How to Decorate, Ep. 451: The Expressive Home with Ray Booth

Ballard Designs | February 3, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Ballard Designs team welcomes acclaimed interior designer Ray Booth to discuss his new book, The Expressive Home. The conversation explores Ray’s unique process rooted in his architectural background, his philosophy on creating expressive, deeply personal interiors, and his masterful use of materials, color, and scale. Both practical and philosophical, Booth touches on editing spaces, the emotional resonance of drapery and upholstery, the impact of context and site, and integrating human scale—even in grand, modern homes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Ray’s Architectural Approach to Interiors

[02:17]

• Ray emphasizes his architectural perspective on interiors:

  “Everything that I look at, I look at through an architectural lens... I think it’s a different take on how to approach either interiors or architecture.” (Ray Booth, 02:17)

• He discusses how understanding scale, proportion, and emotion is foundational.
• His work fluidly blends architecture and interiors, aiming for seamless transitions.

Material Selection: A Storytelling Tool

[04:20]

• Ray grounds material choices in the client’s story, aiming for meaning:

  “We try not to make random decisions. We try to tether them towards the person that we’re doing it for so that there is meaning to them and... to the greater story...” (Ray Booth, 04:20)

• He listens for “little seeds of truth” from clients to inspire decisions.
• Context—such as site and geography—also shapes selections for an authentic sense of place.

  “What has resonance at a coastal property is not going to be the same thing that has resonance in the city.” (Ray Booth, 06:15)

Art & Personal Collections as Design Inspiration

[07:39]

• The Morningside project illustrates how clients’ art collections influenced not just decoration but foundational aspects, like textures and accessories.
• The client’s collection of industrial and photorealistic art inspired choices that subtly echoed their aesthetic without being literally industrial.

The Power of Drapery: More than Window Dressing

[10:13]

• Ray is celebrated for his creative, often architectural, use of drapery.
• Drapery is used to divide rooms, provide backdrops, and create emotional punctuation:

  “Drapery can be like punctuation. They can kind of give you moments like a comma would in a long sentence.” (Ray Booth, 11:23)

• Ray often uses ethereal, gauzy fabrics for softness against structural, modern architecture.
• He sees drapery as essential for sound, comfort, and drama.
• Memorable moment:

  “When you see a tall bank of drapery that just rises to that ceiling, you cast your eye up. It offers you... that ‘aha moment.’” (Ray Booth, 14:14)

Crafting Neutral Palettes with Depth

[16:23]

• Neutral palettes are constructed deliberately; multiple shades play off one another to create harmony and contrast.
• Ray compares this to music:

  “In any neutral color palette, having that modulation of color... there is this harmony... it’s like any good conversation. It’s got to have diversity...” (Ray Booth, 16:58)

• He encourages embracing subtle variations for richness, using darks as contrast to let lighter tones “shine.”

Mixing Wood Tones for Context & Connection

[19:33]

• Using multiple wood tones echoes the landscape and emphasizes context.
• In California projects, light woods and sunny hues reflect the outdoors, while heavier woods are more region-specific.

Window Mullions & Framing the View

[21:42]

• Ray prefers dark mullions for visual logic:

  “If you paint it dark ... your eye is allowed to focus on the light, the brightest thing that’s outside the window... it almost makes those windows that much more transparent.” (Ray Booth, 23:22)

• He likens window frames to eyeliner, enhancing outward views.

The Art & Necessity of Editing

[25:22]

• Editing is a core philosophy for Ray, in both design and life:

  “Editing is the key to happiness. And I apply that... to life as well as design.” (Ray Booth, 25:22)

• He cautions against adding for the sake of trend or excess, recognizing the importance of storytelling and restraint.

Excitement about New Technology

[27:39]

• Ray shares his intrigue with AI and VR in the design process, particularly for ideating and storytelling:

  “It can tell your story faster... It becomes a tool that gets you a little further, that allows you a jumping off point...” (Ray Booth, 28:28)

Editing in Personal Life

[30:02]

• Ray admits he is not as rigorous in editing his own home as his projects, humorously noting the need for an editing session at home.

Human Scale in Grand Spaces

[35:06]

• Ray explains the importance of human scale, even in two-story rooms or houses with extreme volume:

  “Attending to that human scale is critical... That we find moments where we hold people, cuddle them, caress them, and then release them into these big spaces.” (Ray Booth, 36:32)

• He recommends grounding people with lower furniture, plants, screens, and always, drapery.

Chandeliers, Fixtures, and Furniture Scale

[39:22]

• Chandeliers are “jewelry” for interiors, best hung lower in tall spaces to relate to human scale.
• In small rooms, employ one oversized piece to establish scale, rather than many small bits.

Sectional Sofas and Approachable Design

[44:36]

• Ray likes sectional sofas, particularly when “broken up” to allow light and approach from different angles, ensuring they are welcoming rather than imposing.

Travel, Shopping, and Inspiration

[32:43]

• Ray seeks visual and emotional inspiration when traveling, rather than material souvenirs.
• Occasionally, he intentionally shops, such as sourcing rugs in Morocco.

On Drama & Calm in Expressive Homes

[47:10]

• Caroline observes:

  “It’s an odd thing to have a room that feels calming and also dramatic.” (Caroline, 47:10)

• Ray affirms that the interplay of calm and drama is intentional.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Drapery can be like punctuation... It allows you those moments where you pause, take a breath, and appreciate that particular vignette.” (Ray Booth, 11:23)
• “Just because you can does not mean you should.” (Ray Booth, 26:55)
• “Editing is the key to happiness... drown out the noise, drown out what is superfluous to telling the story...” (Ray Booth, 25:22)
• “For me, I am shopping for experience and for visual inspiration and emotional inspiration.” (Ray Booth, 32:43)
• “We’re purposely brought down here [to earth] and made to forget that we’re all the same. We are all connected...” (Ray Booth, 35:23)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Ray’s Architectural Philosophy: 02:17–03:54
• Materials & Client Stories: 04:20–06:15
• Projects Inspired by Client Collections: 07:39–09:40
• Drapery and Emotional Design: 10:13–14:55
• Crafting Neutral Palettes: 16:23–18:16
• Mixing Wood Tones & Context: 19:33–21:42
• Window Mullions & Framing Views: 21:42–24:43
• Editing: Design & Life: 25:22–27:39, 30:02–31:12
• Technology & AI in Design: 27:39–29:50
• Human Scale in Interiors: 35:06–39:22
• Chandeliers & Furniture Scale: 39:22–44:05
• Sectionals & Welcoming Layouts: 44:36–46:27
• Travel & Inspiration: 32:43–34:22

Closing Thoughts

The episode is a masterclass in thoughtful, expressive design, blending personal stories with context and craft. Ray Booth’s approach is both highly artistic and deeply empathetic, always anchoring grand gestures in human experience and comfort. Through rich anecdotes, analogies, and practical tips, listeners gain both inspiration and actionable ideas—plus plenty of encouragement to celebrate individuality and edit with intention.