This month, we’ve discovered interior designers are breaking all sorts of “rules!” Not all design decrees are absolute, so these rebels demonstrate how sometimes bucking the conventional can garner fantastic results.
Left: photograph by Beth Singer. Right: photograph by Joseph Tiano.
RULE: Dark colors make a ceiling lower and/or a room appear smaller.
“In some instances, the opposite can be true when the ceiling and walls are color-drenched with the same hue in bold, deep tones, giving the illusion of more height. This prevents a focus on one point—similar to the night sky.” — Margaret Skinner, Margeaux Interiors
Available at MDC: Tennant & Associates wallpapers
Photograph by Bob Foran
RULE: Audio/visual equipment should be hidden in cabinets.
“We designed custom furniture for a client that wanted to display his audio/visual equipment along with his valued album collection. Ordinarily, we would design cabinetry and woodworking to disguise or hide this type of equipment. Instead, we designed a piece that features his equipment and shines a spotlight on his record collection. It may not be the most conventional design, but it turned out great and our client is happy.” — Ken Martin, Nicolette Design Group
Available at MDC: Nicolette Martin Furniture custom audio/visual equipment cabinetry.
Photography by Kristopher Ilich
RULE: Stainless steel countertops aren’t a good idea.
“We had clients who cook often, and it was more important to have a functional material like stainless steel that is heat and stain resistant, as well as highly hygienic and easy to clean. This material is NOT always desirable due to its propensity to scratch or dent, but the pros outweighed the cons for these homeowners.
The materials selected for the rest of the house were quite organic and natural, so the selection of stainless seemed to be a bit ‘out of left field’ until we tied things together with the range hood, plumbing, and cabinet hardware.” — Michelle Mio, Rariden Schumacher Mio & Co.
Available at MDC: Schumacher kitchen settee fabric, CAI Designs sectional sofa, accent chairs, ottoman, and side tables, Kravet/Lee Jofa/Brunschwig & Fils ottoman faux leather.
Photograph by Martin Vecchio
RULE: Stick to one design style.
“Rather than sticking to one design style, I bent a few rules in this Bloomfield Village dining room design. The combination of classical millwork, contemporary art, and a very modern light fixture goes against the idea of sticking to one design style, but it works because of thoughtful curation. The chandelier is oversized compared to traditional proportion guidelines for dining tables, however, that boldness adds drama. The art is very colorful and large for a fairly neutral room, which might intimidate more traditional designers, but it injects personality and energy. This dining room demonstrates how advanced design can thoughtfully push boundaries. It shows confidence, balance, and a refined eye.” — Rachel Keena, Jones-Keena & Co.
Available at MDC: Ruth Casper Design dining chairs, City Lights Detroit chandelier, CAI Designs bronze statue and pedestal, TRA Art Group abstract art.
Photograph by Martin Vecchio
RULE: Hallways are meant as a thoroughfare, not for entertaining.
“We renovated a hallway last year to create a huge, stunning bar for entertaining. We basically just took a space that was used as circulation from the garage to the living room and decided to create an entertainment hall. We moved the fireplace to another wall in the living room to open access from this hall to the living room.” — Barbi Stalburg Kasoff, Stalburg Design
Available at MDC: CAI Designs, lighting.