste 1022
Studio City, California 91604
323.205.5858
Favorite LA Interior Designer
Irene Lovett of designstiles
Q: How does it feel to be voted one of LA’s favorite interior designers?
Irene Lovett: It feels great! It’s such a nice feeling getting recognized and seeing my hard work paying off.
Q: When it comes to interior design, What are some of the techniques you use. Do you have a signature look?
IL: Always mix and match styles. It’s all about creating a balance of old and new, traditional and modern. My designs are reflective of my clients’ style, feeling crisp, clean and approachable with a whimsical pop.
Q: What is the most rewarding part about being an interior designer?
IL: Seeing a project come to fruition. Designs take time, and there are so many aspects that go on behind that scenes that can delay a project. When the day comes to photograph for your portfolio, that’s such a rewarding feeling. The icing on the cake is when the client expresses their gratitude for your hard work.
Q: How do you incorporate your clients’ style along with elements that you like as well into a home?
IL: I try to see things through my clients’ eyes. In understanding their aesthetic I’m able to make selections based on their vision. Even though each client’s style may not be my own, I wouldn’t source anything I don’t like. If I think they might not like something, I at least present it and sell them on the reasons it would work, pushing them out of their comfort zone.
Q: What is a must-have when you’re designing someone’s home?
IL: Personality. A client’s home should represent who they are and their interests. A guest should be able to walk into said home and pick up on pieces of their personality even without knowing them personally. Without personality, you’re essentially just walking into a staged home. And that’s no fun.
designstiles
@designstiles Favorite LA Interior Designer
818.970.4541 Favorite LA Interior Designer
Favorite LA Interior Designer
Lori Dennis
Q: How does it feel to be voted one of LA’s favorite interior designers?
Lori Dennis: We love what we do, and it’s very rewarding to know others love it too!
Q: When it comes to interior design, What are some of the techniques you use. Do you have a signature look?
LD: A common thread throughout our work is clean, comfortable California living. We believe the interiors should communicate with the architecture and landscape of the home.
Q: What is the most rewarding part about being an interior designer?
LD: We love to create spaces that make people live their best lives. When clients are happy, it is the world’s best feeling.
Q: How do you incorporate your clients’ style along with elements that you like as well into a home?
LD: The clients we work with are so wonderful. They love our style and place a lot of trust in us. We really listen to what they want and then make suggestions that we believe will make them happy. Most of the time we hit home runs!
Q: What is a must-have when you’re designing someone’s home?
LD: Communication is the most important thing. When a client understands the process and feels secure, the project is going to be a winner.
Lori Dennis
1838 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
310.493.3972
Tamara Honey of House of Honey Interior Design
Q: How does it feel to be voted one of LA’s favorite interior designers?
Tamara Honey: An honor for sure! I was in great company—there are so many talented designers in Los Angeles and I love seeing their great work come to life!
Q: When it comes to interior design, what are some of the techniques you use. Do you have a signature look?
TH: I don’t really have a signature look and I think that is what makes my work unique. Whether the project is a home or a commercial space, I first try to understand how the end user will inhabit and use the space, and then I work with that information to tell a cohesive story. As a result, each space is very unique. If there is any concept that does show up in my projects over and over, it is the mix of old and new. I feel this gives a space a soul.
Q: What is the most rewarding part about being an interior designer?
TH: I definitely enjoy creating the narrative around a design at the beginning of the project. This is an exciting phase as I am very open-minded and thinking conceptually and creatively in big ways. I also love seeing a project come together—even the small details like the soap on the sink or the book on the coffee table are critical to helping the story come to life at the end.
Q: How do you incorporate your clients’ style along with elements that you like as well into a home?
TH: I am not one to push my own style on a client. My job is to integrate new design into their lifestyle and if that means using existing art or heirloom furniture this is all part of the process. In the end, the space needs to feel personal to them. That being said, I also see my role to be pushing people outside a comfort zone if I really believe that a design decision will make the overall result more successful.
Q: What is a must-have when you’re designing someone’s home?
TH: A great team working by my side! People can perceive design to be easy and simple, but there are so many requirements for efficiency and organization. I pride myself on having a studio that is exceptional when it comes to the execution.
House of Honey Interior Design
1518 Mission St
South Pasadena, CA, 91030
626.441.2454
