Thank you for your loyal membership and participation in Decorati.com, and thank you for your feedback and involvement since our acquisition by Gilt Groupe. I am very excited to announce the merger with Gilt Groupe is finally complete. We gathered the best parts of Decorati, most importantly our interior designer portfolios and product catalogs, and ported them to the new GiltHome.com site.  Decorati.com will eventually forward to GiltHome.com. At the bottom of this note you can read more about what’s next for your Decorati account and what you can find on the new Gilt Home– I think you’ll love it!

Thank you for a wonderful journey, and welcome to Gilt.

Sincerely,

Shane Reilly
Decorati Founder and VP, Home, Gilt Groupe
sr@decorati.com

What’s Next for your Decorati Account
We have made the process of joining or merging your Decorati account with Gilt Groupe easy. Click here  to start the process. Gilt is offering rewards in exchange for your completing the transition.

At The New Gilt Home Site You Will Find:

Designer Portfolios
Designer portfolios from Decorati can be searched on Gilt Home

Trade Brand Product Catalogs
Decorati manufacturer catalogs are viewable to logged-in designers

Expanded Collections
Top brands like Stark, A. Rudin, Kyle Bunting, and Ted Boerner – available to  purchase anytime

Flash Sales
The best brands at up to 60% OFF retail

Designer Boutiques
Designer boutiques from Bunny Williams, Alexa Hampton, and Laura Kirar. Check back often, as we continue to add more

Exclusive Editorial Content
Get ideas and inspiration from the Gilt Home editorial team.

The designer portfolios on Decorati featured some of the best interior design work today and provided our team of editors with an endless source of ideas and inspiration. Each week, we collected some of the best examples to inspire our members for their own projects. You can check out some of our favorites here.

Carrier and Company Interiors Ltd. principals, Jesse Carrier and Mara Miller, are a husband and wife design duo with a combined total of 20 years experience working with New York’s premier design firms before opening their own in 2005.

Clients include Anna Wintour - Vogue, Bob Pittman, Jane Rosenthal, Jay Fielden - Town and Country and Jason Wu to name a few. Their work has been published in Elle Decor,The World of Interiors, Vogue, Traditional Home, Town and Country, W, and House Beautiful .

In 2010, Carrier and Company made Elle Decor’s “A LIST” of 30 Designers, one of 5 Designers to Watch.

Headshot by: Don Freeman

Photography by (top to bottom), Carrier & Company, Ben Hoffman, Ben Hoffman

What makes a particular design last…what ensures longevity? Examples?
We pride ourselves in producing timeless designs that embrace yet update tried and true classic styles.  Through careful editing and composition, avoiding clutter and trend, we create tailored spaces that endure.  For example, we prefer familiar, “traditional” upholstery forms covered in simple, honest materials.  These are the staples of a space that should stand the test of time.  Add to that a mix of antiques or vintage furniture with some contemporary pieces to balance the space.  That’s your foundation.  Use accessories and artwork to express trends.  These are easier and (in some cases less costly) to replace.

Photography by: Ben Hoffman

Which comes first: lifestyle or product/design? Is it lifestyle that has generated the design changes, or is design the driving force that affects how we live?
It is both, as it is a process of exposure and trending.  Necessity is the mother of invention, and that is what designers do – solve problems in creative and aesthetically pleasing ways.  Once the success of a solution is acknowleged, a trend begins as more and more are emboldened to adapt new lifestyle choices.  There was a time when lofts were for starving artists – now the open combined space is symbolic of luxury and considered a solution for keeping a young family intimate and connected.

Photography by:  Carrier & Company

There is a big reset happening in the world with people spending less and returning to basics with a focus on their home and family. How are your clients adapting to this new economic landscape? Is it business as usual…or are they cutting back? And where are they cutting back: quality, price, square footage?
We see clients thinking more about the concept of “value.”  To define “value” is very individual – for some it has meant scaling down, for others it means investing in the best artwork or antiques – things they love that have inherent value.  It can be as simple as balancing a love of beautiful bedding in a guest bedroom with a sisal area rug so their lifestyle and aesthetics are not compromised, but money is spent more closely to the heart.

