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- [00:02]
A
Welcome to how to Decorate from Ballard Designs, a weekly podcast all about the trials and triumphs of decorating and redecorating your home. I'm Caroline. I'm on the marketing team.
- [00:11]
B
And I'm Taryn and I'm a product designer.
- [00:13]
C
I'm Liz. I head of the creative team. We're your hosts.
- [00:16]
A
Join the expert team at Ballard Designs for tips, tricks and tales from interior designers, stylists and other talents in the design world.
- [00:22]
B
Plus, we'll answer your decorating dilemmas at the end of each episode.
- [00:25]
C
We love answering your questions, so don't forget to email us@podcastallardesigns.net now, on with the show.
- [00:34]
A
Starting a business can seem like a daunting task unless you have a partner like Shopify. They have the tools you need to start and grow your business. From designing a website to marketing to selling and beyond, Shopify can help with everything you need. There's a reason millions of companies like Mattel, Heinz and Allbirds continue to trust and use them. With Shopify on your side, turn your big business idea into sign up for your $1 per month trial@shopify.com specialoffer. Our guest today is Chicago based interior designer Claire Staszak. Her client projects highlight her love of historic architecture, enhancing traditional design elements and infusing new spaces with Seoul. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, the Chicago Tribune, hgtv, and Lux magazine. And two years ago, she bought her dream home, which she's about to renovate from top to bottom. Claire, welcome to the show.
- [01:27]
C
Thank you. Nice to be with you.
- [01:30]
A
So we have a lot to get to today. We wanted to talk about your renovation because, you know, as, as I mentioned in the introduction, you kind of specialize in historic preservation and architecture and really sort of enhancing that in your projects. You launched your design business 10 years ago and since then, that's really sort of been where your specialty is taking the traditional design elements and your client projects. But then you also incorporate fabrics and furnishings that have a little bit of a moder feel to them. So they the two come together in a really unique style and it's something that your clients seek you out for. So I was curious if you could kind of start there and where that aesthetic came from and kind of whether it was there from the beginning. Is it something that sort of evolved over time or really sort of where that like, unique combination came from?
- [02:24]
C
Yeah. So, I mean, I can't believe it's been 10 years. It's like so weird to hear that officially said it's just time is really flying. I don't think I necessarily started out with a really clear vision of, like, exactly what my firm was going to do. I started out, like many entrepreneurs, just kind of on my own. I had had a few great internships, but I actually went back to design school when I was 29. And so really, I've been doing this for, like, my 30s, and I didn't train under someone. I mean, I had some great internships at a couple really good places, as, you know, in my late 20s. But I say that because I think a lot of people develop their style often, you know, either who they were trained under, part of that kind of translates, or, like, they go the opposite direction. It's not what they wanted to do. But I really think in the beginning, I obviously had a personal sense of style and aesthetic, and I've always loved old homes and old things, but I really catered to whatever the client wanted, and it definitely took some time. And I also think it took hiring a few different people, people and sort of melding with their aesthetics and trying different things on to really get to the place where I felt really comfortable with, you know what? This is sort of what I think we do best, and we're really gonna lean into that. And, you know, I think it's still a thing in business, but, you know, everyone's always like, oh, niche down. Create a niche. Like, people love to use that word. And I think when you're starting out, you feel like, oh, well, I need to really appeal to everyone. I don't want to limit my. But I have found I first sort of started to niche into kitchen design, specifically because we do do a lot of kitchens, and I love cabinetry in general kitchen design. And then that sort of really morphed into, you know, what we really want to like. The projects I want to be doing are in historic properties, and they are people who really care about architecture, and they are people who love mixing old and new. And so it kind of evolved, you know, over time out of that. And I think having the confidence to say, I'm good with, like, only this type of client, and those are the people who I really want to find me.
- [04:58]
A
Yeah, I loved seeing that element in your portfolio. Like, the. It was almost like the shell of many of your projects have this very traditional, timeless, you know, moldings and cabinetry, like you mentioned. But then there were always, you know, furniture shapes or lighting things within the room that had a real sleekness to it. But then also your color palettes had Sort of a. Have this real warmth and almost like an aged color palette. So there was this kind of mixture that, like, it felt very nostalgic almost, but also really clean, so that it was kind of a.
- [05:40]
C
It's so fun to hear someone talk about it. I love it. Like, you're. I love all the things you're noticing. Like, that's so great to hear.
- [05:47]
B
How would you describe. Describe your style?
- [05:50]
C
This is the. Like, this is the, you know, the hard question. It's like, I feel like I have some friends who are so good, and they're like, oh, I'm Granny Chic, or I'm, you know, traditional coastal. I mean, I would say we are always trying to balance masculine and feminine. Like, and we're always. I love spaces to feel ethereal. Look, I have some buzzwords, but, like, I find it really hard to put in a category. I mean, I think if we're gonna put it in a category, I'd call it new traditional, where, you know, it's always gonna harken back to traditional shapes and antiques. And we use architecture to guide the style of the home. But we are definitely not afraid, you know, to mix or to don't like to say, like, try a trend, but, you know, like, do something that isn't, quote, unquote, like, perfectly buttoned up traditional. And so, yeah, I think new traditional is probably a good sort of place.
- [06:58]
B
For us because, like Caroline said, you do have a lot of wonderful, deep colors in a lot of your work that really, you know, speak to a depth kind of of that old home traditional, which I was wonder if it really is the style of homes, too. Do you find a certain age you. You've of home you're always working on.
- [07:19]
C
So that's a great question, because I think I. I actually have a. A book coming out in a couple of years, and the whole. There was a lot of debate on. I really wanted to just have the book be old homes, like, only old homes. But of course, we work on new homes. And, like, I don't want to say that if you have a new home.
- [07:38]
B
Like, don't call me.
