5 quick questions: Laurence Llewelyn Bowen

If you like a bit of lavish and lush, then you'll definitely enjoy a slice of designer Laurence Llewelyn Bowen, who first popped up on screen close to 15 years ago on the Brit makeover show Changing Rooms. He was, and is, unapologetically theatrical and over-the-top, though unlike Hildi Santo Tomas on TLC's Trading Spaces, I don't believe he has ever glued grass to some unsuspecting homeowner's walls... Recently LLB has been busy, designing wallpaper collections (his Helsinki pattern is one of my faves) and launching a new 32-colour paint range in the UK for Graham & Brown, as well as publishing Decorating with Laurence Llewelyn Bowen, his new book. With all that on the go, I'm super happy that he found a spare minute to answer 5 quick questions.

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you right now?

Laurence Llewelyn Bowen: Gothic.

AW: Is there anything that drives you crazy when you walk into a space?

LLB: When people have decorated a room in delusions of blandeur.

AW: What's the next thing you have your eyes on for your own house?

LLB: I am always looking for unusual and original pieces of artwork.

AW: How would you describe your look, and has it changed over the years?

LLB: I love design that fuses traditional and historical elements and up to date contemporary style.  I sometimes deviate from the balance slightly but it is a preoccupation of mine to bring historical style alive.

AW: What's next on the horizon?

LLB: My new book Decorating with Laurence..., which has just hit the book shelves and is having phenomenal feedback. The book celebrates my personal style, a lot of pattern, a lot of colour and an enormous amount of wall space.

5 quick questions: Bunny Williams

Sometimes Twitter is actually usefull, lol, so when I Tweeted NYC based doyenne of design Bunny Williams to see if she might answer 5 quick questions, and she said yes, I knew I would live to Tweet another day! Bunny is a mixmaster at heart, with the kind of verve and flair to confidently mix contemporary art with antiques and a jolt of unexpected colour. Her storied life in interior design includes writing books - An Affair With A House and Point of View are both bestsellers, soon to be joined by another book that'll hit shelves this Fall - and BeeLine Home, a just launched line of scrumptious furnishings inspired by her own furniture and collectibles.

Below you'll see the BeeLine Chicken Feather lamps (a personal fave of mine), plus an interior shot that gives a peek at more of BeeLine Home (you'll find the line at Celadon Collection in Montreal, and Ribbehege & Azevedo in Toronto). There's also a couple of snaps of Bunny's Kips Bay Show House space from last year and an entryway from Point of View. Click here to read more 5 quick questions! [Images 3, 4: House Beautiful]

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you right now?

Bunny Williams: Colour, I am increasingly drawn to beautiful colour. We have been living with a palette of neutrals and whites for sometime and I feel exhilarated by colour especially as a background on walls. I painted the walls of my Kips Bay Show House room a fabulous turquoise from Benjamin Moore called California Breeze, everyone who walked in was just dazzled by the space. I'm thinking too about brilliant yellow, and working that hue into a space soon.

AW: What drives me crazy?

BW: Bad scale and badly arranged furniture. Most rooms have furniture that is either too large or too small for the space. Good design is all about balance, harmony, and proportion. One needs to make sure the furnishings are in the proper scale for each space. a bad floor plan makes a room uncomfortable. If the furniture is arranged all around the edge of the room, there are no intimate seating groups. If there isn't a place to sit and read with good light next to it - how frustrating that is - if you have no table to put your coffee cup or drink on next to your seat, you'll end up balancing it all night. 

AW: What's the next thing you're buying for your own house?

BW: Buying art from young contemporary artists and editing out some of my 19th century decorative pictures.

AW: How would you describe your look, and has it changed over the years?

BW: I have always strived to create beautiful, comfortable, useable rooms and that has not changed. What has changed is the addition of more contemporary furniture, and the paring down and simplifying the details. I'm into less "decoration" but I never want my rooms to lose the feeling of comfort and warmth.

AW: What's next on the horizon? 

BW: I have so many things on the horizon that I am excited about this Spring. My BeeLine Home collection will be expanding to include several new pieces, as well as new lamps. I'm working on a tabletop collection that will include both china and linens, and I'm thinking about other areas of product design. I'm also just finishing a new book called "Scrapbook for Living" that will be published in the Fall.

