This is true.  Other than my poor husband, who unfortunately has to live in the design studio that we call our house, no one really questions the chaos that comes with creativity.

Whew! My newly reorganized design studio

Somehow, someway, out of all the piles and stacks of fabrics, trim, photographs, patterns and sketches, is born a design that is deliberate and that possesses clarity in its beauty and function.  Amazing!  But think about it: if I worried about the mess I was making every time I designed a room, would I really be as creative?  Maybe not.  I would feel incredibly stifled, not wanting to pull as many fabrics or samples out of my collection, and my designs would show too much restraint.

I think I’d rather be inspired and worry about clean up later. I am thinking about this because after all the products for this month’s projects have been ordered, I found myself in a sort of holding pattern, which opened up the last few days for the long overdue task of reorganizing my studio.  Oh, yes – the chaos finally got put away.  About time!

As an interior designer, I hate to admit that my own studio is completely utilitarian, at this point, with no reflection at all of my artistic inclinations, my preferences for color, or my personal sense of style.  Not to say that it will always stay this way, as I do have an idea of how I ultimately would design it. Love this look. Wish it were mine!

Love this look. Wish it were mine!

Here is a photo of a study from Country Living magazine that I absolutely LOVE.  I love the bold color palette – lime green with chocolate brown is one of my favorite combinations, but popped with bright pink, it’s simply stunning.  Beyond the colors, I love the fact that there is pattern on the walls.  It is a brave statement in this day and age, but definitely worth the commitment.  I love that the room is soft, and pretty, and is furnished for comfort AND beauty.  The overhead lighting does not have to come from a crystal chandelier, but it’s more beautiful that way.  Most of all, I love that this room is timeless.

I have no idea when this photograph was taken, and it doesn’t matter.  Whenever I decide to create this look for my own studio, it will look as gorgeous then as it does today and as it did when it was first created.

Leslie Sarmiento,
Interior Designer, Published Author & Speaker