- [07:40]
C
You know, you're not a good person. And some of our best clients do have, like, what you see on the portfolio. Those are not all old homes. Like, some of them are new homes. And so the editors kind of convinced me that it really needed to be right. It needed to be showing how we work on the old homes, but then also how you can bring that to a new home. And so while I think the biggest influence Is really that in the Chicagoland area and I live up on the north shore near the lake. I mean, we're just very lucky that there's just a lot of beautiful old homes and there's a lot of people who like, really don't have a choice. They kind of have to buy an old home. And so there's just a lot of material to work with. You know, I think, like, I have a friend who's a designer in Oklahoma, and like, there's just tons of new construction. There's no old homes like in the area that she's working. And so I just feel very fortunate to be able to lean into that. And I'm sort of in the sect of people who are fighting against all the, you know, the modern white farmhouses that are going up on every street. Because it's just, I want to see that character in my neighborhood. And I don't really care what year your house is. I just, you know, don't want it to be kind of builder basic.
- [09:01]
A
Yeah. I'm curious, like, in your projects that are more historic properties and then versus your clients who are building or in a new home, you know, the last 10 years or something, are you approaching them completely differently in terms of the types of pieces you're bringing in and. Or cabinetry you're bringing in, or are you sort of creating the same shell regardless of the. The house?
- [09:30]
C
I think every shell is different, but no, I'd say it's sort of two different approaches. I think, you know, one approach is much more restore. Like, what can we pull from this original that still works or that we can approve upon and then like build a color story and things that maybe lend itself more to, you know, for instance, if we're doing a tutor, like, I think there's just sort of a tutor inherently is probably going to be a little more moody and a little, you know, they're darker and. And so there's. That's like kind of a little more the approach, like let the house guide you. Whereas with the new builds or the new construction, I find unless you're working with an exceptional architect who's already done all this work for you, you're really trying the client what elements they can bring in either architecturally if those decisions haven't been made yet or if those decisions have been made. You know, sometimes it's adding crown molding, it's changing a fireplace. So it's more fitting of what they want the home to actually be like, era wise. If. If it's sort of era is a bit confused. And it's also working harder on the furnishings and the paint and all those things because they're not necessarily always enhancing the architecture. They're sort of trying to, you know, stand in it in place of it sometimes.
- [11:09]
A
Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. Can we get into your house and how, like, okay, you. You bought it a couple of years ago, and you've been planning a renovation. You have you started the renovation yet?
- [11:24]
C
So fingers crossed. I am waiting any day now on my permit to be approved. It's been through a couple rounds in the village. I think we are nearly there. So. Yeah, we actually have. I have rented the apartment above this, so I'm in one of my design studios right now on the North Shore. We have a city location, but I will also now be working here and living here. Renovate this house. But yes, timing, like, everyone's project is very long, and we hope to be started, I am hoping, like, no later than October 1st. We are like, knocking.
- [12:05]
A
You're in there. Yeah. Set us up. What, like, what is the house? What were you looking for when you were house shopping and what were sort of like the pros and cons of the house and why you ultimately picked this?
- [12:18]
C
Yeah, so, I mean, the market's tough here, so I definitely. I mean, you don't. You don't have just, like, pick of anything, that's for sure. But I think we were very lucky. We. I was looking for something that was big enough that it could be a forever home. I have. I have two kids, and I really wanted, you know, what I felt was, like, this space that we needed. I think my house before was probably just under 3,000 square feet. This house is like 5,500 square feet. So, you know, it's a. It's a nice size house for a family of four. It has a little bit of a larger lot, But I was really, you know, looking for just that character, that architectural detail that I love. This house is a Mediterranean, built in 1926. Unfortunately, it doesn't have its original tile roof, which is very sad. But other than that, definitely has been stripped of a lot of its original details throughout the years. I think what remained was basically, I mean, to. Again, the best of my knowledge, I think that the staircase is original. And one thing that was really important to me is I just. I love an entry moment. So I really wanted that kind of staircase coming down, formal entry, kids lined up for prom, pictures, you know, like, that kind of thing makes me really so. And it has a formal living room, a formal Dining room and like a nice giant family room. So I think it had sort of all those elements and at one time it had been renovated really well. So that's also what I look for, like if the house has been renovated and, or I guess more should I say an addition? Because a lot of times people buy a house and they say, okay, I'm going to put an addition on, which is, you know, a lot easier to say. And I knew that this house had already had a very decent addition. You know, it wasn't our style, it wasn't the right era, but the square footage was there. And so I knew I could change anything on the inside to make it what I wanted. And so it sort of checked all those boxes for us. It was in one of the suburbs that was, you know, in our checked box. And then it had original doorknobs, original doors, original staircase, and I could just really see the potential. And the exterior was pretty charming, but falling apart slightly.
- [15:04]
B
I mean, 100 year old house is.
- [15:06]
A
Yeah, Thumbs falling apart. Yeah.
- [15:09]
C
Yes, yes. And I mean, of course, like part of, you know, I think you, you definitely have to put in the love, the time, the energy, the money. But I definitely think you. We got a great deal because a lot of other people don't want to do that, you know, so it's a benefit, I think, of, you know, doing this work.
- [15:30]
A
Right, right. And you're, and you, you've done a lot of, of projects. So you're, you're a pro versus, you know, the average home buyer.
- [15:40]
B
Yes.
- [15:40]
A
Okay, so you've been there a couple years now. You've been living there a couple years now waiting for the Renault. But was there anything that you did prior to moving in as just sort of like a, you know, bare bones. We gotta do this first or what, Did y' all just move in?
- [15:57]
C
Yeah, we, I repainted like, I didn't want to repaint the whole house because I knew so much of it was going to be demolished. But like, I repainted all the bedrooms. I car. You know, anywhere there was carpet, we put new carpet. So, like the primary is carpet. The current family room has carpet. We'll be changing that to hardwood floors. But. And the basement we sort of fixed up for our kids, but pretty basic. I just moved the furniture. We already had swapped out some lights. I mean, I took down any old lighting that they had left and switched it with things that were ours. But I'm kind of, if you're going to do it, do it right person. So I just made it livable. I mean, I put up some window treatments, you know, in just places that we needed them, and I'm just. I've just kind of been grinning and burying it through to hold until I get the dream.
- [16:55]
A
Yeah. Okay. What? This is something that I struggle. I really struggle with. How did you stay patient throughout the last couple of years while you're waiting and planning? You know what I mean? Like, were there ever times where you're like, I just really wish I could do this now, but I'm not going to.
