Ep. 462: Young Huh's New Book + Renovating Your Forever Home

Summary

Podcast Summary: "How to Decorate" Ep. 462: Young Huh's New Book + Renovating Your Forever Home

Podcast: How to Decorate
Hosts: Caroline (A), Taryn (B), Liz (C) (Ballard Designs team)
Guest: Young Huh, Interior Designer & Author
Date: April 21, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode features acclaimed interior designer Young Huh, whose new book A Mood, A Thought, A Feeling: Interiors explores the emotional and intellectual aspects of design. The conversation dives deep into what it truly means to make a home, from starting out as a novice decorator to tackling the risks and rewards of personal and professional projects. The hosts and Young discuss her design philosophy, her own ever-evolving home, and practical as well as inspirational advice for homeowners at every stage of the decorating journey.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Structure & Inspiration Behind Young Huh’s Book

[01:08–03:14]

• The book is divided into three parts—Mood, Thought, and Feeling—mirroring Young’s design process.
  • Mood: Begins with identifying how you want to feel in a space.
  • Thought: Moves into structured, detailed thinking via walkthroughs of three projects.
  • Feeling: Concludes with Young’s own home, illustrating personal emotional connections to space.

Quote:

"When you start a project, you think about, how do you want to feel in a room?...So a mood is first."
— Young Huh, [01:42]

2. Young’s Unconventional Path to Design

[03:37–08:50]

• Transitioned from being a lawyer with a background in art history to a career in interior design.
• Initial home in Scarsdale was pivotal for self-discovery and understanding the emotional component of design.
• Returning to school for design with young children and being inspired by younger classmates.

Quote:

"Everyone was so super young...And here I was with a baby, and everyone was looking at me like, why are you here?"
— Young Huh, [07:11]

Quote:

"You are not the same person tomorrow as you were yesterday...So, yeah, embrace adventure."
— Young Huh, [09:10]

3. Emotion-Driven Design: Starting with Mood Instead of Style

[10:48–16:13]

• Advocates for prioritizing how spaces should make you feel over trying to define one’s “style.”
• The goal is to create environments that evoke emotional responses—conviviality, coziness, peace, etc.

Quote:

"But everyone can appreciate and understand how they feel and what they want to feel when they walk in a room."
— Young Huh, [11:34]

• Importance of having different moods in different rooms.

4. Translating Mood Into Technical Design Choices

[16:13–22:09]

• Practical tips for creating spaces for social gatherings:
  • Avoid bright lighting; use moody, soft, layered light.
  • Create multiple seating arrangements (“pods”).
  • Provide a hospitality moment (e.g., a drink station).
• Tips for achieving coziness and calm:
  • Use personal “comfort” colors.
  • Furniture selection should match relaxation goals—soft sofas for naps or upright seating for reading.
  • Avoid overhead lights in cozy spaces; prioritize lamps and accessible lighting.

Quote:

"A bold choice is often the right one."
— Young Huh, [10:06]

Quote:

"What's your favorite? What's the color of your favorite sweater? What do you want to be enveloped in?"
— Young Huh, [19:38]

5. Case Study: Wes Anderson-Inspired Brownstone

[22:18–31:38]

• Project for a young family who wanted a home inspired by The Royal Tenenbaums.
• Focused on creating a bright, cheerful, quirky space full of personality.
• Paint color selection is a process of testing and understanding how lighting, architecture, and personal preference interact.
• The importance of being an interpreter for clients' feelings and references—words like “country” or “moody” can mean different things to different people.

Quote:

"Paint is really tough. It takes us a lot of effort, thinking, feeling, experimenting."
— Young Huh, [28:14]

6. Young’s Own Home: Laboratory of Ideas

[31:38–41:24]

• Initial hesitation due to challenging architecture—a blend of 1820s and 1980s additions.
• Embracing discovery and using the house as a place for experimentation.
• Creating flow through color shifts from room to room.
• Entryway features a custom wallcovering inspired by Korean minhwa folk art on pink silk.

Quote:

"This is your chance to really do something wacky or something you've always wanted to try, but none of your clients have been up for it."
— Young Huh, [33:44]

• Example of a bespoke sofa in the living room with three gradients of pink, set against a white room with pink accents.

7. Design Details and Risks in Her Forever Home

[41:24–54:04]

• Dining room features whimsical paneled wallpaper and bold yellow chairs trimmed in black against deep green walls.
• Embraces the modern 1980s architecture by decorating with warmth and introducing classic elements.
• Use of unusual paint color names like "Dead Salmon" and "Sulking Room Pink" (with laughter about the names).

Quote:

"The trim is actually called Dead Salmon—terrible name."
— Young Huh, [47:37]

• Daughter’s bedroom designed around a found antique bed, using patterned wallcovering and textiles in complementary but not matching prints—a trick to add texture and lived-in authenticity.
• Each bedroom has a distinct color palette selected by its occupant.

8. Honoring & Integrating Multiple Architectural Eras

[54:17–58:19]

• Library created as a masculine, metropolitan-feeling retreat for her husband, reflecting both modern materials and the family’s heritage via artwork.
• Discusses embracing, not erasing, less-fashionable eras (1980s, 1970s), which is true to the American architectural tradition of pastiche.

