Redecorating your home can seem like a fun task at first, but people often find themselves lost, without knowing where to start. Decorating a space without a helping hand and some guidance can end up being an exhausting endeavor, leading you to expensive renovations and an unpleasant environment. We listed the top 5 tips from expert celebrity interior designers to guide you when decorating your space. 

1- Less is More

Windsor Smith, who has had celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow as a client, reminds us that “less is more.”  Most people believe that the way to create a stylish and sophisticated interior is to add as many items and details as you can. She recommends letting go of anything that feels excessive, that can be seen as clutter instead of a piece of the design. “Purge your home of anything that feels heavy - even clothing,” she adds. 

2- Nature as an Inspiration

Kari Whitman, the television star who has worked on the homes of Hollywood icons such as Antonio Banderas and Jessica Alba, explains how she incorporates nature in her designs. She mentions how every encounter with nature can serve as inspiration for a design. "The other day I was eating oysters and I found the inner shell beautiful," she said. 

3- Lighting not just from windows

Adam Rolston, of Incorporated Architecture & Design, points out that thinking that the only way to get a bright room is to paint a room white is a very common mistake, and it should be avoided. A better way to accomplish a bright and illuminated room is to keep the overall palette of the room light, as well as using mirrors to reflect natural light into your interiors. 

4- Comfort Comes First 

Brian Paquette, a Seattle-based celebrity designer, recommends putting comfort before aesthetics. When designing your home, there is always going to be that dream dining table or that beautiful couch you can't take your mind off it. However, if it is not functional in relation to your everyday needs, then it is not going to work in your design. He mentions how you should always focus on comfort and usage, like a real dining table you can spread out on and a comfy sofa rather than just a seat.

5- How to make a room seem larger 

Jeff Andrews, who has worked on the homes of Kendall Jenner and Ryan Seacrest, gives a tip on how to make any room seem more spacious. The key is to use statement furniture, in other words, invest in larger pieces, and choose something that you like looking at. He also recommends keeping the color scheme simple and uniform. Varying textures and incorporating small amounts of prints make the space coordinated and larger. 

The post Top 5 Design Tips From Celebrity Interior Designers appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

When you are planning to decorate your home, there are factors at play that determine how you decorate. These include aesthetic taste, budget, and functionality. Long ago, interior design conventions were introduced and nowadays people have accepted them. However, just like any kind of art and fashion, interior design is always evolving and changing. These are some interior design myths that are outdated and should be deconstructed. 

Small Room, Light Color

Who said that you need to paint a small room a light color? Many people have this idea that in order to trick yourself and your guests that a tiny room in your house is bigger, light color is the solution. This is not true, and actually, the opposite applies. A dark shade of paint may actually add depth to the walls and create the illusion of pushing the wall back, making the room feel larger. 

Must have a theme? 

The idea that every room must have a theme and be designed accordingly is also a design myth. Choosing furniture and decorations that match too much can make your home look monotonous and tedious. The key to success is to take some risks and mix things up, but with balance, of course. Bring in pieces in different styles, colors, and textures. That will certainly make your home more interesting. 

To be trendy, or not to be trendy

Most people think that a decorating plan should include all the latest trends. That is not always true. When decorating your home, you should take time to define your style and preferences. If you love your 30-year-old grandmother’s couch, you should definitely include that in your plan and find a way to make it fit with the rest of the design. 

Who needs an interior designer? 

Another common misconception about interior design comes at the time of deciding if you need to hire an interior designer. Most people think that if you can do it yourself, why should you hire? The reality is that while you may have great ideas and tastes to decorate your home, there are some insights and advice that only a designer can give you. Interior designers help you with planning and anticipate problems that might come along the way, making you spend even less money with problems you might encounter without the expertise of a designer. 

Design doesn't matter

It is also a myth that a properly designed interior is not necessary. The environments we inhabit have a lot of influence in our mood, how we feel, behave, and live. A functionally designed house will ensure that your daily routine operates just like you need it to. The right color palette on your walls can enhance your mood, and even prevent depression and anxiety. Our home is, for most, the place that we spend the most time at, so it is worth investing in a design that will make you feel happy and comfortable. 