- [17:15]
C
Yes, for sure. I mean, one thing I'll say about being a busy business owner and mom is don't have much time to, you know, be thinking about. You know, I. Honestly, it's one of those things that I kind of always get a little annoyed. Like, it's so cliche when designers are like, oh, you know, there's some whatever. I don't even know the line about the cobbler shoes, you know, kind of thing. And. But truly, I have not had a nightstand for two years. Like, I've been using a chair, and it's the. It's a problem. But, like, I don't even care because to me, like, the end goal is so much bigger than, like, buying myself a nightstand that I don't like because it's not the one that I really want or, like, I don't want to design it, you know, till I know really what I want it to be. And I think when you use your creativity every day, like, I. I'm a. It is hard to do your own home when you're a designer and you're doing this all day long. Like, I do love it, but there are plenty of times where I come home and I don't want to think about my bedroom. And, you know, so I guess I would just say, you know, everybody has a budget. Everyone has limitations. I mean, if I had tons and tons of money to just, you know, move and throw it all at the house and do all of that, great. But, like, there's definitely something to be said for living in it, figuring out what you really want. I. I encourage my clients to do that when they can. Really, I think it makes a big difference to how you, in the end, change the floor plan, change the flow. Also, I think it allows you, if you have the time. So when we tend to design this way for clients, right, You. You put the dream on paper first. You know, we. Our first rendition of what we were going to do was really pretty grandiose and likely not affordable, and that's okay. Because I think when you do that, you see what all the big ideas are, and then you kind of pare back versus starting, like, small and afraid and not dreaming of, like, what could really be. And I actually feel like most times you get to, like, the right place, because I don't even think I like the plan, the grandiose plan, any better than the one I ended up with.
- [19:42]
A
Interesting.
- [19:42]
C
And I love that the one that I have now is really great. And, like, I had to make some compromises along the way, but I think, you know, everyone does usually. You can't kind of always get everything. And so I've been trying to, you know, just. Just use that mantra that, like, it's. It's going to be, you know, great in the end, and it's something that takes time. And I mean, sometimes people are doing houses over multiple years and we work with people who are able to do everything at once. And then we do work with clients who, you know, are doing things in phases. And so, you know, you just kind of have to hold true to the vision and, yeah, try to be patient.
- [20:30]
B
Hey, it's Taryn, your favorite host and designer at Ballard Designs. I'm excited to share with our awesome listener that more than 250 new designs are live on the website now. One of my favorite products I designed this season is the Arena Media console. It is this very super long console that works with any size tv. It comes in this gorgeous dark walnut finish and these textured front and these beautiful little turned delicate legs. It's so sweet. And not only is it just sweet, it's really versatile. It has two sets of cabinet doors as well as two drawers. So not only can you fit blankets, you could also fit small things like the remote, you know, the one that always seems to go missing. It's perfect. I'm really excited to finally share some of these wonderful products with you. So please visit Ballard Designs.com backslash new to see all the new beautiful product that we've worked so hard on and we can't wait to share with all of you.
- [21:29]
A
I love that suggestion about just getting like your wildest dream out onto paper and then kind of either scaling back or revising or, you know, editing down. Yeah, like, that's smart.
- [21:47]
C
An exact example of that is, for instance, the kitchen in this house is sort of a, like a big galley kitchen, but it's kind of like a straight shot. And my initial idea was to. And there's, there's like an adjoining, what they called, like, library, but basically feels like Just kind of a wasted room. And so the initial plan was to take down that wall in between and rotate the kitchen to be, like, a big rectangle instead of kind of a galley kitchen. And so from going from this way to kind of this way and this big, big kitchen with a big island in the middle and, like, a big eat and breakfast room. But that big wall was a big structural wall. And it wasn't even so much the cost of taking down that wall, but just, like, how invasive to the whole project kind of that was gonna be. And we were gonna have to add two steel beams. And just, like, it was just was feeling like, why, like, why am I doing all this? Because sort of the general consensus would be, like, have a bigger kitchen with a bigger island.
- [22:57]
A
Yeah.
- [22:57]
C
And I don't even really cook that much a b. I didn't really want this giant kitchen. I felt like it wasn't going to be kind of, like, cozy or maybe it wasn't going to feel super fitting to the house because. And so, like, kind of going through that whole process now, I feel like I'm much happier. I have, like, the beautiful galley kitchen I want, and then we turned that room into, like, an adjacent breakfast room that's going to have a beautiful breakfast bar and a pantry. And, like, I almost get two different rooms to design instead of this kind of one big room. Room.
- [23:35]
A
Yeah.
- [23:35]
C
And it took a while to figure out that that's what I wanted. So that's, like, kind of an example.
- [23:42]
A
Yeah. But the. But I also love that it wasn't. It wasn't just that it was going to be invasive, but that, like, you kind of sat with it and thought, is this really what I want, or is this what, like, Pinterest is telling me that I want? That is such a good note, because I do think that there's always so much talk about resale value, and, you know, is someone gonna buy this or that? I think it can be easy to take yourself out of the equation and almost do what you. What you think needs to be done versus what is really functional for you and what's best for the house. So that.
- [24:24]
C
Our clients struggle with that a lot. For sure.
- [24:27]
A
Yeah.
- [24:28]
C
I do a lot of talking people off the. Don't do this for resale. Do it for yourself.
- [24:33]
A
Yeah. Yeah.
- [24:36]
B
Did anything. At the same time, I know you have two kids, and they're growing, and has your perspective changed also on any of their spaces? Just knowing that you're starting right now with babies, and then, you know, they won't be Once the house is finished.
- [24:52]
A
Hopefully they'll still be pretty young and it won't go that long.
- [24:56]
C
Definitely. You know, they, they. The house had a really weird Jack and Jill bathroom. And actually my husband was really want. He's like, if there's any way. It's a tricky space though. It was going to be really tough to kind of carve two bathrooms out of the Jack and Jill, but I think we were able to make it happen. And there was a lot of back and forth between, like, should we do it, should we not do it? You know, I think ultimately the two bathrooms is better for multiple reasons, including I have a boy and a girl. So, like, they'll have their own bathrooms better for resale, you know. And while both the bathrooms will be kind of smaller, I think it just made more sense in the plan and it is more expensive. But again, that's like one of those things that felt like, okay, that's worth the stuff spend because there's enough reasons that it makes sense.