In my design work I'm working on several projects that incorporate very sophisticated technology both in electronics as well as materials. These projects force me to stay on my toes and keep learning every second. I've just completed the installation of a hallway that has a staircase with a railing made of glass tubes. I love the challenge of solving my clients design problems in surprising ways!

    

 

5 quick questions: Alanna Cavanagh

I've had a bit of a design crush on the work of ultra-talented illustrator and printmaker Alanna Cavanagh for quite a while, so I'm glad to have cornered her into answering 5 quick questions. You might have seen her illustrations in the likes of Real Simple and the New York Times, but most recently I saw her work hanging in the home of Bev Hisey, where after years of looking at an - imho - awful painting of a blobby lifeless figure floating in the ether, I was happy to see one of Alanna's gorgeous Big Orange Scissors prints sitting pretty on the wall instead. And for that Alanna, I really really have to thank you.

Below you'll find shots of both Big Orange Scissors and Brook Brothers Suit (Green), plus a behind-the-scenes snap of Alanna tea staining one of her Penguin Books cover prints. Next, a peek at Alanna's own place, a shot of a space that currently inspiring her, and finally a super cute portrait photo/illustration mash up. Click here to read more 5 quick questions! [Portrait photo:Janet Kimber]

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you right now?

Alanna Cavanagh: Josef Frank Textiles, Illustrations from the 1950s, the colour limey green, swiss miss blog, springy tulips, Selvedge magazine, Graphic designer Paul Rand, Decoupage artist John Derian, The Workroom on Queen West and most especially: my new 'hood Parkdale.  

AW: Is there anything that drives you crazy when you walk into a space?  

AC: If it's too white and minimal I don't feel comfortable. For me I need to be surrounded by lots of warm wood, cozy textiles, and piles of books to feel at home. 

AW: What's the next thing you have your eyes on for your own house?  

AC: I would love a velvet tufted couch in a jewel tone like turquoise - I'm on the look out for a used one. In the meantime I have my eyes directly set on Benjamin Moore's 'Florentine Plaster' paint. It'll soon be on the walls of my bathroom.

AW: How would you describe your look, and has it changed over the years? 

AC: Fleamarket Chic with a dash of New Romantic! 

I absolutely love a MIX: of high and low, traditional and modern, and new and old. I also love to include whimsical pieces like old birdcages, and vintage signs to make sure the space never feels too serious.

In terms of colour I always paint my walls grey (Benjamin Moore Chelsea Grey is a fave) and then add lots of juicy tones like pink and orange which really POP off the grey.

And of course I love displaying a lot of art. I've always been a sucker for a salon wall. Every time I see one in a magazine I rip it out. My style has always been the same but happily these days I have a bit more high to add to the low. :-)

AW: What's next on the horizon? 

AC: I've just completed 3 new silk screen prints which you can find here on my website. I've also illustrated a campaign for Air New Zealand, and a book cover for Penguin books, and am now working on a tote bag design for Good Egg ( the wonderful food shop in Kensington market). Look out for it in June!

5 quick questions: Jason MacIsaac

Stepping into Jason MacIsaac’s store Ministry of the Interior honestly gives me the urge to start shoplifting, mainly because I want just about everything. Though really, how do you hide a dining table under your coat? Apart from filling his shop with brilliant stuff, his design of Soft Citizen’s workspace recently popped up in v. cool Frame magazine. Oh, and did I mention, he’s also in on the IDS with possibly the most unusual of all of the Ultimate spaces (which involves lots of wood and some very precise calculations).

Here are Jason’s 5 quick questions, along with a few snaps that show the interior of MOTI, papier-mâché pieces by Debbie Wijskamp, the Oscar sofa by Matthew Hilton at SCP and one of the Raphael Garnier wallpaper’s from Tres Tintas (available at MOTI).

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you right now?

Jason MacIsaac: I'm always on the lookout for new stuff for MInistry of the Interior, so I constantly see new stuff I'm inspired by.... Nos Das blankets from SCP, Vivenne Westwood wallpaper from Cole & Son, Michael Johansson's artwork, Debbie Wijskamp's paper mache series of furniture.

