PURPOSEFUL DESIGN WITH KATHLEEN DIPAOLO

Kathleen DiPaolo is here today, and I'm excited to share her with you. Kathleen's both a talented interior designer, and a successful real estate professional.  She uses her knowledge and experience to create beautiful interiors for her clients while adding value to their homes.

Thank you so much for inviting me to share my take on Purposeful Design!  I love how this subject hit a nerve with your readers- including me!!  Design has so many purposes.  We design a space to evoke a feeling, to bring a family together, to get a space ready to sell, to entertain with ease, to make one happy and to help organize!

When I design a room or a home, I begin by determining the purpose of the space, in order to make the best selections. Purpose is so subjective that I often find myself in the role of “marriage counselor” to define a mutual purpose for a couple!  Ha!  My goal is that you can see the purpose and it invokes a feeling with a quick glance at the space.  I will show several living rooms I designed and state their purposes below.

This living room was designed to be a serene showroom for my client’s many collections, including California plein-air paintings, early American antique furnishings and antique blue and white.  Their previous house had many of the same pieces, but the fabrics made the house feel like a museum.  The fabrics we selected are beautiful, but they purposefully take the back stage to everything else.  They are soft, yet elegant- just like my clients!

The goal in the space below was to create a cozy, soothing environment where my clients could relax and entertain.  A big challenge was that the ceilings were 14’ high and the room was 22’ long!  I had to put lighting at many different levels in an attempt to make the space cozy.  I placed the fireplace at eye level, so you could snuggle by the fire. My clients love red wine, so fabrics had to be bullet proof. So the order was cozy and open, yet bullet proof.

This next space was designed for comfort while paying tribute to my client’s antiques that had been handed down from her parents.  The space was right off the entry, so the vibe had to hit you in the eye as soon as you walked in.  Sophisticated, yet intimate and did I mention she has 2 golden retrievers and three children?  So, a little durable fabric selection was a part of the order.

This living room below was designed for the worst client of all- me!  Ha!  I wanted a space that made me happy.   Green is my favorite color, so I cloaked the room in it.  My husband and I have three kids and a dog that loves to lounge on the sofa.  Don’t judgeJ  So, I poured scotch guard on everything.  I have spilled my coffee on the sofas too many times to admit – and they still look great!

 Thanks, again, Jennifer!!  I loved thinking about this!  xoxo, K

Thank you, for sharing your gorgeous work, Kathleen!

Did you notice that each of the four living areas above is a completely different style? It's obvious that Kathleen is truly designing to create spaces that suit her client's individual tastes and purposes. She's is a very busy lady who has lots of interesting and exciting things in the works.  I'll be sharing more about her soon.