I had a sweet visit with one of my clients last night, and after she left I realized that for me interior design is in some ways like falling in love with my clients: walking in their shoes, embodying their aesthetic and emotional attachment to things, and feeling these experiences as if they were my own; loving them. More and more I see myself taking this path as my clientele test my ability to simultaneously walk in so many different pairs of shoes. One minute I’m looking to personify the clean yet edgy look of the Suburban Urbanite, and the next I’m surrounded by the rich colors and textural overlays of a contemporary Renaissance Woman. But what struck me last night was how much I grow to care about my clients as I watch them develop and change.

As interior design becomes more pervasive and egalitarian, interior designers must dig deeper into themselves to make what they have to offer more special and unique. In my mind, design is not simply putting a room together for someone; it is an empowerment process that leaves not only a beautiful end result in the design space, but also a beautiful space inside the people themselves.

I came across this fantastic chair earlier this week when I was reading the Dwell blog:

I really enjoy the contrast this chair provides with the space. The piece alone gives me feelings of darkness and anxiety but within the space it evokes questions regarding the options available in making a space feel complete and balanced. The chair’s raw and exposed characteristics seem to contradict the finished and refined walls of the room. The overall image reminds me of the importance of focusing on the juxtaposition of things rather than the things themselves!

Anyone who has been to Lake Tahoe in the summer can attest to the magical qualities in all that you see; the sheer abundance of green offered by all of the trees and generous dusting of intense yellow pollen covering anything that remains in one place for even a brief period of time. This summer my “family” vacation brought with it the added bonus of my first experience in this wonderful environment, which resulted in a refreshed perspective on my ocular experience of the everyday. So much so that a yellow wall is taking shape in our showroom. Still in process and composed of integral yellow Venetian plaster, this happy pronouncement of summer will brighten up our everyday and hopefully prompt the wake up call that became such a welcome friend to me while I was in Tahoe.

My experience with light and color in Tahoe reminded me of the time I spent in Italy driving from Florence to Rome early in the morning. The rays of the sun transcended the conventional effects of light and cast a magical glow onto all that my eyes perceived. While in Italy I viewed many of the great masters’ works and, based on my new understanding of light, interpreted them in what was for me a new way. For example, in a particular painting I understood a spotlight depicted on a hillside town to not necessarily be the stroke of an overzealous faith holder but rather a reinterpretation of a daily event. Although Tahoe was not exactly the same experience, to be reminded of the spectacular qualities of natural light was a welcome reminiscence.

In this month’s Interior Design magazine, I stumbled upon an AMAZING restaurant designed by the Ippolito Fleitz Group. I just love the colorful chairs, the mirrored ceiling—but most of all, the collage chandelier composed of several different types of light fixtures.

This last touch of whimsy just makes the place, and seems to speak to the design trend of mixing old with new—reinvention. Overall, a good lesson to take from this is to not shy away from whimsical design and instead embrace it!

Check the restaurant out here.

My trip to Japan offered an inundation of subdued color and texture. The cherry blossoms were at their zenith and their beauty rejuvenated my spirit. The contrast of the tree’s strength and delicacy displayed the brilliance of design found in the natural world. Since returning home I have been looking at the oaks in St. Helena with a new found appreciation, in fact I now discover new and amazing trees each day. This seems to play a part in why I love wood grain rugs and patterns that vary not necessarily in color but in value. I also love how the wood grain’s asymmetry bends and twists as nature often does.

“I think I will be like this little man and just pick up one leaf at a time…solve each design challenge as carefully and thoughtfully as he…”

The Japanese have three distinct kinds of pathways; formal, informal and very informal, each with its own place. The Katsura garden was designed to let the viewers experience each type of pathway as part of a complete experience. This has led me to look differently at the pathways in my projects, considering whether or not I too have accomplished a complete experience for my client. (Click on the thumbnails to see larger images).

My favorite tea room was hundreds of years old, so ancient and yet so contemporary. The plaster walls had imprints of bamboo that showed through in their surface. The room also had blue and white check, a delightful color combination that I plan to integrate into a future project. These kinds of things serve as inspiration for my work. I think deeply about them, remember how they felt and eventually the universe finds a place for me to incorporate them. I try to reinterpreted these ideas that hearken back 500 years but wonder if there is really anything new.

“Is there any adventure not rich in jewelry of the past?”

I loved this room dating from the 16th century. It had beautiful european velvet cut into silver leaf wallpaper. These wall treatments let me know we are just scratching the surface of possibilities for sources of inspiration in design.

Jessica Hall Grace