Designer Goods and Great Designers
Since this is primarily an interior design blog, it’s only natural that we talk about designer goods as part of the craft. But what exactly makes something “designer” and separates it from any other product? Just about every consumer good you have ever encountered went through a design phase before it went into production, but “designer” implies something a little more special. It means that someone with a lot of experience and success attached their name to a product, and that every step of that production process has been monitored and guided to ensure that it meets their high standards.
At studiobstyle, we not only take advantage of these high-quality designer goods in our stages and shoots, but we learn from the designers behind the goods to see what makes their style work so well. We believe that a skilled designer adds value to any project or product they work on. They have the knowledge and developed taste necessary to construct a carefully-crafted and cohesive vision, and the resources and experience to transform their vision into reality. Here are a few designers who we have learned a lot from.
Kelly Wearstler is one of the world’s best designers and head of her own design brand, known especially for her work in high-end hotels and residential spaces. She believes in site-specific designs, meaning that her work incorporates and honors the aesthetics and history of a place. She’s developed a keen eye that allows her to take the best qualities of a space and tailor her designs around that local influence. She’s also a master of layers and texture, combining materials and colors in ways that create an experience greater than the sum of its parts.
Steven Gambrel is a New York-based architect and designer who, like Kelly Wearstler, heads up a renowned firm and brand of his own. He uses a blend of vintage, modern, and custom-made furniture in his signature “timeless and comfortable” designs, taking advantage of the resources available to an established designer brand, including partnerships with other brands and specialist outlets. This combination of old and new materials in his designs is a major factor that makes him the king of luxury cabins and country houses, spaces that feel carefully designed without sacrificing livability or comfort.
ASHE LEANDRO are an interior design/architecture firm with exceptionally clean and deceptively simple designs. They base their work in neutral tones, but allow themselves to get adventurous with their accents and centerpieces. One half of the firm’s leadership, architect Reinaldo Leandro, has admitted to judging a design by his gut feeling. That sentiment has even worked its way into ASHE LEANDRO’s motto: “We embrace instinct, ingenuity and humor over traditional design convention.” It reads as a declaration of confidence in their own sense of taste, and their years of success and repeat appearances as “Ones to Watch” and “Best Designers” in magazines like Architectural Digest and Elle Decor(which Wearstler and Gambrel also appear in) suggest that that confidence is well-earned.
These designers reached the heights they did because they make full use of their creativity, experience, and resources. As designers ourselves, we should learn from the best. Study the space, and let your surroundings inform your design. Combine the old and the new to make your design timeless. Start from a simple foundation and let your instincts run free on the details. And perhaps most importantly, never stop looking for new things to learn!