Bending the Rules: Doug Meyer

Decorati caught up with Miami color revolutionary, Doug Meyer, to find out he creates exciting and unexpected spaces that are cool, fun, and never go out of style.

How did you become interested in interior design? Who were your mentors in the early days?

When I was young (8 years old) my favorite thing in the world to do was run around the house and create, redo and invent tablescapes – my mother was brilliant at this. I was always looking for inspiration. On my 10th birthday I got 2 books, which became my bibles: David Hicks Home Decoration and David Hicks on Decoration with Fabrics. In-addition, that year I also got my first magazine subscription – Architectural Digest – I was in heaven. The following year I got Billy Baldwin Decorates, a book that truly changed me and allowed me to realize that I would be in the design field.

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How would you describe your design style?

My work has a distinctive edge. For me, so much of what I do is about creating an environment that is unexpected – bending the rules – creating a world that ,for example. juxtaposes a modern shell with classical period pieces while pumping up the volume with striking and unusual color schemes and then repurpose or reinventing existing pieces. When it’s done, everything in the space appears to work and talk to each other sometimes in a harmonious way other times in a jarring way.

How do you keep up with new design trends?

The word trend makes me run for the hills. I am, however, a magazine junkie (Over the years I have served as everything from Design Editor to Contributing Editor on various shelter publications – Metropolitan Home, Miami Herald, Home and Design, Inside Out…) and I do keep up with everything and everyone through magazines and the internet. You never know what is going to inspire you. I personally need constant visual stimulation.

The one thing I stay clear of for interiors is a trend. Reason being that it is so costly and time consuming to create a room that when you base something on a “trend” it becomes so cliché and out of date before anyone has time to sit down in the space.

What makes a particular design last..what ensures longevity?

I relate to the question in terms of design pieces – objects that make up a room -and contribute to the overall design of a space. What makes a particular design last? Design that is pure in form, based on the past, and that can transcend a particular trend. What ensures its longevity is its application. Can it work in a classical interior? Can it work in a modern interior? And then there is the old seal of approval: Who’s using it and how? In the past 10-15 years there has been an amazing resurgence and interest in “lost” or forgotten masters of the design world: Jean Royere, Line Vautrin, James Mont, Paul Evans…all geniuses and all rediscovered by the masses due in part to key dealers, books and the media. A more recent example would be the trend in the last 10 years of artists creating unique and limited editions works, which are showcased at venues like Design Miami and at dealers such as Cristina Grajales (New York) and Galerie Patrick Seguin (Paris).

What do you do, or where do you go for inspiration?

I love traveling. As a child I traveled most of the US with my family. As an adult I travel outside the US as much as possible. I find it truly inspiring to see how other people live and to see things we do not see here. It really opens your eyes when you realize how fortunate we are to live here and how we just take so many things for granted. My brother and I design product for several companies one being NIBA Rug Collections. We travel to the factories in India and Nepal where we are inspired on almost a moment by moment basis, the colors, the food, the people, the culture – truly amazing. Other countries I find inspiration in are Japan, Brazil, Argentina and Morocco.

Who are your 3 favorite fashion designers and why?

Fashion has always been a true inspiration for me. Yves Saint Laurent would be number one – a pure genius in everything he touched – his homes (all 8 of them), his fashion and genius sense of color and his brilliant way of interrupting and transforming a room, a table top or a body into visual awe! Gene Meyer would be number two (my brother and business partner). Since a child he has been such an inspiration to me – the most brilliant colorist and sense of graphic shape I have ever seen. (Gene worked for legendary designer Geoffrey Beene for 11 years before launching eponymous women’s and men’s collections for which he won 2 CFDA awards). Number 3 would be Thom Browne. I wear a lot of his clothes or my outfits are inspired by what he does. I admire him for taking an idea for menswear based on the past -reinterpret it and making it work for today (albeit a very specific audience and look – it’s what I do with interiors).

What has been your favorite recent project and why?

I would have to say it is a group of salons (Lace Beauty Labs) that I’ve been doing over the course of the last 5 years. I love the client, a former model and actress from LA who re-located to Miami Beach. We have an absolute blast together. We worked for over a year in developing the concept – the latest salon just opened a few months ago. What I love about the project and the client is she gave me complete freedom. When a designer has that that’s when they do their best work. Then it truly becomes a labor of love. I love the new space. It’s like a jewel box. I would describe it as Miami Beach 1968 meets Dorothy Draper meets Tangier of the 1970s.

What is your method for combining antiques and new pieces together?

Honestly. there is no method or real rule for combining old and new. It’s all about balance and editing. One rule I could say is DON’T over do it. Beautiful, unique and unusual pieces need space and truly no room needs more than a couple. Otherwise it’s going to end up looking like an antique shop. Layering is one thing but layering object on top of object on top of object can become vulgar like “Hey look how much money I have.” Unless the client genuinely has an amazing collection of something don’t clutter up the space or surfaces.

How have you repurposed an antique for a particular project?

Here is an interesting example: I found these ceiling tiles from the 1960s that were used in an old bank in downtown Miami, bought them all, had them cleaned, painted white, then backed with purple colored mirrored plexi. I mounted them to the wall and designed a rug based on the exact size and dimensions of the panels. The rug has now been incorporated into one of our collections at NIBA Rugs. Creating a backdrop and floor that are of the same graphic elements creates a very simple yet very bold statement.

Is there a classic – a staple – that is always a part of your design…sort of a signature? What is it and what enables it to work in any environment?

Hands down it would be plexi glass – be it clear, mirrored, colored, opaque or transparent. I started working with plexi creating room dividers and screens – the effect can be magical – it’s so reflective – it adds such mystery to a space. It plays off the idea of combining old and new. Plexi works so well as a backdrop for antiques.

All Photography by Mark Roskams.

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