Dream Homes

A warm welcome today to the very talented Kristy Swain who has popped in to answer a few questions for us. I have been following Kristy for some time here on blog land & totally adore her work so I am very excited to have her here with us today for my dream homes series.


I'm thrilled that Sarah invited me to be part of her series. I'm an interior designer in Austin, TX and I blog .
over at Hyphen Interiors




1. What inspires you as a designer when creating a space for someone else?
I am inspired by so much. It may be just driving down the street and a particular scene makes me stop dead in my tracks and stare, and then start to put a space together in my head based on the colors or textures in the scene. I'm also inspired by show rooms and magazines at times, but probably even more so by blogs and Pinterest. It's such a great daily source of inspiration.

Some of my favorite designers are Jonathan Adler, Kelly Wearstler, and Sarah Richardson.
The spaces  below are in that order, by each of those designers


However, I do agree with Sarah at Modern Country Style - too much inspiration can muddy my vision. I like so many styles and that can be an issue. Part of my job is editing what is good down into something that is great and perfect for that space. so it's important to know what direction you want to go and not muddy the water too much.

2. Would you say you have a signature taste when creating spaces? I'd call my personal taste eclectic. I like a mixture of things. Right now, I love rustic chic designs where you mix rustic country elements with metal industrial and glam chic. However, it really depends on my mood and what inspiration I had that day. I love and appreciate so many styles. But, in the end, I almost always mix at least a couple of styles. I feel it adds warmth and character and more of a collected feel. I also like a simple uncluttered look in a room, as I'm a person who needs that in order to feel like I can dream and be productive. I love color and pattern. I have tried to have monochromatic rooms in my home and inevitably, I must add color. I just
feel blah without it.
 

I also love a touch of the unexpected. Isn't that yellow island unexpected yet awesome!



 3. What interior items are on your 'I want' list?
I'm practical. So, I read this as what do I feel like I need to finish up spaces in my home. Right now, in my own home, I'm looking for some good (but inexpensive) preserved boxwood topiaries for my dining table. I just couldn't keep the succulents I had alive! So, I'm going the preserved route. I love to see some plants (preferably live) in a space. It makes a big impact. I also need to find just the right rug for our office, maybe sheepskin. I'm not certain yet. The shape of the room makes it tricky, so an organic shape seems best. One other thing that I want for sure and we just have to find time to go across town and order is a large piece of acrylic to make a giant white board with for my husband's office. We had this at our last house, but left it for the new owners due to how fragile it is to move. Loved it. So, we're doing it again at this house!



4. Tell us a bit about what would be your dream home and what would be the key elements to making it perfect for you?
I think of this in terms of both style and what I would change about my current home. I love our current home (we just moved in 6 months ago after relocating from Phoenix) in Austin. However, I am not a fan of the kitchen tile. It's not quite neutral enough for me and forces us to bring in warmer tones. So, I'd change that - my dream home would have neutral tile in bathrooms, but wood throughout all other areas. My dream home would also have a huge sink in the laundry room and lots of countertop space. We had that in
Phoenix, but not here.
 

My dream home would definitely have tons of molding and trim. I am such a sucker for that - give me all the window trim, wainscoting, wall panels, and board and batten that you can! Bring it on! My dream home would have a pool. We had a pool in Phoenix and we miss it. My dream home would be warm, welcoming and comfortable. It doesn't have to be large, as long as the common spaces are able to easily hold guests
and the layout works for us.
 

Thanks for having me, Sarah!