Heather's Outfit to Look
Do you remember the original Domino Magazine? They had this really fun column where they took an outfit and used it as inspiration to create a room. I always loved it because it was such a great exercise in translation: when changing mediums, how do you create a certain vibe? It also is one of the ways we think about client’s style. What is the living room equivalent of their favorite grey flannel trousers? How can we infuse a bedroom with the spirit of someone’s collection of their grandmother’s jewelry?
At the end of last year, we got a Free People catalog at the studio, and I loved the styling (and variety) so much, I suggested that everyone choose a look and create a room of their choice. Over the next week or two, you will see outfit picks and room designs from Lauren, Rachel, and Pam.
I’ll kick it off!
While I am known for color and “the mix,” lately I have been intruiged by rooms with limited palettes, and the opportunities they create to lean on shape, proportion, texture, and finish to create interest. There were two looks in the catalog calling my name, one in black and one in white, and I went for it with both!
One disclaimer: This is a creative exercise. We all took some liberties and it is possible that the scale of these pieces don’t work perfectly in real life. As always, I shopped high and low (from CB2 to Donzella in NYC), so the look may not be shoppable for everyone. I also included art by a favorite artist, Ghada Amer, though these pieces are likely not for sale (and likely out of reach!)
Okay, without further ado:
The Outfit: White
The Room
The Translation Process
This look obviously has a soft palette, in whispers of white, cream, and blush, and I went for the same.
The suit is tailored but has unusual proportions and an edgy cut—cue my selected sofa and chairs. The textile has a raised texture with a floral motif which I interpreted as the rug, made from felted flowers. Pretty, but not sweet.
Her bras and shoes are like jewels—not to mention her actual necklaces—and I immediately thought of the crystal rope modular light fixtures from Visual Comfort.
Finally, I love the negative space in this outfit—the peekaboo of skin at her torso. The white leather side table and pink alabaster lamp are simple and sculptural, with voids that add interest.
The Outfit: Black
The Room
The Translation Process
With the mostly-black palette, this one was all about materials. This bed from CB2 is tailored, like a suit, but the skirt evokes those bellbottoms for me, and I love the hand of linen sateen. Classic yet unexpected.
The star of the show is really the metallic fringe on the jacket—not one, but multiple—and the Arteriors Yves chandelier was an obvious choice. Our second iteration is in the strings of the artwork and the third (if it counts?) is the rug’s fringe. The lamps = gems and the embroidered lace on the pillow shams = her shirt.
Less obvious, and more important, is the vibe those western boots bring! Leather, metal tipped, hard edged, they’re giving me these Mexican wood and leather chairs with a side of carved armoire. Ultimately, it’s the restraint of the bed (suit) underpinning all the wilder elements that’s doing it for me.
