<\/p>\nIt starts with the architecture. It\u2019s important that there is cohesion right through the home, and you don’t want the facade to feel separate from the interiors, so we try to keep those details consistent. I\u2019m currently doing a townhouse in New York and want to reinstate the grandeur that would have been, adding the molding back in, replicating what the skirtings should have been, infusing it with panels and ceiling roses that are as close to the original as possible. But then we look to the Californian aesthetic for the furniture and accessories, brining in linens, soft aspects, juxtaposing vintage and new pieces.<\/p>\n
How would you describe the Californian aesthetic that influences you? <\/p>\n
It\u2019s about deep comfy seating, woods, soft palettes, a focus on the materiality, rather than being overly fussy or ornate. I wouldn’t say I\u2019m a minimalist, as I like to source an abundance of treasures and fill the shelves with them. But then I\u2019ll pair that with something smooth and simple and refined and pared back, like a full marble bar.<\/p>\n
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How might you design a modern house, that doesn\u2019t give you the same freedom to play with period details?<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll find ways to bring other details through the house. Perhaps it\u2019s curved arches, that then get picked up by curved sofas and coffee tables, which will soften the angular corners of a newer build. Ultimately it\u2019s always about finding a balance, that\u2019s the key.<\/p>\n
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(Image credit: Enda Cavanagh\/Design by Katie Harbison)<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the one element that you think every room needs, no matter the size or style?<\/p>\n
Marble for sure – I adore it. I\u2019m using a lot of limewash and plaster on the walls as I love the texture. Our bases are always neutral bone colors, though in areas like powder rooms we do more color drenching, and in main living areas we bring in color through the marble. I particularly like stone with mossy green veining. I look for depth of color, rather than a stone being too deeply or overly veined.<\/p>\n
As you say, you\u2019re not a minimalist, but your spaces are still very pared back and each item has space in which to appreciate it. How do you approach that balance? <\/p>\n
I would say, when it comes to the larger piece of furniture, I’m always conscious not to put too much in a room. Then when it comes to putting things on shelves, I\u2019m interested in the negative space. It\u2019s not about cramming them wiht as much as you can, but should be about playing with different heights or shapes. I never look for straight or linear lines. <\/p>\n
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(Image credit: Nicole Franzen\/Design by Katie Harbison)<\/p>\n
Are there any eras you continually find yourself drawn to for reference or ideas?<\/p>\n
Yes, I\u2019m really drawn to the Renaissance period. It\u2019s a lot more ornate. We were in Florence, Italy, last year, and I spent the whole time looing at original architraves, how they integrated them with the marble and the baseboards and the doors. It was so inspiring.<\/p>\n
Is that same sense of wonder something you hope to inspire in the people who enter spaces you\u2019ve designed? <\/p>\n
I\u2019d like them to be calm and happy. You know when you\u2019re on vacation and you feel particularly comfortable and inspired because the hotel you\u2019re in is curated and well designed? That\u2019s what I look to achieve in a residential setting – it puts people at ease to be surrounded by spaces decorated in that way. <\/p>\n
And lastly, what do you think people often overlook when decorating their homes?<\/p>\n
Symmetry! This goes back to the Renaissance period, as symmetry is the foundation of design. But I don\u2019t need everything to be totally symmetrical – I\u2019m more interested in particular alignments of things like joinery and panelling. Then it\u2019s good to have one or two things inside the room that are just a bit off. I\u2019m putting a small mirror into a formal drawing room at the moment, on a wall you might expect a larger piece to go. But I feel like there is a lot surrounding it, and so to have something unexpected is where the balance comes in. It\u2019s where you get that little lift.<\/p>\n
See more of Katie’s work at Katie Harbison Interior Design<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Katie Harbison is the founder and creative force behind her eponymous design studio, known for crafting interiors that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":70370,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[6225,6485,6486,1120,96,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-70369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70369"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70369\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70369"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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