What many of us see when looking at a room are four walls, a floor and a ceiling, but when an interior designer looks at the same room, he or she sees a canvas on which to create a beautiful space.
“An interior designer really guides your vision and allows you to see the full potential of what a room can be and what it can look like,” says Christina Brennan, a certified interior designer and owner of The Style Studio NY, which opened in 2018. “True luxury is a home that's inspirational, comfortable and complete.”
She feels the design should take into account the taste, interests and personalities of clients first, and then combine that with the architecture of their home. Christina defines her style as luxury modern classic, which incorporates pieces that homeowners already have with more contemporary pieces and finishes. “We work with a lot of people who say, ‘My grandmother gave us this chest so let's rework it, or let's refurbish it and update this piece.’ And we make it work.”
The favorite part of her job is showing her clients the final reveal. “I would say install day is probably the most gratifying because when the client sees the room completely done, it's such a wow factor and they're so happy,” says Christina. “Up until then, they may have been second-guessing themselves, but we guided them in making the right decisions, which is the most satisfactory part of it. When they see how great it all turned out, it’s really rewarding.”
She and her team find the most impactful part of any design is the artwork. “Many people have a really hard time with scale. We just did a job in Madison and when we installed the art piece, which was gorgeous and just huge, the clients emailed us saying how happy they were with how the art piece just makes the room so excellent.”
The hard thing with design, she explains, is only being able to see the image or room on a computer at first. “Even if you're looking at a 3D rendering, it looks totally different when it's to scale and in person. Plus, you don’t get that whole tactile part.”
The Style Studio NY has done designs for many local homes including those in Chatham, Short Hills, and Morristown, and works with all different budgets. “I focus on a timeless design and use the best quality possible,” says Christina. “I believe in designing a room once and doing it right.”
To discover the potential and style in your home, go to thestylestudiony.com/.