Following yesterday’s interview with Darren Palmer, here’s a quick Q&A on what he hates in décor trends, his tips on getting it right yourself and who inspires him.
Q: What do people most commonly get wrong in their own homes?
A: I think one of the big mistakes people can make is to choose things that they like. What I mean by that is I often have people say I love this item, like a sofa or something, and I love this rug, and I really love this chair, but nothing seems to go together. The reason for that is you need to always start with the end in mind, have a focus, have a goal and have a concept or an idea to put into your interior before you even look at buying a single item. When you have an overview of what the finished outcome will be you can choose pieces that fit within the scheme, knowing that they will work before you get them home. And if you can’t, I can do that for you. The idea though is to start with the end in mind always, always, always. (Interiors Addict advises you to make yourself a mood board before you start, whether it’s a physical cut and stick or pin version, or using something online like Pinterest).
Q: Do you have any pet hates in other people’s home décor?
A: Feature walls. I speak about this from time to time and there are always exceptions to the rule but generally speaking you should avoid feature walls like the plague. Any design solution without a well thought out reason is probably not going to have the outcome that was intended. It’s great to make a statement, but like when you say something verbally, you need to think about what you saying before making any statement. Design needs rules.
Q: Who do you admire in Australian interior design and styling?
A: My mentor (who would probably prefer to remain nameless) is definitely number one. You’ve featured a few other people who I’m constantly inspired by in terms of what they manage to achieve, like Greg Natale and the amazing Sibella Court. That woman is a powerhouse. Every time we see each other I ask her how the world domination plans are going! My dear friend Stacey Kouros is a major talent (she was also on HomeMADE with me and WOW is she doing some great work). Steve Cordony from Belle Magazine is one super creative human too. I’m always amazed by how he brings things together and keeps pumping out new ideas.Gregory Mellor is very talented. He’s between South Africa and Australia now but I still think he’s one of the major design talents in the country.