- [25:57]
A
So you split them to where they both have an ensuite and they.
- [26:02]
C
Yet typically my daughter has an ensuite and my son will have his own bathroom, but it, It's. He accesses it through the hall. So it's. It's. Technically, it's a little bit of a strange Jack and Jill. It's connected to one bedroom and then it's not connected to the other. But it's sort of like there are two bathrooms if you kind of enter from either side. So we were able to reconfigure where one bathroom will just be accessible from the hallway, and that'll be my son's bathroom. And then my daughter will have an ensuite.
- [26:32]
A
Yeah. I do feel like sometimes those Jack and Jill ones can be a little bit inefficient because you've got to have two doors. Right. So.
- [26:41]
C
Right.
- [26:42]
A
Like with the clearance of the. The doors, it's kind of. It can be kind of hard. But to your point, it's not quite enough for two always. So, yeah, we were able to kind.
- [26:54]
C
Of squeeze some space out of the hall, which was kind of the key part of it. And yeah, I mean, all the bathrooms in this home, I cannot wait to demo. Like, I want to be in there with this hammer. They are so old and bad and like.
- [27:13]
A
Oh, what?
- [27:14]
B
Describe. Describe the worst one.
- [27:16]
C
Um, I mean, I think if people go to the blog, they can definitely see.
- [27:19]
A
Yes.
- [27:20]
C
But they, I mean, just so old, you know, Like, I think it was one of those. It feels like they got like A special on tile where, like, everything is yellow or brown. And, I mean, but they're not.
- [27:33]
A
Are they original beige?
- [27:35]
C
No. I don't know. They're definitely not original. They're, like, bad. I don't even know when they're from. I mean, that's the thing. It's like, it's so hard to even tell the era of when some of this stuff was done, because I do think, you know, it's been through multiple owners, and it's not one of those, like, gems where you walk in and had one owner and, like, they didn't touch anything kind of. So I can't even tell you. I mean, they look like they're from the 70s, but, like, who knows? It could. Yeah, it could be the 90s. I don't know, honestly.
- [28:11]
A
Okay, so there's kitchen, bathroom, obviously, were top priorities. What else were the top priorities? And the renovation.
- [28:19]
C
So for us and for a lot of what I do for my clients is natural light. I think natural light is, you know, one of the most kind of underutilized design tools. Right. Everybody typically wants to be in a space with natural light. It feels more beautiful. Your colors can look more beautiful. I feel happier. People in Chicago get seasonal depression. I feel like it's, you know, cold. And so we changed up a lot of the windows, and I really had this dream of kind of these, you know, so Mediterraneans often have arches. And so our entryway is a beautiful arch detail. And in the foyer, I'm going to change both the. You know, it's kind of a center entrance where you. You have your dining room and your living room. I'm going to change those openings to be beautiful arches. And so on the back that you. Family room, we are doing three sets of beautiful arch French doors to the backyard. So that was sort of like my. The big sort of dream moment. And then several windows throughout the house are changing or being updated, Particularly in the kitchen, we are making one really large window and kind of getting rid of two smaller. So those are, I think, some of the bigger kind of changes that I'm excited for.
- [29:50]
A
What about, like, systems or, you know, were there any, like. Some of those renovation must do. Yeah, the boring stuff where you're like, I don't want to spend money on this, but I'm on.
- [30:00]
C
Yeah, you're spending a lot of money on the H vac system. So one of the main updates this house needed, which we knew when we purchased it, was all new heat and air conditioning. So that's one of the, like, largest line Items, honestly. And at one point, everything was updated to have, you know, old radiators. Right. Like the big wall radiators that. Everybody kind of knows what those look like at some point when the house was renovated, then they moved to baseboard radiators, which, you know, they. They're not terrible, but, like, when they're kind of all over your house, it just. I really don't like it. It takes away from all of the baseboard molding and kind of. So we're taking all of those out and, you know, doing kind of a more traditional force air system. And really, I mean, we're updating tons of plumbing, tons of electrical. I mean, I would say a majority of what we're spending money on is behind the walls.
- [31:03]
A
Yeah, but that's.
- [31:05]
C
That's really what you need to do when you buy these old homes, and that's why you typically, you know, get a great deal, because people don't want to take the walls apart and put that stuff back together.
- [31:17]
A
Sure. What is. What is like, your vision for the, you know, the style, the. In the decor?
- [31:28]
C
Well, I think it's. It's a balance of. So, because I do love to remain, you know, somewhat true to the home, I certainly want some Mediterranean aesthetic, which is often, you know, I think people think of Greece or the south of France, you know, white and blue and woods and natural. And so while there's one part of me that, like, loves and really appreciates that simplicity, I think if you look at our portfolio, right, we tend to mix a little bit more color and pattern. Sometimes I think we're, you know, a bit more European in terms of, like, a little bit of, like, a British eclectic sort of mix. So I'm having a bit of a struggle of, like, how to meld those styles. But for me, I think it's often about kind of like, pulling back and just really, again, like, looking at sort of the shell without any of the furnishings. Like, how do I really want the shell to feel? And I think the shel. More Mediterranean. And then I'll start to layer in colors and patterns that sort of feel appropriate to me, which I would say, if you can picture, you know, the south of France or Provence, or. I tend to really love just, like, romantic, more pale. That's, like, what this house is feeling like to me. Nothing too bold. I like kind of calming spaces for myself personally, because I'm always kind of all over the place, and I like my house to be as kind of centering as possible.
- [33:18]
A
Have you basically mapped out the fabrics and pieces you're going to use in every room, or are you kind of letting that evolve once you get through the renovation?
