ARTWORK IS A GREAT WAY TO BLEND BECAUSE USUALLY BOTH PARTIES HAVE AGREED ON IT.”
Two styles can be blended in a number of ways— through artwork, colors, patterns and even shapes and lines. “Artwork is a great way to blend because usually both parties have agreed on it,” says Laura Keyes, interior designer with Robb & Stucky, Fort Myers. Keyes explains that incorporating existing treasured items with new pieces also helps to blend. “Colors can be blended, such as cool colors, the yellows and grays,” she says, pointing out that the cool colors can be found in many popular fabrics, including geometrics and transitional patterns. The patterns themselves can also be mixed and matched, though “the scale of the patterns must also blend,” adds Keyes.
Sometimes the decision- making involves more than two people, most likely in a commercial environment. In that case, even more styles and genres must be taken into consideration. “The style, genre and format are all considered, and also the type of materials we choose,” says Bergmann, who provides the example of using
WHILE AN ENTIRE HOME OR OFFICE— BOTH INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SPACES— CAN INCORPORATE THE SAME BLENDING OF TWO STYLES, SOMETIMES A ROOM, OR SPACE, IS SET ASIDE FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL’S TASTE.
traditional wood colors, such as dark mahogany or cherry, but applying it in a horizontal slat pattern, which is more of a contemporary look. When it comes to furniture, Bergmann might use a traditional frame with antique details, and then apply a more current, modern finish to the fabric, resulting in a blending of the two styles.
While an entire home or office— both interior and exterior spaces— can incorporate the same blending of two styles, sometimes a room, or space, is set aside for one individual’s taste. “A den is often dedicated for a husband, using the accessories that he wants,” says Keyes, who explains that at the very least a piece of furniture, such as a favorite recliner or desk, is incorporated.
To help clients visualize a blending solution, an entire room setting can be built in a showroom, such as the 65,000- square- foot space at Robb & Stucky. “Our showroom gives us the ability to build our clients’ vision right before their eyes,” says Keyes.
Sometimes the budget calls for a complete renovation, while at other times, there is a base to work with. “Updating an older, heavier, Mediterranean- style structure is not uncommon in Southwest Florida,” says Bergmann. The designer can often use the traditional base that’s already in the home but bring in a more current and contemporary feel— without breaking the budget, he explains. Bergmann’s design team is composed of six people, including a designer, furniture builder, business manager and design consultants, who collaborate to ensure that the best results are produced within the budget.
The proof that a design has been blended to the satisfaction of a couple with conflicting tastes is when both are happy to occupy the newly designed rooms. “When I hear weeks or months after completion that both parties enjoy sitting and using the rooms in their home, I know I have done my job,” says Keyes.