Quote:

"Almost every other country holds onto their past, and Americans like to erase it to whatever is trending now...But you don't have to meet that. That's not really the American story, in my view."
— Young Huh, [57:09]

9. Designing from a Blank Canvas

[58:19–60:28]

• When dealing with characterless rooms, add “edges” and framing—moldings, paneling, or wallpaper—to tell a story and provide architectural frameworks.
• There are always plan B options to fit all budgets.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On starting with emotion:

  "The built environment is only meaningful in the way that we attach to it, the way it gives us emotional impact, the way we feel something when we enter a space." — Young Huh [14:17]

• On embracing risk:

  "This is your chance to really do something wacky or something you've always wanted to try, but none of your clients have been up for it." — Young Huh [33:44]

• On unique American architecture:

  "So much of these old houses in the Hudson Valley are such a pastiche of different styles. And I think we should just celebrate our past and as you say, embrace it in some way." — Young Huh [57:09]

• On mixing patterns and colors:

  "If everything matches too, too well, it looks like you went to a showroom and bought everything at once. If you kind of make things slightly off, it adds this kind of texture and depth that adds a lot of interest." — Young Huh [51:54]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Young Huh on Book Structure: [01:08–03:14]
• Career Change to Design: [03:37–08:50]
• Prioritizing Mood in Design: [10:48–16:13]
• Tips for Social and Cozy Rooms: [16:13–22:09]
• Wes Anderson-Inspired Project: [22:18–31:38]
• Young’s Own Home Experiments: [31:38–41:24]
• Dining Room & Design Risks: [41:24–54:04]
• Celebrating 1980s Architecture: [54:17–58:19]
• Blank Canvas Solutions: [58:19–60:28]

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Final Takeaways & Where To Follow Young Huh

• The book A Mood, A Thought, A Feeling: Interiors is available now (Rizzoli).
• Follow Young Huh’s design projects and book tour via Instagram: @younghuh.
• Young’s approach is rooted in emotional storytelling, client collaboration, and embracing both personal quirks and eclectic architectural histories.

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For further inspiration, more details, or to submit your own decorating questions, visit howtodecorate.com/podcast or email [e-mail].

Transcript

[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.

[B]

And I'm Taryn and I'm a product designer.

[C]

I'm Liz. I head of the creative team.

[A]

We're your hosts. Join the expert team at Ballard Designs for tips, tricks and tales from interior designers, stylists and other talents in the design world.

[B]

Plus, we'll answer your decorating dilemmas at the end of each episode.

[C]

We love answering your questions, so don't forget to email [e-mail] now, on with the show.

[D]

Morning decisions. How about a creamy mocha frappuccino drink? Or sweet vanilla smooth caramel maybe? Or white chocolate mocha? Whichever you choose, delicious coffee awaits. Find Starbucks Frappuccino drinks wherever you buy your groceries.

[A]

Today we are joined by a designer who has become a fixture on the Elle Decor A list and the AD100. Known for her ability to mix classic proportions with a modern, joyful energy, she's here to discuss her stunning debut book, a A Mood, A Thought, A Feeling. Interiors. Young ha. Welcome to the show.

[D]

Thanks for having me.

[A]

So happy to have you. I've been following your work for many years and it was a delight to get to see your brand new book. I want to start with the name because it's such a surprising and delightful name and I wanted to know kind of how you. And it also describes sort of the format of the book. Right. It's set into three sections. Mood, A Thought, A Feeling. So tell me about the structure and kind of how you started thinking about the book and, you know, what sort of was the thought process there?

[D]

Well, I. The title actually comes from how I think about my design process. I think, you know, when you start a project, you think about, how do you want to feel in a room? How do you want to feel in different spaces? So a mood is first. What. What is the mood that you're going for? And we split it out into several concepts with illustrations. And then, you know, design requires a lot of thinking, a lot of structured, you know, detailed thinking. So that's a thought, which is part two. And we go through three projects and I walk you through how we thought through it, how we applied the different moods and really developed these projects. And then the last part is a feeling, which is my own home and garden. And, you know, this is illustrating how I want to feel in my home, how I want to live, and how I think design supports me and why I designed the rooms in such a way. And I'm hoping that that really encapsulates the entire design experience for homeown or enthusiasts and gives them some ideas for how they could approach their own homes, their own spaces, or their own projects.

[C]

It's so inspiring how you deci. You started your design career not in design, but found your way there through your own home and how you started finding your feelings and your. The moods throughout your own first family home. Can you walk us through that, that experience?

[D]

Yeah. So when I first started, when I had my first house in Scarsdale, I was just so overwhelmed by, you know, how do I turn this into a home? I decorated a dorm room, an apartment space, and now I had multiple rooms, and I just wasn't sure how to put it together. And that really started my journey. Like, how do you think through this? How do you work through a design project? Is it just picking things that you like? Is it just picking random things and putting it together? Like, what is. There's gotta be some sort of structured thinking. And it also happened to be at a time when I was trying to figure out what career move I wanted to make. And I was going through a lot of sort of self analysis and trying to figure out what my next steps were. And I met a designer at a cocktail party and it just. A light bulb went off and I was like, that's what I need to do. That's what I want to do. That's my next step.

[C]

And for our listeners, just so they know, you started off as a lawyer, but with a passion for art history and the arts of all kind, whether it's writing or visual arts.