AW: Is there anything that can drive you crazy when you walk into a space?

JM: Dated wood tones and obvious knock-off furniture.

AW: What's the next thing you have your eyes on for your own house?

JM: We desperately need a new sofa so I've placed an order for the Oscar sofa from SCP.  We also need a new stereo so I'm getting the walnut stereo system from Geneva, and I've promised my wife to wallpaper our bedroom for a while now, so I'm planning on using a new wallpaper from the collection by Raphael Garnier for Tres Tintas.

AW: How would you describe your style, and has it changed over the years?

JM: Freshness, colour, conceptual - I think my look is constantly changing and hopefully evolving.

AW: What's next on the horizon?

JM: I'm repurposing parts of my IDS Ultimate space for a film production company's offices in New York and have a few great residential projects.

5 quick questions: Munge Leung and Charles Khabouth

So, the Ultimate space that designers Munge Leung and Charles Khabouth of Ink Entertainment are collaborating on for the IDS is quite the showstopper. I've had a sneaky look during construction and I can't wait to see it finished, especially since I've heard it'll launch their latest venture - a swish hotel/condo project. Now, this isn't the first time these guys have worked together, within the past year they've made a splash with Ame, the swanky re-do of the Rubino brother's famed Rain restaurant, as well as Ultra (yep, the one with the chickens, more here), and have even re-done Khabouth's own condo.

So, to get a slightly more in-depth take at what's going on I cornered both Charles Khabouth and Alessandro Munge, one half of ML, and asked them 5 quick questions. The first two snaps shows what's what inside Ame (the cocktails are stellar btw), the third is a peek inside Khabouth's condo.[Image: Condo interior, National Post. Portrait,  Arash Moallemi/IDS]

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you right now?

Charles Khabouth: My recent trip to paris, France.

Alessandro Munge: My travels!

AW: Is there anything that can drive you crazy when you walk into a space?

CK: Bad lighting or an unwelcoming/unfriendly host.

AM: Low ceiling heights and no natural light.

AW: What's the next thing you have your eyes on for your own house?

CK: Art.

AM: Art, and lots of it.

AW: How would you describe your style - personal or design - and has it changed over the years?

CK: I want to say that my look is simple and edgy, though I’ve stopped trying hard to look my best because I just don’t have a lot of time. Now I just wear what’s simple and comfortable – and the result is actually my best look yet.

AM: Eclectic. Timeless. Modern.

AW: What's next on the horizon?

CK: I have four serious projects on the horizon in the near future – but the most prominent and exciting for me right now is a residence and hotel development in the heart of Toronto that will be the launch of a new brand. This brand will represent the ultimate lifestyle in design, comfort, amenities and access.

AM: 5-star hotels worldwide!

5 quick questions: Tommy Smythe

If ever you want to meet someone with airs and graces, who looks down their nose and is the dictionary definition of pretentious, don't go knocking on interior designer Tommy Smythe's door. You definitely know Tommy from his work (and his wit) with Sarah Richardson on HGTV, and also from seeing his fab spaces in Canadian House & Home Magazine (check out the kitchen below, picked by the H&H editors as one of the most memorable rooms published in the mag's history), so I thought it would be fun to put him on the spot to answer 5 quick questions. He graciously agreed, and scooted along all the shots below, snapped by the talented Michael Graydon and featured on the pages of House & Home. Lovely, no?

And, to check out more 5 quick questions interviews with a slew of v. interesting folks, click here.

Arren Wiliams: What's inspiring you right now?

Tommy Smythe: Malachite, amethyst, The High Line, my sister Christie Smythe of Smythe Les Vestes, Yves St. Laurent, D Squared, peacock feathers, King Tut, Grace Coddington, Yoko Ono, London - New York - Palm Beach, Crayola crayons, poppies, Glee, Thom Browne, Miles Redd, flags, blogs.

AW: Is there anything that drives you crazy when you walk into a space?

TS: Fake.  Anything fake, really.  I'm the kind of guy who would (and has) survived on noodles and Gatorade for a month to be able to afford the real thing.  Knock offs are not fair and they're not design.

AW: What's the next thing you have your eyes on for your own house?