- [33:29]
C
I definitely have, like, picked up a lot of pieces along the way. I have a vision for a lot of the rooms. I mean, so the kitchen and like the laundry, mud room, which is actually quite a large space. Those are both fully kind of designed and figured out. I've purchased some art, so I often lead a lot with art. I have some really beautiful art that I'm pretty passionate about that I, like, have a sense of where it's going. I have a wallpaper collection with a French company, and so I will likely put a few of my wallpapers in the house. But, like, I change my mind every week on what is going where. So I think until, like, I really have to nail it down, I. I probably won't. I'll probably just kind of keep letting it evolve.
- [34:28]
A
Yeah. Were there any. Was there anything. This kind of goes back to what Taryn was asking, but was there anything that you maybe had as a vision, and you did talk about your kitchen, but anything that you changed while you've lived there? You know, like, maybe you thought was what you needed in terms of the layout or the flow, and then as you've lived there, you've changed your mind. I know you mentioned at the beginning that you. You advise your clients to do that, so I was curious what sort of things?
- [34:57]
C
There's. There's a lot of little things. I mean, like, we're talking about just like the way that a closet is used or like the mud room, laundry room. I've had, like, several different iterations of what those could be or how those things would function, like where a drop zone is or where one isn't. I think those all, like, in of themselves are pretty small, but, like, when you start to add them all up, I think it's. It's quite important to the overall project. And I think until you really, like, see how you function in a space, it can be hard to guess how you would want those things. I mean, I think that's what people can also trust a designer and architect to help them figure out if they're not going to live in a space for a period of time, but it's definitely informed. Again, I think some of my initial, like, grand ideas didn't really take into consideration, like, where is the drop zone where all the mail gathers that, you know, my husband will create in the kitchen if I don't define one. So those. Those kinds of things are just Kind of easy to forget about, but yeah, really can be, you know, important as you're moving through it. Upstairs are there's a fourth bedroom, but technically it doesn't have a closet. So I mean, maybe it could have been like billed as a nursery or something. And we could move the entrance to our room to connect to that so that we'd almost have this like lounge off of our bedroom, which would be lovely. And then if I move the door, it would allow me to center my bed on the fireplace in my room because it kind of drives me crazy that the bed is off center from the fireplace. But it's like, is that good for resale? Like all of those questions again that like people ask themselves or like, do we need a bigger room? But like, if we're living here forever, then who cares if that's a fourth bedroom or whatever. So like those kind of things, I just think you have longer to sort of debate which I don't know if it's, you know, good or bad, but those are the kind of things we're going back and forth on.
- [37:21]
A
Yeah, you don't have to make like.
- [37:22]
C
A good a walk in closet like that. Currently you kind of enter on a side, but I'd love to make a center entrance. Like these are the things that I'm thinking about, you know.
- [37:35]
A
Okay.
- [37:36]
B
So I did go on your blog because I had to see, I needed to see these before photos of these bathrooms. So I was like diving deep in here and yeah, they're bad. So Steve, I. You're really pumped.
- [37:47]
C
Yeah.
- [37:47]
B
But yeah, I recommend people going to.
- [37:50]
A
Look at this because this is fun.
- [37:51]
C
But yeah, there's a whole tour, I think, right? Yeah, there's a whole tour.
- [37:55]
B
Yeah, there's a whole tour I had. So this laundry room that you speak of that has a skylight in it is huge.
- [38:02]
A
It looks huge.
- [38:03]
C
Massive. Yes.
- [38:04]
B
So what are you planning to do in there?
- [38:07]
C
So that's. That's going to be my flower arranging room.
- [38:11]
A
Oh, yes, yes.
- [38:13]
C
Oh no, it's gonna be. It's kind of. It is. It could it. It will hopefully be amazing. So it's going to be part mud room, part laundry room, slash flower arranging room or the room with all of my pretty things like stored in there. So I do get a lot of joy. Like if I, if I didn't do this, I would like probably do flowers for a living. I love it. And then there's a bathroom in there as well. So we're turning that into like a little spa bathroom moment with a steam Shower and. Yeah. And it's all going to be kind of in the same cabinetry color, so it will feel somewhat cohesive. And it. Another, like, originally, I built a whole wall with sliding doors because I was like, okay, I don't want to see the laundry room. I'm just going to kind of, like, close it. But that was expensive. And then also kind of made this, like, very long hallway of a mud room. So in the end, I decided to kind of. We're gonna. We're gonna frame it out, and you'll have, like, a big opening, so it'll still kind of feel like two different spaces. But we designed the laundry area to look really beautiful and tried to hide the laundry machines behind doors. Because my biggest issue with that space, it's like, that's where we walk in right from the garage. That's what I see all the time. And right now, it's a disastrous dumping zone. And I don't want to walk in and just, like, see laundry every day. That's just not the esthetic that. I mean, my life is about esthetics. And, like, if I'm going to have my way, it's not going to be to walk into a messy laundry room. So, yeah, we're trying to make that really pretty. Yeah.
- [40:04]
B
If you see it online, it looks like it has a big. It looks like it has a big skylight, and then it's a big white box. Like a very large box with floating washer dryer currently.
- [40:12]
C
Yeah. And it's just a whole sort of, like, other side. Yeah.
- [40:16]
B
Fair enough. But I love that you're making it into a little, like, how can I make this a retreat? Like, I'm coming in. I'm. I'm done with my day, shuffling kids in and out. How do I make this wonderful for me and my family? But, you know, I think that's just a beautiful way, again, to focus on your own home.
- [40:35]
C
Home.
- [40:35]
B
And remind people to.
- [40:37]
A
Everyone pays attention to the entry for their guests. Right. But many of us neglect the entry that we use. But it's a space you're walking into multiple times a day. I was thinking about this recently, and you want to come home and feel relaxed and peaceful and happy, and you're not going to do that if you're coming into a junky, discombobulated mess. Not saying that yours is. I'm really more talking about myself here. So if you do. If you can put some effort into making it, you know, tidy and beautiful or just tidy that I. I always think that goes a Long way for your mental health because, you know, you're not always using your own front door.
- [41:19]
C
What are. You know, I mean, I think there's sort of tidy, and then there's also, you know, beautiful. And so it's like, I went the extra mile to pick out a really beautiful sink and a really beautiful faucet. You know, we're gonna add some beadboard or, like, some wall treatment. It's just like, anything that I think you can do to kind of dress up those spaces and give them some. Some beauty beyond, you know, drywall and cabinetry. It. It really adds to the ambiance of it feeling like a room and not just like, a utility area.