[D]

Yeah. So I went to a high school called Cranbrook, which also has a very famous art school. And there I learned all sorts of creative things. I learned art, I learned different mediums of art, I learned about literature. And then when I went to Smith College, I learned so much about art history, and all of that was just so amazing. But I never imagined that these were useful tools for a career. My parents always told me that you being an Asian woman, you have to be a doctor or a lawyer. Those are the only two options. No one's going to hire you for anything else. So I went to law school because I was bad at math and I, you know, really stuck through it. But all the while knowing that it was probably not the right move for me, didn't quite. Wasn't really my passion. I had to really kind of, you know, white knuckle it through the entire way through the bar exams and. Yeah, but it's really amazing. You don't realize how impactful those classes are in your early childhood, in your college years, those classes that you took for love and enjoyment, how impactful they are later. So everything that you learn is important and useful along the way.

[A]

What was the experience of going back to school for design was. Was it joyful from the beginning? Was it scary? You know, because embarking on a new career, you know, I imagine that would be terrifying.

[D]

Yeah. I guess in some ways, I felt like I had nothing to lose because I was already not super happy in my. Where I was. I was just very curious. But I had small children at that time, and I remember taking my son to drafting class and, you know, dealing with a tiny child who was squirming around and then trying to draw straight lines, that was. That was not very easy. And everyone was so super young. Everyone is, like, 18 or 19 in my class. And here I was with, like, a baby, and. And everyone was looking at me like, why are you here? What are you doing? But it was really amazing. It just opened my eyes to so much. And to this day, I feel so inspired by all the young people that I run into. I always learn something from them, whether it's cool tricks with apps or just a new way of thinking or creative ideas. So it's. I think it's really exciting, too. I would go back to school again if I could, you know, because I got so busy so fast, I wasn't able to finish school, and I would love to go back and take as many classes as I could.

[B]

I think that's such a good point, though, for anyone who's listening, who's feeling again, that guttural reaction like you had of meeting somebody at a party and being like, this is it. Like, what do I have to lose that, you know, going back. Let me go back. Figure out who I want to be and what I want to do. And, like, throwing yourself in it.

[D]

Absolutely. I think that we're all evolving creatures. You are not the same person tomorrow as you were yesterday. And as we evolve, we have to embrace new challenges and new things that are exciting. And what's more exciting than a new adventure? I think if we are feeling kind of stuck and doing the same old every day, you know, life becomes too static and uninteresting. So, yeah, embrace adventure.

[A]

You. You mentioned how you had this epiphany while at a cocktail party, but at the time, you were decorating your house in Scarsdale, your First house. I was curious if there were any choices or projects that you did in that first house where you'd thought, oh, this is fun. This is a thrill. I love this. Or I made this right choice.

[D]

Yeah. I think that was the first time I experimented with fairly bold colors. I remember painting my dining room red, and it was a pretty traditional red. But at the time, I thought I was being so wild. I was so excited for myself, and I loved that red dining room. And I think that really inspired me how enveloping and wonderful color can be. And a bold choice is. Is often the right one.

[A]

Okay, let's get into the book, because it's a gorgeous, gorgeous book. And I mentioned before, I love the way that you organized it. You start the first section with talking about moods, and you. You have a fabulous list. And none of these are moods that are the words you chose. Have so much more personality and story than, you know, than I think, what most people would think. But I also really loved that you start with moods, because I find often people try to describe their style, and they think describing their style is the very first step, but you're presenting a different option. So walk us through that.

[D]

Yeah, So I think it's really hard to articulate style because then it's. Then you're requiring yourself to describe components and elements, and oftentimes we don't know how to put things together. But everyone can appreciate and understand how they feel and what they want to feel when they walk in a room. So I spend some time analyzing that. Like, how do you want to feel when you enter your home? Do you want it to be welcoming? Do you want it to be bright and cheerful? Or do you want to have it really soothing and quiet? Some people really like walking into a moody, dark space, and that sort of explains the impending drama that is going to happen as the house reveals itself. So really understanding how you want to feel in a room determines what elements you want to put in. For instance, living room. Do you want it to have a lot of verve? Do you want it to be stylish, in other words? Or do you want a sense of joy? Do you want a sense of conviviality, which is sociability? A lot of people love to entertain, but just don't know how to get that there. How do I make my living room wonderful for parties? That's the most important thing to me. And maybe some people just want a very peaceful living room, really quiet and still, and you don't want a lot of noise and activities and parties happening in your living room. And that's the thing. You get to choose, you know best how you want to feel in your own home. So start with that, and then we can talk about the components in building your quote unquote style.

[C]

I found myself wanting every mood in my house somewhere. You know, whether it's conviviality in my living room, where I want people to just enter and gather and start socializing, or coziness in my dining room, where it's more intimate.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, peaceful in my kitchen. I'm just walking you through my house now.

[D]

Yeah. I love it. I love it.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So it was really exciting to see the pictures that you associated with these

[B]

words

[C]

and how inspiring they all became while reading the book.

