Insights & Info
A collection of quick reads
What is a Mood Board and Why Do You Need One for Your Design Project?
You may have heard the term “Mood Board” used in conversations with a friend who is working with a designer, on an HGTV reality TV show, or on social media. But what is it? The best way I can describe it is a visual way for your designer to tell you what she is hearing you say you want for your project.
Frequently, clients and designers have different interpretations of the same design term. (…)
What is a Degn Project North Star and Why Do You Need One?
Most of my clients tell me that they just don't know how to sift through the available options for their projects. There are so many options out there, and while it's easy to decide on what they don't like, they don't know how to choose between the options they do like.
Here's where a North Star for your design project comes in. (...)
Why I Don't Encourage My Clients to Follow Design Trends
Trends are fun, accessible, and easy to participate in. So why don’t I encourage my clients to follow them? Simply put, the more “on-trend” elements used in a project, the more dated the room becomes. (…) This is not to say that I won’t incorporate trends into the design if that’s what makes the homeowners happy. My work is about collaboration and elevating the ideas that my clients may have. (…)
Why Decorating with Antiques, Vintage Items, and Family Treasures is So Important
(…) I recommend most rooms have at least one antique, vintage item, or family treasure of sorts. (Don’t stop reading! Hear me out.) Often times clients associate those words with broken, dusty, or kitschy items. But that’s not the way it has to be. It is possible to incorporate antiques and sentimental items in a purposeful and beautiful way that looks elevated. It just takes a trained eye and a little courage. (…)
Why Embracing Juxtaposition in Interior Design Projects Matters
My favorite technique at every stage of the design process is to use juxtaposition. (…)
Juxtaposition is the practice, or as far as I’m concerned—the art—of pairing opposite, dissimilar, or non-matching items to create a contrasting effect. It is the most enjoyable and interesting way to bring energy into a design. And it keeps a room from feeling flat. (…)