- [41:58]
A
Yeah. Talk to us some more about color, because I do love your color palettes. There's a lot of warmth in them, which I think is so pretty and, like, an earthiness to it. What. How are you thinking about color? You mentioned art was something that really impacts the design. Is that where the color palette is coming from?
- [42:23]
C
I wouldn't say it always comes from there. I think my team tends to talk about it like, we like. Muddy colors is something we often say. So we tend to use colors that are sort of like, if they're saturated, they're usually kind of muddy. I don't, like, know a better word, but, like, you know, it's like, they're not super intense, and they're not super bright. Like, I definitely struggle whenever having to use bright colors. Like, we did the house. Beautiful show house, and that's. That was, like, the one time I was like, okay, you know, it's a show house. I'm going to paint it bright yellow and just, like, see if we like it, which we did. But, like, that would be much more rare for us to do.
- [43:13]
A
I don't.
- [43:13]
C
I think that just comes from my esthetic and kind of what I'm drawn to. I don't, like, love preppy. You know, Like, I feel like. So it. Sometimes I think the colors we use are, like, a little less what I'd call, like, preppy colors, and they're maybe, like, a little more moody or, like, a little more. It's the word I'm looking for. Sort of, like, not indifferent, but, like, if you were gonna, like, name the color, you know, if you want a certain pink, like, a happy pink, and another pink would be, like. Yes. Nuanced. Whatever. I'm. I'm nuanced.
- [43:50]
A
Earthy. Enigmatic. Yeah.
- [43:55]
B
Look at you, Caroline.
- [43:56]
A
Just human. Dictionary. No. Well, I found I also love a muddy color. Because they feel a little bit more ambiguous, and they can sort of change as your room changes. So, you know, it's like, if you pick a bright blue, it's always going to be bright blue, whereas if you pick sort of a blue gray, it can kind of read more blue in some spaces, more gray in some spaces, and that far. That is sort of nice, I always think, too. So I was really drawn to your color palettes, and. And you use a lot of. Or not. Maybe not a lot, but you seem to use, like, shades of red or, like, red brown, which I really found beautiful, especially because I do think that's a color people are a little less likely to use in this time, where blue is sort of the.
- [44:50]
C
Yeah.
- [44:50]
A
You know, neutral.
- [44:52]
C
I. I will say a majority of our clients really do, like, love blue and green, and that's what we hear over and over and over again. But I think a lot of people, especially people who are drawn to us as a firm, they. They're really open to color, and they're excited to experiment. And so, really, I mean, I don't have a, like, a personal love for red or whatever. I mean, I do like it more than I used to. I. I also think there's just something about kind of what's happening in decor now and, like, all these warmer colors that people are kind of embracing more than the cool colors. So I think we're sort of, like, at that point in the pendulum where it's not just blue and green and people, like, we're doing a lot of burgundy. You know, there was, like, the whole just, like, all this, like, salmon and more corals and this kind of warmer types of pinks that I think are really being embraced. And obviously, like, yellows made such a huge comeback. So I don't know. I don't know if it's, you know, just kind of the time or it's just experimenting with. With colors we like in that sort of muted, muddier palette. But.
- [46:09]
A
Well, it's sort of. They're, like fall colors, I would say.
- [46:12]
B
Even, like, historic, you know?
- [46:14]
A
Yeah.
- [46:14]
B
Yeah.
- [46:15]
A
There you go.
- [46:16]
C
That's. You know what I do? Just, like, tip for anyone listening. Like, one of my favorite paint decks is the Benjamin Moore Williamsburg collection deck.
- [46:25]
A
Yeah.
- [46:26]
C
It's such a good deck, and we use it a lot, so it's not. I love, like, a limited deck. Obviously, we love pharaoh and ball, like all designers do, but that goes back.
- [46:37]
B
To a limited deck.
- [46:39]
A
Right?
- [46:39]
B
Like that one, too.
- [46:40]
A
Yeah.
- [46:40]
C
You're kind of like, we love a limited deck. I would Say the majority of paint colors you see from us are Farrow and Ball or Ben. More historical collection.
- [46:49]
A
Yeah, I know, but then there are definitely times where you can't get the.
- [46:53]
C
Right one and you're like, I need more options.
- [46:55]
A
You mentioned the sort of tweaks to the bathroom that. And kind of reworking that situation. But I was curious about more the furnishings and the elements that are going to come after the renovation and how you're thinking through that with young kids.
- [47:14]
C
Yeah, I mean, I am a big proponent of having nice things, even though you have kids. And I mean, honestly had always had wallpaper, always had, you know, I think beautiful mohair covered chairs, etc. Like, I feel like if you. I never worried about my kids, like coloring on stuff. I don't know, you know, I just thought didn't happen. I think it's like, I don't know if you, if they, if, if it is a value and it's like taken care of and like, I don't know, just then that sort of translates, I.
- [47:54]
B
Think to, are you bragging that your kids are wonderful?
- [47:57]
A
Yeah, they're perfect, Perfect children.
- [47:59]
C
I'm like, I don't know how to say. I don't know how not brag that.
- [48:04]
B
Mine are better than yours.
- [48:06]
C
I'm kidding.
- [48:07]
A
I'm joking.
- [48:08]
C
Other issues, but it's not on wallpaper.
- [48:12]
B
They respect the wallpaper.
- [48:13]
C
Yes, I, I mean they really do. I think it's hilarious.
- [48:17]
B
I mean, that's great.
- [48:18]
C
They both completely understand that their mother is a designer and like what that means. Yeah, I think again, like, yeah, I think that's probably different when you're not a designer and it's not like your day to day and they don't see all of these things kind of coming and going. But I really don't, honestly, what I would say is I don't think about design any differently with kids than not kids. And I mean the clients that we design for, who I would say 9 out of 10 of our clients are pregnant at all times. It's like, that's a lot.
- [48:53]
A
Nine out of ten.