[D]

So great. I love that. And that's the thing. I think a lot of people will want most of these moods. There's gotta be a place where you need peace. There's gotta be a place where you want to run away and be cozy. Cozy. All of those different moods. And I think it's really important to think, well, I want to feel kind of peaceful, but also cozy. And then that gives you enough of a goal to start building the components to create that feeling and then the look of the room. But the most important thing I think about design is our built environment. Environment is only meaningful in the way that we attach to it, the way it gives us emotional impact, the way we feel something when we enter a space, Whether it's like a really exciting restaurant or running away to your bedroom and having a good cry. You definitely want to have a place where you can feel safe or have that emotional connection. So I'm so glad that you thought you thought through your home that way.

[C]

Oh, totally. I mean, and I started finding things like, oh, maybe I do need to paint my ceiling lilac. Like, there's such really bold and beautiful moves that you make in every one of your rooms. And I just. It's very inspiring.

[D]

Oh, thank you so much. I. I hope it gives people inspiration to. To activate their own homes and their own lives in that way.

[B]

Well, can we get a little technical with this?

[D]

So let's say you do want to get a little.

[B]

You want to make this the room, as soon as people enter again, this perfect place for a party. What are some things that you always go to when you're like, all right, so you guys are social. What are we putting in this space?

[D]

Right. So I think social people are imagining the different configurations of socializing. It's a pod of people here. Cocktails are Served here. When people enter, you want this feeling of welcome and you want people to socialize with each other. Parties are often sort of spontaneous and exciting and fun. So definitely not super bright lighting because that's, you know, that makes that shuts down people real fast. So moody lighting, soft lighting, maybe candles, maybe a fire in the fireplace. Definitely with furniture plan. There's gotta be a place for people to have sort of like a main group of seating, but also different pods where, you know, two girlfriends can go and gossip about something that just happened.

[B]

Oh, for sure.

[D]

All of those, all of those things are really important for a party. You want different breakout conversations and then you also want a way for, for a lot of people to sit together and mingle. And I also think a really important thing for conviviality is a bar, even if you are not serving alcoholic drinks, just having a place to have people come in and give them refreshment, something for their eyes to be delighted at and offer this feeling of welcome. So I think that's really good in a convivial room.

[B]

I do love that welcome moment, if that makes sense. That whole I've arrived. This is part of the ritual of being around people. And to your point, it doesn't even have to be alcoholic, but who's not excited for a coffee bar or big tray of treats or something? So like you said, to delight not only, you know, your. All your senses, I should say.

[D]

Yeah, I just remember one of the most. It seems like a small moment, but I remember visiting Bunny Williams at her home and one of the first things she did was welcome me and hand me a glass of ice cold lemonade. And it was just such a, a hospitable warm welcome and you know, just a small act like that. It has such impact on how you are received and experience someone's home and welcome.

[B]

Okay, now let's say, let's go the opposite just to see if there's any tips or tricks. So let's say again, you want that very quiet, calm space as you're. Because you are kind of more, you know, closed. And this isn't your entertaining space. What are you doing for spaces like that?

[D]

So everyone has different ideas of what's cozy to them. But what is your go to color like when you are having that day? What's your favorite? What's the color of your favorite sweater? What do you want to be enveloped in? And the other thing to think about is how do you want to. How do you like to be cozy? Do you like to be in a soft Sofa, a day bed with lots of cushions? Is it a little tiny nook? Is it a chair with an ottoman? How do you like to experience coziness? I know we just recently had a meeting with a client, and they really like upright seating and kind of firm seating. And I was sort of speaking to them about how they're going to use the room. And the question is, do you really want hard seating in a cozy space where you're going to run or, you

[B]

know, think about it.

[D]

You're probably going to lie down and take a nap here or, you know, read a book lying down. Think about it. So those are all the important elements of building those spaces together. And, you know, like lighting. Do you want to be able to have just one source of light and no overhead lights if you're lying down? I find if I'm lying down, having overhead lights on shining in my eyes is probably the most annoying thing. So could be lamps, floor lamps within arm's reach. It's funny how all those small things make you perceive and experience in its entirety.

[A]

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[B]

Thank you for taking us through those two moods. I know, again, there's so many more, but I think there's a perfect. Some good tidbits there on people who are trying to think about what their mood is.

[A]

I really loved the Wes Anderson inspired house in New York. That was my favorite. One of my favorites. I. I liked all the sections, but I really loved this section because it was such a contrast to the previous house that was in there, which was, you know, very fashionable and, you know, kind of sleek. And then this Wes Anderson was so transportive. So. But I also want you to describe for our listeners. I know I've just teed you up with a very fanciful description, but it was also so livable, too. Will you tell our audience about this project?

[D]

Yeah. So it was a home of a very young family, Young, beautiful, amazing couple with two small boys. And when they approached me, they said, you know, we are really inspired by Wes Anderson's the Royal Tenenbaums. We want a house like that, like, quirky, full of energy, interesting, and really livable. And as soon as she said that, it just immediately gave me a picture of what they were looking for. And I think it's really fun as a designer to be able to inhabit your clients ideas and their desires and to try on different design strategies and finishes. And so this family, they sort of had so many ideas and different elements they wanted to incorporate, and that's how the house turned out, because they were so good at expressing what they wanted, like how they wanted to feel when they walked in the house, how they wanted to feel in the kitchen. At first, they thought they wanted a really moody green kitchen, and then I showed them what a moody kitchen would look like, and they're like, oh, no, that's not a.

[A]

This.

[D]

We actually want something a little quiet, but not that moody. So. And that's what's really fun and wonderful is to realize, you know, maybe you thought this, but actually you want something else and going through all those exercises. But I think it's such a fun, quirky house, so full of personality.

