Elements of Design
with Thom Filicia
Pure Style
As savvy style lovers know, good design
is everywhere these days. Finding it
isn’t the issue. Sorting through all the
wonderful options available to create
cohesive, well-integrated, and personal
rooms is.
First, you need a point of view. I
start with a dozen or more nouns and
adjectives (like, say, “pure,” “romantic,”
or “organic”) that describe my basic
design
philosophy.
Each one
of these
words means
something
specific in the
language of
interiors, suggesting an extended family
of suitable materials, color palettes,
forms, textures, floor coverings, fabrics,
furnishings, and accessories for any
given project, which is of course open to
each of our personal interpretations.
Plenty of
people today,
for example,
want to come
home to a
refuge, a
sanctuary,
an antidote
to life’s hectic daily pace. They want
what I would call “pure” design. This is
design that’s honest, that refreshes, that
doesn’t try to be something it’s not. It’s
a distinctly sincere, American approach
to design.
To create a soothing environment,
select a nicely edited, tightly disciplined
palette of neutrals and naturals. Neutrals
have the anonymity and flexibility to
work well with everything: they relax
the eyes. Naturals, on the other hand,
make a defined statement; they suit
some styles, but not others—both
tend to reflect light back into a room,
endowing it with a kind of serenity, and a quiet visual
optimism.
When
choosing
decorating
styles, pair
complementary
materials
and motifs with appropriate decorating
efforts—in other words—forego the
grass cloth if you’re doing Art Deco.
Floor coverings set the mood with
one broad stroke, defining the design
direction and providing a foundation
for what the room can become. Take a
Karastan plush, tufted carpet such as
Alamitos Bay,
for example.
This
luxurious
style isn’t a
solid, per se,
but a flecked
neutral. In
colorations such as the oatmeal-like
Cracked Reed or granite-like Calico,
it lays the groundwork for a casual,
comfortable space that’s about kicking
back and relaxing. Karastan’s SisalWool
collection,
offering a
soft, textured
solid group
of designs,
works the
same way,
providing a comfortable, durable
background for just about any
decorating style.
Karastan’s Alamitos Bay and SisalWool Collection, as well as many
other designs like them, can be the
initial building blocks of a spa-like
environment, pleasing the hand as
much as the eye. These natural wool
carpets invite you to sit or even lie down
on them, and they embrace you when
you do. When there’s a choice, opt for natural fibers. They’re “pure” in the
strictest sense of the word, and always
beautiful,
healthy, and
smart. Not only are they more durable and easier to keep clean because of their natural resilience to dirt and soiling, but wool is non-allergenic, crush resistant and naturally flame retardant.
Carpets like
these inspire
the use of
beautiful
woods,
quarried
stones as
well as wall
coverings of woven natural fibers or
grass—other “pure” materials creating
a careful
balance
of warm
and cool
elements.
This mix
results in
an informal
space that feels like it responds to the
earth, and actually is closer to nature.
Pure design
is where we’re
all heading.
It’s the first
step in great
design, just
like the
right carpet
underfoot.
What better way to stay grounded than
with a Karastan carpet or rug?
© 2007 Thom Filicia, Inc. All Rights Reserved
www.thomfilicia.com
