DESIGNER Q+A: 2020 TRENDS AND TASTEMAKERS
2020 has certainly been a year full of change, and designer trends have been no exception! Whether you’re tackling a DIY transformation in your home, or taking this time to make a major renovation, it seems everyone is taking advantage of the extra time at home to get inspired and give their surroundings a refresh! Whether it’s in an effort to add more livable square footage, make their homes more multi-functional, or creating a more beautiful space to gather with friends and family, lots of clients are using this time to take stock of their homes and their closets.
How has 2020 changed the way people are designing their homes and closets?
NATASHA BARADARAN — NATASHA BARADARAN INTERIOR DESIGN
“More than ever, our clients are seeing the benefit of quality over quantity. It’s about picking pieces that spark joy and purging the rest. So I am seeing a trend that clients are picking less, but at a more substantial price point. Since they are spending more time at home, they actually have the time to appreciate furniture, art, and accessories that are finer and more luxurious.”
MEG JOANNIDES — MLK STUDIO
“We are seeing emphasis on adding all kinds of novelty rooms in order to not ever have to leave the house. Spas, Bowling alleys, yoga rooms, more elaborate home offices, kids’ study rooms, chef’s kitchens and of course very powerful generators!”
On closets: “Often we are seeing the elimination of shoes altogether from the closets, and clients are storing them separately from clothing.”
David Ko — MAISON KO
“people are home pretty much all the time now, minus the trip to the grocery store (if even that), and are wanting to update their spaces because they are looking at THEM 24/7. That wasn't necessarily the case before … And the last thing you want to do after a long day is figure out what you want to change at your house. But now, people are wanting to liven up their spaces because not only is it their home, but also their office too, and they want to be in an environment that is energetic enough for work, but lived-in and relaxing the rest of the time.”
What are some clever ways you’ve created more storage for your clients?
It’s no secret we’re in the business of adding functional storage to our clients’ homes, so we were curious to hear how a few other designers have approached the issue of limited storage real estate for their clients! No matter how much storage your home may have, it seems where there’s a will there is always a way to create just a little more (and we can all use a little more storage).
Often, we look to retail spaces for inspiration when designing for our clients! David of Maison Ko offers up a clever solution for anyone with a blank wall in their home to carve out some extra closet space. The Venice showroom he designed for Frankie’s Bikinis features wall-mounted brass and wood hanging rods, which are enclosed with a set of sliding cane doors — a fresh way to create a finished look and additional closet space in any room of your home!
“I recently completed a showroom space for Frankies Bikinis in Venice, CA … We had a blank canvas of a space that was just being used for storage. It had white walls and concrete floors. There was no storage whatsoever, which my client needed desperately, not only to display current collections, but to house backstock. I created this custom cane sliding door closet system that had wall hung clothing racks as well as elfa shelving units hidden behind. If you have any large walls, building out cabinetry or even something like these sliders that are just hung on a ceiling track, can elevate your space while still being completely functional.” — David Ko
LA CLOSET DESIGN
Designer Natasha Baradaran takes a different approach to the issue of storage, which we think plays an equally critical role when helping clients find space in the closet!
“I feel like it is less about creating more storage, and more about having the time to actually get rid of things they haven’t used. Now more than ever in quarantine, clients are purging and feeling good about it.”
The rule of thumb we like to share with our clients — if you haven’t worn it in the last two years (MAX) it’s got to go. Unless it’s Chanel, then you save it forever!
What are some of your favorite sources for decorative hardware?
One minor investment your can make in your closet to achieve maximum impact is to upgrade your knobs and pulls! We like to think of the hardware in our closets as the jewelry for the space — it can make or break the look, and really presents an opportunity to bring a bit of the clients’ personality into the space without the commitment of a bold paint color or upholstery. You can transform any space with fresh new hardware, and can swap them out easily as often as you choose. We decided to turn to the designers to see where they like to source some of their decorative hardware favorites!
MEG JOANNIDES:
NANZ HARDWARE
MAISON VERVLOET
NATASHA BARADARAN:
ANTHROPOLOGIE
DPAGES
DAVID KO:
SUN VALLEY BRONZE
SUN VALLEY BRONZE
What are your favorite sources for lighting?
Another key element to any good closet — lighting! Both functional and decorative, lighting plays a critical part in the design of a dream dressing room. We always say, “If you can’t see it, you won’t wear it” when it comes to finding items in your closet, and sometimes that comes down to literally having enough light in the space to find what your looking for!
DAVID KO: In Common With, Apparatus Studio
NATASHA BARADARAN: RobertaeBasta, Chris Turner, Herve, Rogan Gregory
MEG JOANNIDES: Gabriel Scott, Apparatus Studio, Met Opera Collection
What kinds of tech are you excited to see in clients’ homes and closets?
As 2020 comes to a close, we’ve arguably all become a bit more tech-savvy, finding new ways to interact with one another, and new ways to incorporate our devices into our daily lives. Looking to the future, we’re wondering what kinds of tech designers are beginning to see in homes, and how this could transform closets moving forward!
“ In one client’s unusually large closet, we have what can be described as a high-end dry cleaner rack that presents complete outfits on a moving conveyer, all controlled by an iPad!
All of the homes we work on are “smart” homes and it seems like the technology keeps getting more and more streamlined and everything can be controlled by a client’s cell phone/iPad. We recently saw a “roll up” TV! Roll it up when you are done and it is gone.”
Whether you’re looking to streamline your existing spaces or are ready for a complete overhaul, this is certainly the time to tackle your home projects, and the possibilities are endless when it comes to balancing a beautiful space with clever and functional innovation. If you’re feeling inspired, and want to start 2021 with a few fresh upgrades at home, reach out on IG and share your ideas with us @laclosetdesign! We’re always keeping an eye out for the latest trends in luxury interiors, and would love to see the projects this year has inspired in your home!