[A]

What really I think charmed me was the colors. Because when you think. When I think of the Royal Tenenbaums, I think of a very sepia kind of tone to it, and there are. There is a real earthiness to. To the palette. You know, you have this kind of almost muddy buttercup yellow and that muddy green in the kitchen, but it also felt very light and bright. And it's also. It's also, I believe, a brownstone, so I know it's only getting light on two sides. So talk to me about picking the paint colors in that, because, you know, I imagine there could be two tones to the. To one side of that yellow, and it would have felt very, very different. Um, and the ultimate effect was still real bright and cheerful, even though it had a real earthiness to it. So how did you. How did you. How did you manage that?

[D]

So when we are working with clients, we show them different color palettes. Is this what you mean by, let's say, the Royal Tenenbaums? But they are such a bright, happy family. I could tell that they really wanted bright, cheerful colors and that they would surround themselves with happiness. They're just so delightful. And so, of course, when I showed them the brighter palettes, they're like, oh, this is more like us. So in some ways, you have to be such a good interpreter. And that's why I developed these exercises for people, so that I could really understand what they were looking for. For. I often tell this story to my team, but early on in my career, we had a client who was asking for a wood country table. And so I kept showing them country style tables and old fashioned tables, antique tables. They're like, no, no, no, no, nothing like that. And then one day they saw this table from a really sleek, modern place with a live edge side, and they were like, oh, we mean a table like this. So everyone's country, wood country is different from another's. So I really. That's why we go into figuring out what they actually mean, because the words can be used in so many different ways and you're trying to capture the essence of. Of what they actually mean.

[A]

Okay, so. But how. Tell me about the paint color. How did you pick the paint colors? How did you know that this was just the right one? Because it doesn't feel heavy. I. I don't know. I. Paint is such an illustrious, like.

[D]

Yeah, what's the word?

[A]

I'm thinking elusive. Elusive, yes. It was like illustrious, right? Elusive. Yes. Thank you.

[D]

Paint is really tough. It takes us a lot of effort, thinking, feeling, experimenting, and sometimes you don't get it right the first round. That's why we test paints and test them again and do lots and lots of samples. You know, color is really difficult because it interacts with the lighting that you have. It interacts with the architecture that you have. So I think the most important thing is again, to figure out what you're going for. Is it this light airiness? And then I can go and pick those colors. So. So in the case of this family, they're looking for something light and bright, but with a touch of quirkiness. So that's why that yellow is not just a buttercup. Sunny yellow. It's got a little something to it. It's a little edgy. So everything has a little bit of an edginess, a little bit of off the beaten path, because that's who they are.

[C]

Yeah, I love that. And that's very royal Tannenbaums. And like, every color in every room feels like it has a backstory and it's been there. I also really love that they went very kind of muted with mushroom cabinets and very, very sparse in the kitchen.

[D]

Yeah, that was the kitchen I was telling you about. Originally, they thought they wanted a moody green, like Deep, deep green, like color drenched kitchen. And when we rendered it, they were like, no, no, that's. That's not how we want to feel. And so really kind of getting into that discussion of. Of what. What is it that you were looking for? And it was kind of this calm. They wanted a feeling of calm, but they didn't want that space to peel dark. She's like, this is where the kids come after school. This is where we congregate. This is where all the kids come geese. This is how they run out to the backyard. So we want that kind of space. So when I heard that, it sounded like lighter, brighter, more welcoming.

[A]

But if you. Most people, I think, would think light bright and go white and white would have just been all wrong. It could have never blended. So I loved that sort of. Yeah, green, gray, brown. Because it. That seemed like it could sort of be all sorts of different things depending on what you were doing and what time of day and what season it was.

[D]

Yeah. I mean, that's what makes design so interesting. It's not just like, what's pretty. There's a lot of kind of complexity and thinking behind what is it that we're going for? And then I can pinpoint the color because there's a million colors, There's a million different ways we could take it. And I think we get it really right when we understand how a client wants to feel in that space.

[A]

Can you tell us about your own house? It's the third chapter or third section of the book, and it's magical. And I always love seeing a designer's house because it's fun to see how they sort of interpret other styles, but then when they kind of express their own internal desires, too, is really fun. So tell everybody about, you know, finding the property, your maybe initial hesitations, and. And how it unfolded.

[D]

Yeah. So when we first came to the house, we could see right away that the property was magical. There's this long, meandering drive, the stream that leads to a pond, and then there's waterfall at the other end of it, the sloping lawn to the pond. And it was just magical. But the house was pretty much a disaster. When I showed my design friends photos of it, they were like, maybe you shouldn't do that one. And one of the reasons was the architecture was really complicated. There were. There was an 1820s heart and center, and then two 1980s wings that looked very 1980s. And the question was, how do we integrate this into a whole and make it unique inside and have it flow seamlessly? But I'M also a person who loves discovery. I want each. Each room to feel like its own space, but yet flow really well. And that's something that I think about a lot, is color shifts and how I sit in a room and look into another room, and I want those different colors to look great together. So, you know, a designer's own home is the place where we can really experiment. I think you can't just phone it in with your own home. This is your chance to really do something wacky or something you've always wanted to try, but none of your clients have been up for it. So. So this was my place where I could really do some really fun things and try some things out.