TS: I saw an oversized crystal and sterling match striker (I collect them) at a shop I love.  It's over $400, so I walked away, but I've been thinking about it a lot.  I have a crush on it.  I am waiting until I can get up the nerve to walk back in.  Then we will be together.  I'll just have to live on noodles and Gatorade for a few days....

AW: How would you describe your look, and has it changed over the years?

TS: My look has definitely changed over the years!  It's always evolving as I learn and travel and get exposed to more.  I have always liked an eclectic mix of things - the right balance of vintage, or antique and modern things.  I like rooms that have the feeling of timeless elegance and gracious living.  Style and comfort reflected in furniture and art curated with a sense of personal history.  I am really big on nostalgia...real comfort comes from there.

AW: What's next on the horizon?

TS: For the world of design:  I am so glad to have no idea!  What I love so much about this field is the surprise of it all - creative direction is so delightfully unpredictable.  That said, I think we can all expect to see quite a lot of plaid in the near future....

For me:  I am just about to begin shooting a brand new series with Sarah for HGTV Canada.  We're focusing on the building blocks of a room from top to bottom.  It's a '101' sort of a thing with our usual fun approach.  If it's not fun, it's just not worth doing - life is too short!!!

    

5 quick questions: Barbara Hulanicki

You possibly won't stumble across too many folks who have launched a capsule fashion collection for Brit fashion fave TopShop, as well as rustled up a stunner of a wallpaper line (all gorgeously flocked) for Graham & Brown and designed the interiors of a slew of hotels in Miami, let alone had someone write a musical based on your life, and have a documentary about you debut to rave reviews. I'm talking fashion and design icon Barbara Hulanicki, who first stepped into the spotlight in the mid-Sixties when she opened the doors on Biba - her incredibly influential boutique - in London, and who kindly said yes to answering 5 quick questions.

Below you'll see a couple of snaps from Flock, her swish collection for G&B which - yes - includes flocked skulls, as well as Marie Antoinette-ish portraits. You'll also spot a pic of the kind of inlaid bone furniture that's inspiring Barbara right now (found here), as well as a trailer for November Film's Beyond Biba documentary.

For more on Barbara Hulanicki click here, and to check out the rest of the 5 quick questions interviews click here. And! Be sure to check out the Interior Design Show in Jan '10, when I'll have the pleasure of talking design with Barbara on stage. 

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you right now?

Barbara Hulanicki: The tropical weather and Indian bone inlayed furniture.

AW: Is there anything you hate to see when you walk into a room?

BH: A white sofa.

AW: What's the next thing you have your eye on for your own house?

BH: A Colombian sisal rug which has a silver metallic weave.

AW: How would you describe your style, and has it changed over the years?

BH: I am very eclectic. I become a chameleon with each client or project.

AW: What's next for you?

BH: I would love to start coordinated Biba Home shops!

    

5 quick questions: Nikki Chee

Nikki Chee, Farrow & Ball's communications manager, has made the treck over from the UK a few times recently, and I've been lucky enough to catch up with her whenever she's in town. I think Nikki has one of those dream jobs, working for one of the world's best paint and wallpaper firms and getting to spread the news about all their new gear, so I thought it would be fun to put her on the spot and ask her 5 quick questions!

Below you'll find snaps of Nikki's latest design crushes from Farrow & Ball, as well as a peek at the Bamboo wallpaper, which debuted last month. Click here for more 5 quick questions!

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you right now?

Nikki Chee: Paint always inspires me – it’s so versatile and you can create a whole new look and feel in a room in a weekend! Creative use of finishes is great with paint too – such as using Full Gloss teamed with Estate Emulsion or Modern Emulsion to create stripes or patterns on a wall for added texture and contrast. Apart from that, it’s the use of dramatic wallpaper prints to create a feature in a room, or using contrasting wallpaper inside cupboards or behind shelving for a design twist.

AW: Is there anything that should be banned from interiors?

NC: It’s all a matter of personal taste and I don’t think anyone should feel restricted by doing what’s perceived as ‘right’ all the time.  But I’ve never been a fan of painting dado or picture rails in a light colour which just creates white bands around a room.  The same goes for radiators – painting them white makes them stand out more, but if they are painted in a complementary shade they can blend into a scheme.