- [48:55]
C
We work with a lot of, of, of younger families, like I would say, who are buying sort of their forever home or buy beautiful second home that now they're ready to invest in and renovate. And so we, you know, we pay attention to performance fabrics these days. Performance fabrics are amazing and everywhere and it's not hard to find them. You know, we like natural, durable things like wool rugs and runners and.
- [49:27]
A
You.
- [49:27]
C
Know, can be sometimes cognizant. To paint, finish and just like making sure key areas are somewhat wipable. Like we're not want to have a kitchen where you can't wipe your walls down or a bathroom where you can't wipe your walls down. But in general, I really don't approach design too differently unless it's like you know, a kid's bedroom and we need to specifically incorporate something that is kid related. But I'm always trying to design a space that's going to grow with the kids and that's not going to feel like childish. So you know, both of my kids rooms are, you know, I try to give them a say. Another tip is like I've let them decide what color their closet is going to be. And like I even told my little boy he can wallpaper his closet with dinosaur paper because he keeps going, mom, what wallpaper is going in my room? And his room is not going to be wallpapered. Like I might do something, but there's plenty of other wallpaper in the house. I'm like, I don't need a wallpaper every single room. So if you can kind of like please them in some way and give them some control, I, I do think that's important. But I don't let them decide what they want in there.
- [50:43]
A
Yeah, yeah.
- [50:44]
C
Rooms fully.
- [50:45]
A
All right, well, she perfectly teed up your wallpaper question, Taryn. So you can.
- [50:49]
C
Oh yes. I didn't even think of that.
- [50:52]
B
That was so good. And you reminded me too. I let my, my son, he purchased and he like pulled it out of the back and he's seven. He was like, can I hang this on the wall? And I was like, in my head I was like, absolutely not. And then I was like, your closet, there's a whole wall in there. Go nuts. And so I gave him some paint and I gave him painters tape. I was, I was like, I need to get a bulletin board or something in here. But for now it's up with some painters tape and he's happy as a clam. And I'm like, well, me too. So small wins but on wallpaper you have spent a good solid what year and a half developing beautiful, beautiful wallpaper. Will you tell us all about your collection and inspiration?
- [51:36]
C
Yeah, yeah. People can see a little bit of it here. This is actually it in my studio. So it's on the walls. This is one of the murals. Beautiful.
- [51:47]
A
Yeah.
- [51:47]
C
But yes, I mean, long story short, I. Some of the design classes I took at the Art Institute, I met a woman who was French and we became friendly and stayed connected on Instagram. She moved to Atlanta. Shout out to Emily. And then she approached me, like, several years later. And she was consulting for a French brand who she had purchased a bunch of wallpaper from. And they were trying to sort of expand in the US Market, work with us designers. I used their wallpaper in a show house. And so if you're on our portfolio, there's a room that kind of has a mural of Paris. And I think it might say, like, lake forest dressing room or something. And that was one of their already developed patterns. But they were so incredible to work with. And what was interesting about the process was, I mean, there's. There's so many things. First of all, you know, everyone knows the big names like de Gournay and Gracie and those amazing custom papers, and, you know, we're lucky enough to use those in some of our projects, but that's not our, you know, everyday client. And so I would say what I really loved is that this brand was sort of reviving the mural. But what was different about the European market is that people really were only wallpapering one wall. And so these murals were really developed to be just like, one scene instead of immersive and kind of like. And so when I.
- [53:28]
B
How wide is that? Like, in general, how wide was that? Like, if they were just doing one.
- [53:32]
C
Wall, like, you know, I don't know, like a big wall in your condo or like a headboard wall in your bedroom.
- [53:41]
A
Okay, okay.
- [53:43]
C
Kind of similar to, like, you. I just think in the US it's much more like people, like, wallpaper a whole room. It's more normal. And so with the. With the mural of Paris, I asked them if they could, like, add an Eiffel Tower, like, could they help me create some scenes? So, like, we weren't using the same mural on four walls. You know, like, we needed to make it feel like, yeah, you were in a scene and it was changing. And so we sort of developed that together. It went great. And then from there, we talked about working on a collection which started with like, oh, okay, we'll do three papers. And ended up like, I don't even know how many there are. I think there's like 20 or more if you, you know, count the different colorways. And I was able to work with different artists. I got to choose the artists who worked on the paper, and then I did the creative direction. And, I mean, there's like, so many different ideas in the papers, but everything from. I was really inspired by trellis and just saw this, like, Huge comeback that I felt like trellis was having. And we had just done the house, beautiful show house, which was a historic old home that at one point had been renovated by David Adler. And so I wanted to do some trellis paper. And then I wanted to have this, like, kind of forgotten garden mural. And it all just sort of started to feel very Mediterranean, which. The funny thing is this was before I bought my house, which is a Mediterranean.
- [55:20]
B
Okay.
- [55:21]
C
I was wondering maybe I'm just meant to be in the Mediterranean, but true, like, obviously, I love that. I do have very beautiful memories of, like, being in Provence and Positano and stuff when I was in my young 20s. So I don't know, maybe it all stems from that, but.
- [55:42]
A
Amazing. They're beautiful. Yeah.
- [55:44]
C
I mean, I could go on and on about the paper. What I will say for people listening is it's direct to consumer. You do not have to order through a designer. It's all available online. And it's really, I think, reasonable price points for beautiful wallpaper and product. And what I think is incredible is they can customize. So some of the papers are just. Some of the papers in my collection are just rolls that you buy, but some can be completely customized to your architecture. And so that's really different for any, like, direct to consumer wallpaper.
- [56:19]
B
I thought that was. Yeah, your. Your trellis. Your bespoke trellis one. You have, like, pieces. I was wondering how you did that because you have some over the transoms that were trellis. And I was like, I don't understand how you're. Yeah, but now I can see y.
- [56:34]
C
It's all, like, fitted to your room, just like a custom paper would be.
- [56:38]
B
That's really neat. Very neat.
- [56:41]
A
Very cool. Yeah. Is it.
- [56:44]
B
And it's.
- [56:44]
A
So is it peel and stick or is it, like, pasteable?