Photography by: Carrier & Company

How are you adapting your business model to the current mood of the market and the available technology?
We’ve always been a proponent of decorating with a mix of high-end custom and antique pieces with stock retail.  Clients come to us because they trust our eye – once the packing material is tossed, it doesn’t matter where it came from as long as it looks great.  Technology – the internet specifically – has made resourcing a snap.  We can really look for and access what’s available and make the best choices for our clients balancing budget and quality.

How important do you believe Websites, blogs, and social media are and will be in growing your business?
Invaluable.  We always understood the importance of web-site that clearly reflected who we are and what we do.  It was well received by bloggers – who really created buzz.  We had an impressive client list – but it was digital media that got us the attention of the design community.

Photography by:  Carrier & Company

How did you become interested in interior design? Who were your mentors in the early days?
I had a love of flea markets and things, and Mara always loved old homes and renovations.  We both started out as Fine Art and Art History majors in college, but transferred to design school where we met.  Our first jobs and mentors were Thomas O’Brien, Jeffrey Bilhuber, Stephen Sills, James Huniford.

How would you describe your design style?
Timeless, Tailored, composed, crafted.

Photography by: Carrier & Company

What are some well-known spaces that you have designed (buildings, restaurants, etc…)?
Vogue Lobby, Anna Wintour’s Office and Home, Jason Wu’s Studio

Photography by: Carrier & Company

Who is your favorite fashion designers and why?
Jason Wu….need we explain?

How do you go about assessing a client’s/project’s needs?
Through a series of interviews, beginning with an initial meeting in a client’s home, when possible, to see and hear firsthand what works, what doesn’t work and why… this process gets us in tune with our clients.  We then consider the house plans and architecture and work to blend our clients needs and personality with the foil of the property.

Photography by: Carrier & Company

What is the ultimate goal of all your projects?
Client satisfaction. – we want the experience to be a positive one, the job to run smoothly, and the final product to exceed their expectations.  We enjoy taking a client’s point of view and  guiding them to make  bolder choices, so the end results are a more stylized and fresher take of their own aesthetics – so the project can endure for them for many, many years without becoming tired and dated.

A versatile, striking style with an ancient past, black-and-white checkered tiles have been making an appearance in many of the latest additions to Decorati Designer Portfolios. While a careful hand is required, this style can work equally well in classic and urban, modern interiors. We’ve collected some of the most inspiring examples here.

Dutch Masters Office | ANTOINE PROULX

Summer House Pantry | Nicole Yee, NY Interiors

Willow Glen Conservatory | Joan Tesauro

Foyer | Kim Hendrickson-Radovich

Master Bathroom | Todd Richesin

Kitchen – Vintage Lake Shore Residence | Jessica Lagrange Interiors

Powder Room | Stephanie Lake, PhD; Stephanie Lake Design

Surreal Bathroom | Cozy Couture Interiors by Tiffany Fulmer

Foyer | Alessandra Branca

Foyer | Kim Hendrickson-Radovich

Bathroom | KMNelson Design LLC, Kristi Nelson

Buena Vista Library With Glass Ceiling | Jerry Jacobs

Tasting Room | Mick De Giulio

Originally from North Carolina, Kristen fostered her creative eye in the prestigious visual arts program at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Her passion led her to New York where she studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design. She broke into the interior design industry with a senior position at Sills Huniford Associates. 

After grooming her skills for five years within the interior-design industry, she opened her New York-based firm, Kristen McGinnis Design, Inc., in 2005.

McGinnis was one of a select group of designers asked to design a room for the 2009 Hamptons Designer Showhouse presented by Traditional Home Magazine. For their April 2009 issue Traditional Home Magazine selected McGinnis as one of the Top 20 Young Interior Designers to Watch. Recently McGinnis was honored by the International Furnishings and Design Association as a Rising Star of Interior Design.

