Inspiration File: Chic & Colorful Family Home
Interior designer Lara Fishman of Storm Interiors specializes in creating fresh, unique designs that expertly fit her clients’ lifestyle and personalities. For her recent project, Transitional Color, Lara focused on using bold colors and contrast to create a chic, colorful home for a lively family of five. Rich textiles and bright rugs take center stage and abstract art pieces create focal points in the dining and living areas. The walls are painted in neutral shades of white, grey, and beige so as not to detract from the noteworthy accessories.
Read on to find out more about the Transitional Color project from Lara herself! Plus, discover her tips for how to work with a designer when you’re on a limited budget and where to find quality, affordable home decor and furniture.
Transitional Color by Interior Designer Lara Fishman
Images courtesy of Period Media
What design concepts influenced your work on the Transitional Color project?
Scale and proportion was one of the design principles particularly important for the living room, as we had to balance the high ceilings and large space with the right scale of furniture. Pops of color and bold contrast were integrated to liven the space and represent the vivacious personality of the family of five. Rich textiles and bright rugs take center stage in each room and abstract art pieces create iconic focal points in the living and dining areas.
The Transitional Color home has an eclectic style. How do you incorporate different styles from room to room?
There is a sense of unity and variety, most of the major pieces are monochromatic but the textures and pops are unified as well. The mid-century pieces were also consistent throughout the spaces.
How can you best utilize the help of an interior designer when you have a limited budget?
Be selective in the pieces that may be a bit pricier, and be assured that they are timeless and can carry from house to house. There are smart ways to spend less on other furnishings as long as there is a mix that is well integrated. Having a strong design concept established at the onset of the project will support all of the designs throughout the project, making hiring a designer worthwhile.
What tips do you have for creating a beautiful and functional space?
Spend time initially interviewing the client to create the program. For example, find out how the clients live day to day. Do they need super resilient textiles? Lighting needs should also be addressed and are not only critical for functionality but also help enhance all spaces. Again, adhering to a strong concept and collaborating with the client throughout will insure the desired results while balancing the aesthetic and the functionality.
Where do you find your style inspiration?
Inspiration can be derived from many venues such as fashion, history, literature, art and photography. Iconic design books in my ever-growing library are always a referral base for me.
Are there any shops or websites you recommend for finding quality, affordable home decor and furniture?
I recommend visiting vintage stores and flea markets, along with websites such as Chairish, Live Auctioneers and Invaluable. Utilizing the right products from big name retailers such as West Elm or Crate and Barrel, if strategically integrated, are money savers over time as the pieces remain timeless.
See more beautiful homes in our Inspiration File:
Decorating with Black and White
Clarissa is a wife and stepmom embracing life in the Land of Enchantment. She works as a nonprofit communication specialist by day and blogger by night. Some of her favorite things are Dr. Pepper, green chile, baseball, country music, and her yellow lab.