AW: What's the next thing you have your eye on for your own place?

NC: My next focus will be the dining room – it’s a small, anonymous room that could do with livening up and I have a dilemma. I’m either going to use The Lotus Papers in Drawing Room Blue with Pitch Black or paint it in Pelt, a fabulous rich purple. Pelt is winning at the moment, as I’d use it in Estate Emulsion combined with Dead Flat on the trim to create a seamless flat finish to really enhance the depth of colour, and create a dramatic feel which would look stunning in candlelight.  

AW: How would you describe Farrow & Ball's style, and has it changed over the years?

NC: I don’t think our style has changed significantly over the years – it has definitely evolved but our colours and the colour palette remain timeless classics. The ‘Farrow & Ball look’ is as relevant and popular as it always has been but to a much wider audience – it’s no longer confined to traditional interiors of large country estates; Farrow & Ball is as at home in a contemporary loft or warehouse as it is in a country cottage, but still with the signature look everyone loves. In the last year we’ve introduced a more contemporary use of colour in our wallpaper collections, and the launch of our new eco-friendly paint finishes in August was a big step forward. All our new eco finishes are zero VOC - as tested to the US Environmental Protection Agency standards - and have little or no odour, reduced drying times, and no change to sheen levels or performance. So now redecorating your home in an environmentally responsible way couldn’t be any easier!

AW: What's next for F&B?

NC: Continuing to create more colourful interiors and exteriors and helping our customers to get there! Our latest wallpaper collection, Bamboo, launched in September. Featuring an exotic pattern adapted from an iconic 19th century Japanese print, the collection gives a fresh new look to the enduringly popular and timeless bamboo design. We also have some exciting new wallpaper collections coming up for next year and we’re always on the lookout for new showroom locations too, we currently have 25 worldwide. That’s just a snapshot - there’s a lot more to come!

   

5 quick questions: Alex Bates

I was lucky enough to have a fascinating chat with Alex Bates, West Elm's creative director, back when West Elm opened up in Liberty Village in October of last year. She was just back from a whistle-stop tour of incredibly inspiring places and was starting to plan the next collections for the affordably on-trend brand (which also happens to be one of my fave places to shop). To continue that conversation I recently asked Alex if she wouldn't mind answering a couple of questions on her personal style and she happily obliged. And, from the sound of it, she's also racking up more Air Miles as we speak.

Below you'll find a couple of snaps of recent West Elm intros - The Beanstalk bed linens, Beach Glass vases and Twist melamine dishware. Click here to check out more 5 Quick Questions interviews.

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you now?

Alex Bates: All things Calder. His recent show at the Whitney blew me away. The installation of his wire face sculptures was a stroke of genius. I also loved the Met’s exhibition of his jewelry – crazy and elegant. I’m loving simple wire and pencil sketches in general; especially Martin Ramirez’s black and white sketches at the American Folk Art Museum.

AW: What's the next thing you have your eye on for your own house?

AB: I am fixated with all shades of grey, still. You can see it manifested in our summer collection at West Elm. I’m dying to paint my front hall. I think it would be very cozy and create a great background for my art. There is also a pair of vintage Cherner Chairs I want. I know they would look like pieces of sculpture against the gray.

AW: How would you describe your current style, and how has it changed over the years?

AB: My house is more about collecting that decoration. It’s very laid back and comfortable with worn family antiques mixed with modern – and of course a lot of West Elm. It’s a hodge podge of things I absolutely couldn’t live without from years of traveling. Every wall is covered in paintings and tons of books. I am officially out of wall space and have stacks of paintings and books growing in the corners. I’m trying to pare back and I fantasize about a certain Piet Boon house – spare but cozy. I know my little bits would start to slowly creep back in.

AW: Is there anything that can drive you crazy when you walk into a room?

AB: Bad art. Fake flowers. “I Married Adventure” by Osa Johnson.

AW: What's next?

