At Home with Carole of Dear Designer
Posted on | January 13, 2010 | 3 Comments
Hello everyone! I am SO happy to be posting an At Home interview today – it’s been awhile since I’ve posted one, but rest assured that I have a nice group of bloggers willing and ready to share their home with you! This year we’re kicking off the home tours with Carole King of Dear Designer’s Blog. Haven’t heard of her? Well, she’s fairly new to the scene – in fact, she just started her blog in November of 2009! I think you’ll like Carole, and not just because she offers free (yes, free) design advice, but because her blog is well written and full of gorgeous pictures and ideas.
Enjoy!
If you could give your personal style a name, what would it be? Hmm that’s difficult. My style is changing constantly, but I guess I would like it to be described as classic, timeless, and easy on the eye.
In reality, I am under the same constraints as everyone else. My home is a mixture of old and new, inherited and re-invented. None of us can throw things out every time we fancy a change and nor should we. It’s much better anyway, to adapt what we already have and use our creativity to make something old and tired, beautiful again.
Do you have a favorite designer that you admire? I have so many! I love Helen Green for her classic style, Tara Bernerd for her eclectic style, Clarissa Hulse, Neisha Crosland, Sue Timney (I once heard her give a talk and it was so inspirational – she has had an amazing life), Gail Taylor (Tailor Howes Designs), Kelly Hoppen, David Collins, the list would go on……
What is your philosophy on design? You should feel uplifted every time you walk in your front door. Our homes are our sanctuary – it’s a hard world out there! Summed up by the words of William Morris “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”
There is no excuse for living with ugly. If you hate it, get rid of it or change it. Paint doesn’t cost much, it just takes a bit of effort.
Have you tackled any home/diy projects recently? If so, which one is your favorite and do you love the results? I’m constantly re-decorating. Luckily my BF is a keen diy-er and is a total perfectionist. We have recently finished the bedroom and the hall/stairs and landing. I’m very proud of both. He does the decorating and I design the room and paint the furniture. Both contain my painted furniture with shiny new glass tops (a good tip for making things look more expensive).
Please tell us about your lovely blog! 
I’ve been addicted to reading blogs for a couple of years now but did not consider starting my own until quite recently (November 2009). It gradually dawned on me that starting my own might be a good way of documenting my own projects and maybe inspiring others along the way. The idea of offering free design advice to anyone who cares to email me is not as mad as it sounds. I’m only happy when I have a design project on the go and I’m running out of friends who are willing to indulge me!
If money weren’t an issue, what’s the #1 thing you’d change about your home? I’d have the garden landscaped. The BF and I will probably get round to it eventually but it is such a big messy job that I’d love to go away on holiday and come back to it already done.
In case anyone out there is listening, I’d like an entertaining area with a fire pit and low built in seating, a dining area with a barbeque near by, a modern water feature, and low maintenance planting. I like symmetry particularly and oh yes, I want atmospheric lighting.
What kind of home do you live in? It’s a 1930’s semi-detached house. Very suburban, with a front and back garden.
Whether you or rent your home… what about your home made you want to live there? (Was it the view? The hardwood floors? Small commute?) It was the garden really, its not massively overlooked considering it’s surrounded by other houses. Also it had a separate dining room and that was important to me at the time (although now I would love it to be more open plan).
My home style is… calm and uncluttered.
My fabric tastes… change constantly, which is why it takes me for ever to make up my mind and choose.
I’m fascinated by… photography. Something I wish I had more time to explore.
My favorite local shop is… Graham and Green. Not exactly local but it is in London.
My favorite piece is… anything that I have brought back from my travels.
My most treasured possession is… my pc these days. I spend so long on it each day!
My interior’s nightmare is… a single pendant light in the middle of the ceiling and no table lamps.
My biggest design pet peeve is… patterned carpets and coordinating anything.
My best tip is… only buy things because you absolutely love them not because they are practical.
My biggest source of inspiration is… interiors magazines, blogs and my travels.
If my house caught on fire, I would grab my pc on my way out the door.
I could not live without warmth and light in my home.
Thank you, Carole, for participating in my At Home series! I’ve enjoyed getting to know you better and peeking into your home. There are so many things I like about your home – from the green console in the hall to the stair landing… all the way to the reflection of wallpaper in the mirror on your dresser.
All the best!
Tags: carole king > dear designer's blog > home tour
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3 Responses to “At Home with Carole of Dear Designer”
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Hello!
My name is Kristin and, if the blog name didn't give it away, I'm an interior designer. I'm also a self - proclaimed nerd, a grad student at SCAD-Atlanta, and a big fan of architecture, photography, travel, and iced chais. In a nutshell: I'm a lover of good design of all kinds.
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Seen + Heard
January 13th, 2010 @ 2:01 pm
I love that first image so much with the black glass! I hope to someday be a part of this series; when we get our apartment all decorated and pretty!
January 13th, 2010 @ 5:34 pm
Kristin, thank you so much! I’ve never done anything like this before and enjoyed it immensely.
All the best for 2010.
Carole
Carole´s last blog ..Just My Imagination – Black and White Office
January 13th, 2010 @ 5:50 pm
[...] results can be seen here. I am very, very [...]