The post Interior Design Myths That Should Be Deconstructed appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Photo Credit: Mayra Roubach

There’s no denying that city life is incredible. But with so much going on, it’s essential to take a step back now and then and give those tired batteries a bit of a recharge. Sometimes you just want to get away from it all: not in a camping, backwoods sort of way, but in a more cocktail-sipping, sun-seeking kind of fashion. It was precisely this type of escape a Brazilian family sought when they purchased a vacation retreat on Fisher Island as a respite from their hectic city life in São Paulo. Home to free-roaming peacocks, it captures the allure of a secluded island, but it also has all the luxury amenities of an exclusive resort. “It never feels crowded, and people really appreciate the privacy and security,” the wife says. Set on the farthest point of the island, their condominium overlooks miles and miles of ocean. “It’s our happy place,” the wife says. “It’s where we go to decompress.”

Originally weighed down by heavy traditional details—dated wallpaper, mirrored walls, and a cumbersome enclosed kitchen that interrupted the great room—the condo underwent a lofty transformation from dated Mediterranean to beachy chic thanks to Miami-based designer Luciana Fragali, who has designed multiple Fisher Island homes for her clients. “Luciana is so flexible and willing to listen to our ideas,” the wife says. “She created family-friendly rooms, so we never have to worry about sand from the beach.”

Photo Credit: Mayra Roubach

Although working on an island would seem like a dream, in this case, it posed some unique challenges. On Fisher Island, you can build only six months out of the year and subcontractors must arrive via barge, making preparation and timing paramount. Luckily, Fragali was able to work around these obstacles and transform the space entirely to feature new floors, walls, plumbing and electrical, appliances, materials, and finishes – this was a gut remodel of the entire apartment that took a great deal of effort and teamwork.

From the beginning, Fragali had one goal in mind: to open up the views. The owners asked for an expansive entertainment area, as well as comfortable guest rooms that offered privacy, making the vacation retreat as inviting as possible for their family and friends. To accomplish this, Fragali began by demolishing the enclosed kitchen wall to open up the space and transform the room into a spacious open concept living room and dining room featuring an exceptional dropped wood ceiling design.

Photo Credit: Mayra Roubach

“We opened the kitchen up to integrate the living room and to make it one large space,” explains Fragali, who removed a dividing wall to make that happen. The resulting open area is more spacious and takes advantage of the beautiful sunset views. Next, she replaced the mirrored covered walls with custom built-in shelves that become one with the living area. Using this accent wall, she placed unique accessories that reflect the natural light and turquoise waters below. “As soon as you open the door, you feel like you are literally on the ocean,” the wife says.

Photo Credit: Mayra Roubach

Keeping the emphasis on the panorama, expansive sliding doors open completely onto a balcony, essentially disappearing and expanding the living area into an enormous entertaining venue. “This indoor-outdoor effect alludes to the home’s refined yet casual vibe,” Fragali says. For the furnishings, she selected low-profile pieces that speak to the owners’ low-key personalities. “The wife likes clean lines and is very pared-down,” she says. “So I wanted a warm, sophisticated apartment with pops of color.” The designer captured this casual elegance through a careful juxtaposition of pieces that blur the line between modern and earthy, such as the pairing of custom-made floating console matching the natural birch dining room pendants and textured wallpapered wall niches with LED strip for radiance accented with black and white art frames.

While the water views clearly inspired Fragali’s approach, they also influenced the palette, with touches of warm creams, natural wood tones, upholstery, artwork, and accessories throughout. Even the master bedroom is awash in the soothing, ethereal hue. The master bathroom was another obstacle of its own – it had to be completely gutted down to the studs. Only then could Fragali begin to design a new luxurious master bath unlike any other featuring a large shower and a curved freestanding bathtub backed by wood mosaic wall panels.

Photo Credit: Mayra Roubach

But nowhere does the color scheme come more to life than on the balcony, where shades of sea and sky continue as far as the eye can see. From here, the family waves to cruise ships passing by. With umbrella-accented drinks in hand, they kick back and relax just the way they imagined, in true vacation style.

Photo Credit: Mayra Roubach

The post Coastal Living In Fisher Island With Luciana Fragali Of Design Solutions appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.