[C]

It definitely is a part of the book that I spent the most time in. I was just so wowed. And it does feel like a design laboratory. And, like, you had so much fun putting every space together. We talked a little earlier about how you want people to feel when you walk into your home. So how. How did you design your entry? Because I honestly, I turned the page and I gasped.

[D]

That's. That's great. Well, I. I wanted people to walk into my entry and. And have a feeling of surprise and wonder. I think an entryway can just be very boring, and you have all this wall space. Why not tell a story? I think spaces become very interesting when you're intrigued by what's happening here. What's the story? Why is there so much unusual painting on the walls? So in my entry, I have a wallpaper collection that I did with Fromental. We painted different elements of Korean minhwa painting, which is Korean folk art art. And I chose this kind of an interesting montage of different elements. And we kind of played with it in Photoshop, putting all these different ideas together. And then we colored everything on pink silk. So it's really, I think, delightful and. And a little wild. But also, you know, I think the other thing I want to express to people is that color and story doesn't have to be overwhelming, and it doesn't have to be over the top. It can be really beautiful and elegant, and you can have that sense of welcome and tell a story and paint it pink, and it can be all of those things. I think the important thing is just to know what you want to do.

[C]

So you step from the entry, and you can turn. I'm guessing you turn left into your living room. So you have this, like, beautiful pink peach entry. And how did you carry that.

[D]

That.

[C]

That color or that idea through the next rooms or through the rest of your house.

[D]

Yeah. So I think a lot about those color shifts. So I knew coming off that really pink entry, I wanted a place for your eye to rest a little bit. So my living room is actually painted white. A lot of people don't realize that because there's so much color and pattern within it. But we need someplace to have a little peace. And I pull in that color with little elements of pink. In the living room, the sofa is pink. And when you look from the living room into the doorway and through to the hallway, you get this incredible sort of view of the pink sofa and the pink doorway and the wal paper beyond. And also I have a solid sofa. So you have the contrast of solid and then against pattern. So no matter what view, vantage point you have, you have a combination of pattern and interest and then also a place for your eye to rest.

[A]

Can we discuss that sofa because it's three different shades of pink. No.

[D]

Yes.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

That's fabulous. I can't even imagine in my wildest dreams what, like, what sparked that idea to do three different colors.

[D]

That's actually a good question. I think because I was sketching out the sofa because I wanted something that was kind of modern but also traditional and something very unique, something I had never seen before. And as we were sketching it and as I was pulling the colors together, I thought, you know, it'd be cool to have gradients of pink instead of just one color pink. And then you can't tell at first. Is it a different, is it a lighting effect or is there different colors of different shades of color?

[A]

I had to go back and look. I was like, like, am I seeing things right?

[D]

Exactly. And that subtlety makes it fun, but also isn't too much because I also wanted to feel a kind of peacefulness in that room.

[A]

It's so fun and such a, such a contrast to the, you know, those very classic sort of chin skirted armchairs. They're such an unusual pair, but then they work together so well. And yeah, it almost the sofa, just to describe it to the listeners, it almost looks like just stacks of cushions sort of on top of one another, so as though they could come apart and be configured in a different way.

[C]

Right. With bolster arms.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[D]

I, I, I wanted it to be really comfy and, and fun and feminine, but with clean lines. So it's, that balance is kind of hard. It feels like you, which is why

[B]

you do it really well, like that balance. A lot of your work seems to have this very like modern, super comfy looking Sofa that you could like again curl up in. And then these gorgeous antique chairs of all different shapes and sizes. But that element of just these clean lines mixed again with these very carved elements of old or skirts. It's just so fun. And you know, Jack's position is amazing. It has so much interest.

[D]

I think that mix is really important because we are all. We're usually a mix of things. Nobody likes just one style. Every now and then. Someone's like all mid century. But most people like a mixture of things. And we have different histories and different paths. And I think the rooms that we inhabit can express all those different things and it's fun.

[A]

I was so just transported by the dining room because, you know, there's by nature of a dining room, there's always less elements, right? You know, you have like your table and your chairs and your chandelier and maybe a sideboard. But there's so many more elements in a living room. So the, the pieces in the dining room have to really nail it. And I just imagine sitting in that dining room where you are right now. For anyone watching,

[D]

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[A]

Those yellow chairs and the green, it just seems like you would be feel like you're outside on like a patio even when you're inside. Was that. What was. What was your inspiration there? And sort of the concept for the wallpaper and the chairs.

[D]

So this room has a kind of quirky architecture. It's open on both sides to two different rooms. And you know, I always say there's every. Every room has a problem that needs to be solved. And this room has uniquely low ceilings and has kind of a lack of architectural charm. So I wanted to add the charm back in with these wallpaper panels, which look like they're creating architecture because they're paneled. They also have the charm from like looking like they're hand drawn. There's a kind of whimsy, a playfulness, also this moody green color, which I think dining rooms are so great in a deep color for some reason. It's very soothing for me especially, I think deep colors are really soothing. But to contrast that, I have these bright yellow leather chairs, leather covered antique chairs. And I trim them in a black Greek key trim. And it's Kind of a combination of being very classic, classical and. And sort of modern. That color contrast.

[A]

Fabulous. I just loved it. Never seen anything like that wallpaper.