- [56:48]
C
No, it's all. It's all paste. Yeah. They have. They have what I would call sort of like regular wipeable, like more like what people would think of as wallpaper. They also have, like, commercial grade where they can print, I think, on more of like, like a vinyl if. If. If for commercial application. But it's a really great substrate. I really like it. Most of the installers I've talked to have. Have said it's really nice to install. It's kind of like, thicker than you would think. And I know it's also interesting, the company is like, quite big on sustainability. And so I think what they print on is like, like, good for the environment. Like, it's. It's a. It's a good type of paper that, like, doesn't have chemicals in it and, like, all that kind of good thing.
- [57:36]
A
Yeah. Yeah. Very cool. I love the patterns, and how funny to have a Mediterranean theme.
- [57:44]
C
I know, like, you were designing it.
- [57:46]
A
For your own house, and you didn't even know.
- [57:47]
C
All meant to be. All meant to be. And I think we're even gonna. I'm meeting with the owner again on Wednesday because I have another idea that I really want to put in my bathroom, and I happen to be designing. Do you guys know what K Biz is like? Yes. The kitchen and bath show. So I'm. I'm working with the cabinet company to help them design one of their booths, and I also think this paper could be really cool in their booth. So we will see if I add another one to the list.
- [58:19]
A
Amazing.
- [58:20]
B
Very cool.
- [58:20]
A
Yeah.
- [58:21]
B
That's awesome.
- [58:22]
A
Well, thank you so much for chatting with us. This was a delight, and I really enjoy getting to delve into your portfolio and hear about your house. We'll be following you on Instagram to see how the renovation can stop your home.
- [58:35]
C
Well, I. I really appreciate the opportunity, and I'm excited to see what Ballard has going on these days. So I need to. You guys have to give me some updates on what's new.
- [58:46]
B
We've been. Oh, we've been inspired, too, by a lot of trellis, so stay tuned, too. We got some good pieces coming out with it.
- [58:53]
A
We have a lot of. A lot of, like, earthy. Our. Our fall collection has a lot of those sort of earthier palettes, a little bit of red, lots of chocolate browns, some more. More nuanced greens and blues, and to.
- [59:12]
C
Start using that in every presentation.
- [59:16]
A
So.
- [59:17]
C
Yeah, it's so nuanced.
- [59:19]
B
There's, you know, what.
- [59:19]
A
That you were talking about, like, Burgundies and salmons and corals, like, mauvy kind of colors, and we have a little bit of that in there as well. So. Yeah, we've. We've all been sort of vibing on that. That same rookie palette.
- [59:33]
C
Are you guys. Do you guys have a presence at High Point?
- [59:38]
A
No. No. Yeah, we do have a.
- [59:43]
B
We attend.
- [59:45]
A
Yes. You might see. You might want to tear in there.
- [59:48]
B
Yes, yes, I'll be there.
- [59:50]
A
That'd be great. We do have a store in Oakbrook, so.
- [59:54]
C
Okay.
- [59:54]
A
Yeah, there's a store in Oakbrook, and. But we're based in Atlanta.
- [59:58]
C
Okay.
- [59:59]
A
Okay.
- [60:00]
C
Yeah, I knew. I knew you guys were based. There is a. How long has the Oakbrook store been in the area?
- [60:05]
A
A couple years. Five years.
- [60:07]
C
A couple years. Okay. But it's relatively new.
- [60:09]
A
Yeah, yeah.
- [60:09]
C
It's like Oakbrook's such a. It's a huge shopping area. It's like, unfortunately not the most convenient for.
- [60:16]
A
Yeah, yeah, me.
- [60:17]
C
But.
- [60:19]
B
We just finished, so you might be. Yeah, okay.
- [60:23]
A
We might be worth it. Our national. Our national location, which is online. Oh.
- [60:30]
B
I was like, where are you going with this?
- [60:32]
C
I mean, I'm. Yeah, I look online all the time, but it is good to remember that you guys have that. That physical location. Yeah.
- [60:38]
B
People like to go in touch and, you know, make sure it's there and it.
- [60:43]
A
Yeah. Big swatches so you can kind of get a feel for the, you know, and. And I will say our designers in the store are really helpful for. For trade, so that if, you know, if there's. You have a product question or something, they love to help. They love to work with designers.
- [60:59]
C
Awesome.
- [61:00]
B
Well, and for listeners, your storefront is adorable. Both of your storefronts and you've. You have quite a few pictures. Social media.
- [61:09]
C
So hopefully, yes, we're going to be open. If, if you happen to be in the Chicagoland area. I'm going to do so where I am right now in Glenco will be open for six weeks at the holidays. So we're usually just open by appointment or we really just have client meetings here. But I did the big local sidewalk sale and it was such a success. I was like, I. I got to open up for the holidays, so.
- [61:33]
A
Yeah, yeah.
- [61:34]
C
Going to try to figure that out.
- [61:37]
B
With your free time.
- [61:38]
C
Yeah.
- [61:39]
A
Well, when you tell everyone where they can find you and follow you and see your work.
- [61:43]
C
Yeah. So you can follow us on Instagram at Centered by Design. That is definitely our most active social media, but we do a lot of Pinterest and we have a great newsletter we. We send out once a month. But it's a nice way to stay in touch and kind of know what things are happening, if a wallpaper is being released or, you know, if the store is open. And yeah. Centeredbydesign.com we also do consultations with TALD, which is T A L D CO. So if you are far away and just kind of need a consultation, that's a great way to sort of engage with a designer. And I also do, like, career sessions there because I have a lot of designers emailing about how to get started in the industry, etc. And. And you can book a session to get advice there as well.
- [62:38]
A
Very cool.
- [62:39]
B
That's great.
- [62:39]
C
Love that.
- [62:40]
B
That's really great.
- [62:41]
C
Yeah.
- [62:42]
A
All right. That's our show and that's our show. You can find all of the show notes on our blog howtodecorate.com podcast to.
- [62:51]
B
Send in a decorating dilemma, email your questions to podcastallarddesigns.net so we can help you with your space.
- [62:57]
A
And of course, be sure to follow us on social media at ballardesigns. Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcast so you never miss an episode. And please leave us a review.
- [63:06]
C
We'd love to hear your feedback.
- [63:07]
A
Until next time, happy decorating.