THE WELL-DRESSED HOME

My design pedigree: My mother was a talented interior designer who worked out of our home. It was what I lived with. For Christmas I’d get a chest of drawers or a miniature chair. I always start with: The space. It’s just like the little black dress: If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t fit. Then I like to start a scheme with a gorgeous fabric. Other designers might start with a gorgeous rug or a gorgeous painting. The designers I’m watching: The best known is Barbara Barry. Her pieces are glamorous and more human in scale. Then Laura Kirar, a young gal whose designs are built by Baker, shows just the slightest hint of Asian influence. They’re almost a new traditionalism—very classic undertones and overtones. For glamour, I reach for: Silk or satin, reflective-surfaced fabrics. Crystal, Murano glass, golden tones, finishes that are reflective, like silver or gold leaf. My home has: Vibrant colors, raspberry walls and a pale yellow ceiling, with a lot of different patterns. On the design horizon: Paring down, so each piece becomes more important, beautiful in its own right. You don’t need 45 pieces of jewelry; you need one signature piece.