AB: Spring is a busy time for us. We just opened out our new West Elm store at Broadway and 62nd in New York with an amazing opening party and a fun collaboration with David Stark. We’re finishing up our spring 2010 collection and trying to continue to be as green as we can in our processes, materials, and finished products. Next we're off to Italy for the Milan furniture show and then India. We have started some great new partnerships, working with Craftmark and Aid to Artisans in India, and I’m excited to explore new ideas with them.

   

5 quick questions - Matt Carr

Matt Carr, Umbra's Design Director, is a difficult guy to pin down. When I first e-mailed him he was somewhere in China, Shanghai I think, so I'm amazed that he was finally able to spend time and answer a few questions. As Matt mentions below, he's participating in the Pecha Kucha presentation at the Interior Design Show today - I'm moderating the presentation, which should be a laugh. Hopefully it will be fun and fast paced; Pecha Kucha is Japanese for chit-chat, each presenter gets 20 slides and 20 seconds per slide to speak to the theme of 'Inspiration'. So if you're at the show today, make sure to stop by. In case that wasn't enough, he and his girlfriend, Joyce Lo, have also designed one of the spaces at Come Up To My Room at the Gladstone Hotel - A v. cool exhibit that runs until Sunday, Feb 8th.

I asked Matt to pick out a few of his favourite pieces that he's designed for Umbra. From the top: The Mixalabra, my current fav candleholder. The Rolly Desk, check out the rest of the Rolly line too. The Teatime Clock, love all those vintage teacups. And finally the Biblioteca bookcase, snapped in Matt's own living space. Click here to check out more 5 Quick Question interviews.

Arren Williams: Can you describe your style?

Matt Carr: Style is always evolving. Lately I have been really into industrial vintage antiques with a touch of folk and a little glam. Ransacking through the aisles of the St. Lawrence antique market has become somewhat of a Sunday morning tradition. I am not a huge fan of slick contemporary as I love blemishes and inconsistencies…the little things that give pieces character and a story. Neither contemporary nor traditional, my home is a complete mixed bag of pieces that work together to make a comfortable informal living space.

AW: What's really got you excited in the world of design?

MC: Technology continues to change the face of design. From new materials and processes that I was just checking out in factories in Asia to how we develop product in our Toronto design studio. We have been using a 3D printer to generate exact models from our computer renderings. It is such an amazing tool to explore and understand forms, surfaces, and ergonomics. It’s kinda like our little design oven.

AW: What's the next thing you'll be buying for your place?

MC: Moving from a loft to a house meant a lot more furniture to acquire. The to do list for the house is still long, but I think the next investment piece will be a great armoire to hide the TV and unsightly electronics that go with it.

AW: Anything, décor wise, that you totally hate and think should be banned?

MC: Ha! Hate is a strong word but when I visit Mimi’s, my fave Pho restaurant on Gerrard Street I cannot get over the peach coloured sponge job they went for. Almost so bad it’s good…

AW: What's next for you?

MC: The last month has been a busy one. Just got back from a trip to Hong Kong and China then headed to NYC for the NYIGF. My girlfriend and I are just putting the finishing touches on our “In My Heart” installation for this weekend's COME UP TO MY ROOM event. We were inspired by the experiences people share in hotel rooms. Whether it be a honeymoon or a torrid affair, hotel rooms have a long association with love and lovers. Using light, holograms and typography, In My Heart is an installation that explores these relationships. Also presenting a Pecha Kucha speech during IDS focusing on how we are constantly surrounded by inspiration…even in the most mundane everyday experiences.

    

Update on 2009-02-10 12:29 by Arren

Okay, for the smartypants that e-mailed me - Yes, well spotted, that's a Bev Hisey rug in Matt's place, as well as a Random Light by Moooi, and the little piggy is indeed the Bank in the Form of a Pig by Harry Allen for Areaware.

5 quick questions - India Hicks

Heads up people. Get ready to set your VCRs - Top Design debuts on HGTV Canada on January 3rd at 8pm. This season the show is hosted by India Hicks, who I've waxed lyrical about in the past (see here - she's the talented and stylish daughter of designer David Hicks). An oppurtunity came up to interview her, which I jumped at, so here's the result.