Headshot Photography by:  Billy Farrell

Photography by (top to bottom): John M. Hall, Kristen McGinnis

What makes a particular design last…what ensures longevity? Examples?
When looking back at any given point in history the common thread of what makes a particular design resonate and endure is if it was revolutionary and or groundbreaking for its time. Elsie de Wolfe brought interior design out of the Victorian era. And Jean Michel Frank, who every designer references time and again, is another who created a look that, for its time, was quite avant-garde. One who stands out to me as a young designer who will be remembered in the future for his application of cutting edge technology is Joris Laarman.

How do you perceive design today: as catalyst for lifestyle change or as reaction to it, or both
I have always felt that lifestyle and design were reliant on one another. Lifestyle is something that gets considered when approaching any project, and I believe that design is dictating that. The consumer is much more savvy today having accessibility to design available through many platforms. They have a clearer idea of what they are looking for and thus designers are being called in to provide more lifestyle direction over simply proving design assistance.

Photography by (top to bottom): Kristen McGinnis, Kristen McGinnis, Roe Ethridge

How would you describe your design style?
I believe a room should have integrity. Each space is curated rather than decorated integrating items from different periods with art to create the desired aesthetic.  I appreciate a space where it is obvious that each piece has been chosen with a sense of purpose – nothing is extraneous.

Photography by:  Roe Ethridge

What do you do, or where do you go, for inspiration?
Through travel, books, architecture, art, and friends. I find that my personal experiences provide me with endless inspiration. I love uncovering something new and unknown; it’s the thrill of discovery and my insatiable hunger for knowledge that drives me.

Photography by: John M. Hall

Who are your 3 favorite fashion designers and why?
An extraordinary designer is one who knows what a woman wants to wear before she does.  Lanvin’s Alber Ebaz is one who certainly meets that challenge.  He creates pieces that are sculptural yet sensuous.  With the passing seasons, fashion and design must be avant-garde in presentation, yet truly successful artists must still remain timeless – Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga do just that year after year.  They are relevant and fresh without losing their classic appeal.

How has your design aesthetic changed in the last 10 years?
Rather than just a single note of any style, I believe the dialogue created by mixture is more potent; it is what makes a room dynamic and more personal.  Over the last decade, my style has become more eclectic while still maintaining purpose.

Photography by: Roe Ethridge

What is your method for combining antiques and new pieces together?
There is always a message that gets conveyed through the design of every project thus, I approach each one thru the eyes of a storyteller.  I consider the context of each element, and how they relate to the story being told. Perhaps a modern element needs a bit of relief by introducing something old, and vice versa. It goes back to that magic mix that makes each project memorable.

What role does artwork play in your designs? Do you prefer to select the artwork before the furniture or find pieces later that fit within the design scheme?
I have always thought that a room is incomplete without art. As each project is unique the approach to the art follows suit. I have worked with clients with museum worthy art collections and we built the schemes within that pre-existing platform. And I also have projects where the selection of furniture and fabrics came first before proceeding to then curate an art collection.

Photography by: John M. Hall

In your opinion, what makes a great room?
A great room transports you; it reveals itself to the individual the more time spent in the space as opposed to giving up all it has to offer in the first impression.  I find that what resonates with people at the end of the day are the memories or feelings a room brings to the foreground of our thoughts.  Thus, it is just as important to keep in mind what people will feel coming into the room as they will have leaving it.

What is the ultimate goal of all your projects?
The ability to express and then communicate a client’s personality should be the primary goal when designing any space.  Ultimately, people live in their homes, and it is my mission to create a harmonious balance that takes into account all of their needs. I strive to help my clients find confidence in their own voice as I guide them in designing their homes.

Photography by: Kristen McGinnis

Enjoy!