[B]

And it's always good.

[A]

It's always fun to see something. You're like, what is that? Where did that come from? Right. You mentioned in the. In sort of the beginning, in telling the story of the. Of the house, that you were excited to take some risks and try some things that you hadn't been able to do with clients or maybe wanted to try out for the first time. Was there what was what felt like the biggest or the. The most scary risk that you took? And is there anything that. Like what. What did you learn from those risks that you took in the house?

[D]

I think there were a couple of risks. One was really embracing the 1980s wings and making them kind of modern and then figuring out a way to integrate them into the older parts of the house. So the kitchen has sort of this vaulted ceiling, and it could feel really large and impersonal. So, you know, one of the things I think is if you have kind of modern architecture, just go with it and then decorate around it to bring it in with the rest of the house. And the way that I did that was to go with modern cabinets, a really modern stone. And then I put the checkerboard floor in a really warm long wooden table. This is truly a country kitchen table. And then adding really warm finishes. So even if the cabinets are modern, choosing them in a cinnamon finish just brings that warmth to a really large space that could have felt very cold. And you know, we don't want it to look like a mid mansion.

[A]

Oh, and those light fixtures just like really tied it it to. To the rest of the house too. They. They're sort of ceramic.

[B]

It will that florals. And the kitchen has it all. I think it's like the checker print and then the cinnamon cabinetry that's all sleek. But then again, you have these like very handmade lights, like you're saying. And then the little pot rack with all the beautiful little copper. The way you brought in this warmth into this kind of place. And you changed the molding colors too, right? Like, it feels like the old section. You kept all some, you know, you had some white or now we've entered a space where you've warmer hues for all the molding. Like you got that mushroom or what seems like a brownie gray color for the trim.

[D]

Yeah, yeah. The trim is actually called Dead Salmon is a terrible name. An attractive name.

[A]

Maryland Ball always does that. I'M like, why?

[D]

It's like, let me think of the worst name possible so you won't forget the color.

[C]

I think we've actually looked at that color for the catalog, and I think. I think I passed it by because I was like, I don't think I can have customer service say, oh, yes, that color is dead salmon.

[D]

But it is. It's this really warm color that has undertones of pink that has a kind of lightness, but also this moodiness, which that room really needed because it was so long and new.

[A]

Taryn and I both have sulking room pink in our house, and also very sad and depressing. Not quite as bad as dead salmon, but, you know, sulking room pink doesn't matter. Well, I'm talking about the name. You know, like, sulking room. It seems like, oh, a place I'm gonna go be sad.

[D]

I think so many people love that color, though. Sulking room pink. And I think people like, like to say it.

[A]

Absolutely.

[D]

We all like a little sulk here and there.

[A]

Yeah. Okay. I don't know if this was your inspiration for your daughter's room, but it felt to me like the little princess movie.

[D]

Yeah, I love that movie, by the way. What?

[B]

I mean, that's a classic.

[A]

What a fanciful, delightful little space. Space. I love it.

[D]

Oh, well. So my daughter, she actually wanted a room like that with a canopy. And I started with the bed. I actually bought it at auction. No one wanted it. And when I got it to my house, I realized why. Because it was meant for, you know, a French chateau with 20 foot ceilings, and it was going into a room with eight foot ceilings, so I had to cut it down. The mattress had to be custom because, you know, it was for tiny, you know, 18th century French people. So it was a real project in the end. But of course, when once it was done, it was just so charming and magical. So worth. Worth the effort.

[A]

Talk me through the fabrics, because it looked like they were all slightly different. There's the fabric on the bed, but then there's the. The wallpaper. And then I couldn't tell if the drapes or the canopy on the bed was the same as the bed. But there's a real pattern mix just to paint a picture for the. The listeners. A real pattern mix of sort of these Indian red batik kind of. I don't know. You describe it.

[D]

Yeah. So the bed fabrics are Brancagne, and what's upholstered on the bed itself is one pattern, and then there's a coordinating smaller print that's on the bed curtains, so they're sort of. Of matching, but different. And then on the wallpaper, it's this pink wallpaper that also has reds in it. And then we installed it all over the walls and ceiling. You know, just to your point about taking design risks, one of the things that I decided to do in all of the bedrooms is to paper them completely. Ceilings and walls all in one paper. And that's because, again, the ceiling lines were really wonky and different, so I just wanted to not call attention to that. So that was a design choice that I made. But in her room, it's just very enveloping, and things are not quite matching, so they look as if they were always there. And I would say that's like a little design trick, is if everything matches too, too well, it looks like you went to a showroom and bought everything at once. If you kind of make things slightly off, it adds this kind of texture and depth that adds a lot of interest, I think. So that's. That. That's the color mix in my daughter's room.

[A]

I loved how each of the bedrooms all upstairs felt they had completely different color palettes. Your. Or the primary sort of a darker green, olivey. The guest room is turquoise, and the. The. Your daughter's room is sort of pink and red. They're. They just. I would imagine you. They just. You walk in, and it transports you to another planet.

[D]

Yeah. And. And that's what I get to do in my own house is, you know, to. I. I want to do color in every single room instead of going super, having a minimal palette run throughout, which can be a lot. But I also just wanted people to see that it's not too much when you do that. It's actually really delightful and livable. But, you know, I made sure each of our kids. Kids approved their palette, so. So I wasn't imposing this on them either. And they each had different tastes and. And. And they like different things, so.