Take a boo below to get a taste of India's personal style; a relaxed and inspiring slipcovered-and-sandy take on Colonial as seen in her book Island Life (photography by David Loftus). I love all the tones of white, the worn bleached finishes and dark antiqued wood and, that unexpected sorbet-y colour in the outdoor dining room... sigh... is just smashing. The continuing collection she's worked on with Crabtree & Evelyn - India Hicks Island Living- was recently updated with Island Night; scented from memories of a moonlit tropical garden (the eau de toilette and fragrance diffuser are shown below). Click here to check out more 5 Quick Questions interviews.

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you right now?

India Hicks: Everything I learnt from Top Design - How important it is to keep your manners despite appalling stresses and strains. How you can create something from nothing. How a sense of colour and pattern can enrich the world around us, influencing even in a small way everyone's environment.

AW: Is there anything that can make you shudder when you walk into a room?

IH: Bad lighting.

AW: What's the next thing you have your eye on for your own place?

IH: Irish linen tablecloths for Christmas entertaining.

AW: How do you define your personal style?

IH: Modern classic, in all aspects of my life: childrearing, interiors, fashion, and beauty. You can see real aspects of this in the two collections I have with Crabtree & Evelyn, Island Living and Island Night. Both are on trend but not at all trendy and offer women naturally based body care and classic fragrances with a modern twist.

AW: What's next?

IH: I just returned from fashion week in Brazil and now am off to London to launch my newest collection with Crabtree & Evelyn, India Hicks Island Night, to European press. After that, I'll be happy to have my entire family together for the holidays.

 

 

 

5 quick questions - Kelly Wearstler

With a polished yet edgy take on uptown chic, and a very fashion-forward view on style, Kelly Wearstler rocks the glossy world of interior design. Her signature look is a high-tone mix of vintage and new, the odd and unusual, and often features elements that take a keen sense and educated eye to actually pull off - Almost like a design version of a circus high-wire act. She's been featured in Vogue, on the cover of Domino and, I've raved about her on the blog before (take a look here). Kelly has lots on the go, no surprise there, so I can't tell you how happy I am that she found time to answer 5 quick questions!

Below you'll see quite the glam Bauble Box from KW's collection for Bergdorf Goodman, as well as a couple of shots of the Tides South Beach (photography, Annie Schlechter). Kelly was shot by Mark Edward Harris.

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you right now? 

Kelly Wearstler: I derive inspiration from everywhere - travel, nature, fashion, art, architecture, modern technology... everywhere. 

AW: Is there anything you'd like to see banished from interiors? 

KW: A drab, visually uninspiring space is never in style. 

AW: What's the next thing you have your eye on for your own place?

KW: I'm still in the process of designing my current home, so I'm looking for so much at the moment, especially amazing art for my house. 

AW: How would you describe your current style and how has it changed over the years?

KW: My style is always evolving so it's impossible to pinpoint it exactly. I'm a Modernist at heart, and, of course, I love all colours. Since I began my career as an interior designer I've learnt to educate and train my eye, leading me to become more confident, and sassy in my work.

AW: What's next for you?

KW: So much! This past year I opened my boutique at Bergdorf Goodman, where I have a line of decorative accessories and introduce about 20 new pieces every season. I also created my first collection with The Rug Company. Most recently, this Fall, I created a 150-piece collection of fabrics and trimmings with Groundworks at Lee Jofa. Up next is a line of bedding, table linens, decorative pillows and throws. I'm also working on several hotels - including Vicerory Miami and Anguilla, set to open in the first half of 2009 - as well as residential projects. 

  

   

5 quick questions - Jonathan Adler

Okay, this is just marvy - Jonathan Adler kindly said yes to being interviewed for the blog, so here we go!

Just to recap; he's one of my top design heroes who initially started as a potter and then, when his look caught the eye of stylish types, sauntered with an impressive amount of verve and wit into almost every aspect of the home (y'know, I can't think of anyone else who'd think of launching a scented candle with the name of Hashish!). When he's not overseeing his mini empire you'll catch him on Bravo TV, in his role as head judge on Top Design, and recently Jonathan tied the knot with his other half Simon Doonan, writer and sassy creative director of Barneys New York - So major congrats!

Below you'll see snaps of Ojai, his fab new line of dinnerware, as well as a peek at a glam interior project in NY (photography, Annie Shlechter). And click here for more on Adler's 'Happy Chic' style.

