Accessorize: The Traditional Issue

Like every micro-decision we make in our lives, we are the sum of our histories and environments. I revel in the history and the conception of specific design eras; it should come as no surprise that I don’t want to create as if every decorating decision fell into execution exclusively in 2022. Traditional design connects me to design ideas that are far beyond my limited perspective, and it requires more creativity and inventiveness than cutting and pasting products that are trending. I love a challenge, and the soulfulness of traditional design ensures that I don’t take the easy way out.

Here are some of the tips I utilize to make traditional design feel fresh and current:

Use trendier colors in classic ways: Coral can feel elegant as a chair in sumptuous velvet with a well-worn Turkish rug in warm neutrals.

Use classic furniture profiles in trendier patterns: A club chair can feel fresh in a small-scale floral and a fringe skirt.