[A]

Well, I hope the mattress in your guest room is not too comfortable, because I imagine no one wants to leave. It's so cute and so fun. You would just want to stay there forever.

[D]

Aw. It is really, really sweet. My daughter's friends came over, and they're like, well, we can see who's the favorite child. Yeah.

[C]

I do love that everyone has their own space. And I think I want to talk next about your husband's office, because that also feels so different and so modern and doesn't feel like it's in the country at all. And how what Were you thinking about when you put that space together and how did that come together when everything else is so full of pattern? How did that space come.

[D]

So that space, the library, is also my husband's like, spot. It was his dream to have his own kind of space. And after raising three children who, you know, demand to be the center of attention, this was a space he wanted to sort of claim for, mostly his own. He doesn't get to have it all to himself, but mostly. And it really reflects what he wanted. And he wanted that space to be masculine, to be a little exciting and metropolitan, but also, you know, he wanted that kind of wood paneling, but also in the country. So it's kind of light. It's that white oak. So it really. It also speaks to the fact that that's also one of the 1980s parts. Very modern, original architecture. And instead of working against it, it. Working with it and creating fun, modern paddling. And the way we sort of warmed it up is with the artwork. A pair of screens from my parents, antique paintings, old paintings that we had found, and some modern ones as well. But that mix, I think, really makes it feel warm and inviting.

[B]

I love how you celebrated these other wings, like how you. How you really tried to integrate it and celebrate it at the same time, knowing they were never going to be. You were never going to trick anyone, nor did you try. I think instead you tried to make it a, you know, visual. Everything relates. And so it doesn't feel like you're transitioning into the 1980s at all, but you're aware that the space feels different. Different because the office, you definitely are like, this is. This architecture doesn't match. Like, again, like the dining room and the foyer and everything else. So I really love what you. How you honored it, even if it was 1980s. And we all have our own feels about the 1980s.

[D]

Yeah. I mean, there's always an era that people hate. Some people hate the 70s. You know, the 1980s are not super popular right now, but it's part of our past. And almost every other country holds onto their past, and Americans like to erase it to whatever is trending now. And I think it's something that a lot of Americans do, which is, oh, we have to be traditional colonial here. We have to be Georgian, you know, estate. But you don't have to meet that. That's not really the American story, in my view. Like, so much of these old houses in the Hudson Valley are such a pastiche of different styles. And I think we should just celebrate our past and as you say, embrace it in some way instead of, you know, shaming it into submission, into being a Georgian room.

[C]

But I also think, okay, so you have an innate ability to bring something out of nothing. From some of the spaces that I've seen, whether it's rooms in the Kips Bay show house or the before and after of Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott's home, you know, where there was really nothing architecturally significant in those spaces, and then you made them remarkable. So is there anything that you can tell our listeners to, like, give inspiration for, you know, when the, when the canvas is absolutely blank?

[D]

Yeah, when the canvas is really blank, you get to fill in the edges. You know, you have this. That's kind of what I had to deal with with the two big spaces. And make sure you're telling some. Some story. And when you're filling in the edges, that's part of the story. That's the framework, the architecture is the framing of the story that you're about to tell. And it depends on what the story is like. If it's a new built home and you want it to have personality, add moldings. If you don't have budget, then do the paneled wallpaper like I did. I'm sure you can get something like this on Etsy. You know, there's so many things you can get on Etsy now, but I think that's, that's really what you want to do, is fill in those blanks through some sort of interests and, and create the STR somehow, whether it's through paneling, molding, architectural details. And there's always a plan B if the budget doesn't work. And, you know, we all have to deal with budgets, don't we?

[A]

Well, it's just a gorgeous book, a mood, a thought, a feeling. And it's your debut. It's with Rizzoli. It's fabulous. Can you tell everyone where they can find you, follow you and see your work?

[D]

So my Instagram is young ha. And we are. While we're based in New York City, we will be traveling on book tour. So I think first stop is Birmingham, Alabama, March 19th. And we'll be in Atlanta April 21st.

[A]

Exciting.

[D]

So coming to a town near. That's awesome.

[A]

Very exciting.

[B]

I know.

[A]

Thank you so much for chatting with us. Thank you.

[B]

And keep the garden update too. I like those updates. Hearing about your yard.

[A]

We didn't even talk about the yard, but it's.

[B]

That's why I make pleas. Please continue that on social media for the rest of us because it was good content, too. Please share your trials and triumphs of

[D]

that because that's, that's definitely a work in progress for sure.

[B]

It's looking amazing.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Oh, thank you.

[A]

Even though it's covered with snow.

[D]

Yes, yes. Everything's just under 2ft of snow right now.

[A]

Gosh. Well, stay warm. Thank you so much.

[D]

Thank you.

[A]

I really enjoyed it.

[D]

Wonderful customs.

[A]

And that's our show. You can find all of the show notes on our blog howtodecorate.com podcast to

[B]

send in a decorating dilemma, email your questions to podcastallarddesigns.net so we can help

[D]

you with your space.

[A]

And of course, be sure to follow us on social media. AlardeSigns.

[C]

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcast so you never miss an episode. And please leave us a review. We'd love to hear your feedback.

[A]

Until next time, happy decorating.