Shane Reilly
Founder of Decorati and Vice President of Gilt Home
SR@decorati.com

“The Hollywood Regency style was characterized by high glamour and glitz and emerged through the work of interior designers, such as Dorothy Draper, Elsie de Wolfe, and William (Billy) Haines, who decorated the homes of film luminaries in Hollywood’s Golden Age of the 1930s.”
Hollywood Regency

“Describing a style that reigned from about 1933 to 1965, Mid-Century Modern built upon the foundation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s principles of organic architecture and the simple forms that characterized the International Style and Bauhaus movements.”
Mid-Century Modern

“The Art Deco style, which was popular from 1925 until 1939, derived its name from a design exhibition held in Paris in 1925-the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes.”
Art Deco

“Sumptuous and elaborate, the Empire style originated during Napoleon’s First Empire (1804-1815), and combined the grandeur and martial symbols of Rome with ancient Egyptian motifs and the elements of Greek architecture.”
French Empire

“The Arts and Crafts style emerged in the 1860s as a reaction against the increasing industrialization and dark and cluttered tastes of Victorian Britain.”
Arts and Crafts

Ed Rusha

The L.A. stories told in Pacific Standard Time are not the stuff of Hollywood, but create a context for west coast art in our shared history. The Getty has created a platform for this narrative with events surrounding the theme of time and place.  Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA 1945-1980 opens on October 1^st. This project was initiated through $10 million in grants from the Getty Foundation in an unprecedented collaboration of 120+ exhibitions at over 60 cultural institutions across Southern California.  Pacific Standard Time: Art in L.A. 1945-1980 has also launched its innovative virtual hub, www.pacificstandardtime.org.  The website provides a unique visitor’s guide with a region-wide voice expressing the rise of L.A. This portal provides a centralized source for up-to-date information about the initiative and its partners, exhibitions and events.

Willian A. Garnett

PST collaborations speak to the birth of the L.A. art scene, pointing to how it became a major force in the art world. Each institution makes its own contribution to this narrative ripe with innovation and social change. The time frame explores crucial change years after World War II through the tumultuous period of the 1960s and 70s.

Sandra de la Loza

Artistically, expect to see Pop to Post-minimalism styles, while modernist architecture to multi-media installations help the viewer understand the L.A. response to space.

David Hammons

Culturally, films of the African-American L.A. Rebellion, feminist activities of the Woman’s Building, Chicano performance art traditions and Japanese-American design present a picture of diversity in a region on the brink of a multi-cultural society.  Gender and collaboration comes into play in the pioneering work of artists’ collectives. It’s center stage for LA and the art world has a unique opportunity to see the fullness of the L.A. role both nationally and globally.

Craig Kaufman

Also in that opening art weekend (Sep 30-Oct 3), L.A. will host a new international art fair, Art Platform-Los Angeles.  It’s an Armory Show run fair brimming with both cutting contemporary and modern art. Contextualizing works by critically acclaimed artists working in and from Los Angeles, Art Platform demonstrates a diverse cultural landscape today of Southern California. This fair brings together local and international artists, dealers, collectors, museums, and art enthusiasts that play important roles in the vibrant Southern California art community. 
The established fair, Pulse will make their West-coast debut. This is the weekend to be in L.A.

Patter Hellstrom is an American abstract painter whose works are exhibited by galleries in New York and San Francisco. In addition to her art, she is an entrepreneur with a successful curatorial business. Patter Hellstrom Visual Art curates exhibitions, and places art works in corporate, hospitality and residential settings.

As we explored recently in our survey of Inspiring Hotel Spaces, commercial projects can provide a wealth of inspiration for the home. Balancing functionality with modern appeal takes on a special importance…and the results can be stunning. We continue our foray into inspiring commercial spaces with this selection of retail projects from Decorati Designer Portfolios.

Alexander Wang Store |  Ryan Korban

Anniversary Collection |  Maya Romanoff Wallpapers

Lace Beauty Lab- South Beach |  Doug Meyer

Philanthropist In San Francisco |  Kendall Wilkinson

18faubourg Show-Room |  SCHARLY DESIGNER STUDIO

Hampden Clothing – Charleston, SC |  Heather O’Donovan Interiors

Shvitz Boutique-Soho |  Liv-Chic Furniture and Interior Design

Showroom |  NIBA Home

Retail |  Ryan Korban

Showroom |  Rotsen Furniture

David Yurman Beverly Hills |  Brenda Houston

Boutique |  Tristan Harstan & Company

Reception |  Kurt Melander

Hampden Clothing – Charleston, SC |  Heather O’Donovan Interiors

SPI was started in 2004 by designers Sarah Shetter and Alison Palevsky. It is founded on the ideal that modernism can be successfully combined with comfort and livability.