Arren Williams: What's inspiring you right now?

Jonathan Adler: I'm kinda' feeling rustic these days. My bloke and I are building a new country house and we're feeling very earthy and natural. After all, I am first and foremost a potter.

AW: What will drive you bananas when you walk into a room?

JA: Excessive technology on display. I hate those newfangled lighting systems that never work and require teams of engineers and repairmen and all those weird-ass television remote situations that are incomprehensible. I like my technology simple and intuitive.

AW: What's the next thing you have your eye on for your own place?

JA: I'm waiting for our new OJAI dinnerware to arrive chez nous. I love it. It's bold and poppy but rustic and crafty--everything that I love.

AW: Is style inherent?

JA: I grapple with this issue all the time and go back and forth. I think anyone can have passable style, but great style is innate.

AW: What's next on your agenda?

JA: I'm opening a couple of new stores, one on the Upper West Side and one in Santa Monica. And, I'm always doing squillions of decorating gigs and making new furniture and trying to find time to work in my pottery studio. I'm very, very lucky. When I first started my career as a potter, my dream was to never have a proper job again and to find an audience for my work. At the time, my idea of success would have been a life of hawking my wares at rain-soaked craft fairs if it meant I could earn a living making pots. The creative opportunities and experiences I have now are totally unexpected and thoroughly appreciated and I never take any of it for granted. So, next on my agenda is more design and more fun!

5 quick questions - Samantha Pynn

Apart from being quite the style savvy gal (after all, it's not for nothing that she's Style at Home's Design Editor and a guest expert on Citytv's CityLine) Samantha Pynn is one of my closest friends. And I have to tell you, anyone that can survive a marathon New York shopping trip with me is a real keeper (as long as we managed to hit Jaques Torres Chocolate a couple of times she was happy). As you might know Sam has been snapped up by HGTV to host her own show - Pure Design - which debuts Tuesday night at 8pm. The concept for the show is 'pretty but with a twist of green', so it's definitely on-par with Sam's real life and her own personal design philosophy (yes, she really does wash her floors with hot water and lavender oil). I thought it might be fun to put Sam on the spot and ask her a couple of questions -

AW: What drives you nuts when you walk into a space?

SP: Floor plans that revolve around the television - let's get back to conversation!

AW: And what's your current favourite colour combo?

SP: These days it's all about lavender and pale grey, but I'll always love all manner of blues and pinks - they'll always work for me. And, recently, touches of orange have been creeping into my work too; it's energetic and full of life.

AW: What's the next thing that you'd love for your your place?

SP: I've had my mind on a custom made octagonal ottoman, upholstered in hemp with a bronze nailhead detail. Textured and polished!

AW: Vintage or new in a space?

SP: It's all about a mix. Vintage is the best way to add personality and to do something unpredictable. Like finding an old wingback chair and covering it in a modern fabric, then painting out the legs in a bold colour. Add that chair to a room and you'll get a beautiful kind of tension with your new pieces, things get layered and sophisticated.

AW: What's next?

SP: I'm on my way to my favourite yoga class - It's one step at a time!

5 quick questions - Suzanne Dimma

In between takes yesterday, and in the midst of the semi-controlled madness of a Style Dept makeover, I grabbed Suzanne to ask her a few questions. As you might know, she's just been named as the new editor of Canadian House & Home Magazine - So, congrats!

AW: What's your current fave colour palette?

SD: I'm the queen of white, but if I had to pick I'd go with a greeny-aqua-blue mixed with stone and a hit of pumpkin orange.

AW: What's the next piece you want to buy for your place?

SD: I'd like to find a great open style lantern in gold to switch out for the dusty glass apothecary lamp in my front hall, and for the cottage I just saw an outdoor teak table, part of the Veneto line at Design Within Reach, that would be the perfect coffee table.

AW: What's one thing that should be banished from decor?

SD: Anything cranberry red or forest green!

AW: How do you feel about your new gig?

SD:Oh my god, I'm so excited for the challenge! I really see it as the next chapter.

AW: What's next?

SD: Wrapping my show and packing to go on a much needed vacation in the South of France.