The two designers, who met as undergraduates at the University of Southern California, share a design aesthetic that mixes the California lifestyle with both ancient and modern traditions. Ms. Palevsky received training from UCLA’s interior design/architecture program. Ms. Shetter holds a Master of Science degree in interior design from the Pratt Institute in New York.

SPI oversees all phases of a project, including demolition/remodel plans, color choices, custom furnishings and light fixtures, specialized wall and floor finishing, and art selection and installation. With a clear focus on the requirements of the client, the two partners bring professionalism and clarity to the complex task of designing interior spaces for individual needs. Together, they create environments of lasting quality.

Headshot Photography by: Boris Breuer

Photography by (top to bottom): Tim Street-Porter, Boris Breuer

What do you consider to be the most significant design innovation of the last 10 years? 
Anything created by Jonathan Ives and his team at Apple. Ives is the man behind the scenes at Apple, and he is responsible for the design of the IMAC, Powerbook, G4, Macbook, Macbook Pro, IPod IPhone, and IPad. His designs are the perfect fusion of form and function which is something we always strive for in our own designs.

Are there any design trends from the past twenty years that came and went, not a moment too soon for you? Any trends developing now that you would like to see dismissed as quickly as possible?
We want the trend of disposable furniture to come to a close. Furniture pieces should be built to be durable and timeless — to be passed down from generation to generation and not be put into a landfill after a few years of use.

Photography by (top to bottom):  Boris Breuer, Tim Street-Porter

How did you become interested in interior design? Who were your mentors in the early days? 
Sarah’s first job in the design world was with Jeffrey Bilhuber, and Alison’s first job was with Martyn Lawrence-Bullard and Tripp Haenisch. They were all great mentors to us.

How would you describe your design style? 
Warm Modern. Our company was founded on the idea that modern can be successfully combined with comfort and livability.

What do you do, or where do you go, for inspiration? 
Travel. We love finding inspiration in the disparate places that we visit and then re-interpreting things we’ve seen through the lens of our own design philosophy.

Photography by:  Boris Breuer

What is your favorite paint color to use for walls, ceiling, and trim? Why? What type of sheen do you prefer? Why?
Benjamin Moore Super White is a favorite. It is clean and crisp, and it looks great as a background for an art wall.

Photography by: Boris Breuer

What is your favorite furniture piece of all time (antique or new)? How were you able to use it in a particular project?
The U Chair by SPI Line. We designed this chair after a shopping trip to Palm Springs. It works in both modern and traditional spaces, and our favorite version has a rosewood frame with linen upholstery. We used the chair in front of a fireplace at a house in the Hollywood Hills.

Photography by: Boris Breuer
Who are your 3 favorite fashion designers and why?
Ralph Lauren because he created a lifestyle, not just a fashion line.  Proenza Schouler because they are a design duo like us, and because we love their modern sensibility. Carolina Herrera because it is classic.

Was there any lesson you learned early on in your career that has stuck with you? 
Photograph everything that you design. You never know when you might want to revisit a room or a product prototype. Sometimes it is nice to be able to look back in order to know how to move forward.

Photography by: Boris Breuer

What role does artwork play in your designs? Do you prefer to select the artwork before the furniture or find pieces later that fit within the design scheme? 
We do not think that the art should be purchased to match the room. Great art can stand on its own in any environment — you should absolutely not find a pink painting to match your pink bedroom. Art is its own thing, and should be purchased based on a client’s love of each piece and how it makes them feel when they look at it.

Photography by: Boris Breuer

What is the ultimate goal of all your projects? 
Our goal at SPI has been to create a modernist aesthetic that is warm and livable in a way that runs counter to the general understanding of modernism.  It seems that design magazines are often rife with interiors that are as sumptuous as they are inaccessible to the average person.  At SPI, we’ve consciously strived to hone an aesthetic that is both aspirational and accessible.  We have worked on projects with budgets both large and small, and are therefore focused on crafting harmonious spaces at any price.  Our philosophy is that good design can look and feel exclusive without actually excluding anyone.