SURPRISE! Creating the Unexpected in Design.
4/04/25
SURPRISE! Creating the Unexpected in Design.
By: Stephanie Andrews
Happy Friday!
Do you like surprises? Surprise Parties? (That’s a NO for me.) Surprise Guests? (Again, not usually.) Surprise Foods? (Sometimes…). Surprise in Design? (What is that?)
Synonyms for surprise: Awe, Amazement, Wonder, Magic. (There were also negative associations that had to do with warfare like surprise attacks, we will leave these out of this discussion!)
Interior Design Surprise is an elusive item to create with a client because it requires an in-depth knowledge of their style, how they live, and figuring out what may delight them. Tall order! It also requires a bit of magic and extra sensory perception by the designer to push the envelope and feel confident that it is the right thing to do.
I asked each designer on our team to share some of the projects in which they felt that they were able to achieve this level of design magic. I thought they might surprise you, as they did me. Some of the designs are older; others are from last month and even last week! As we get farther into the summer and fall, we are hoping to photograph most of them and share them with you.
First off is Andrea. She worked with a client on the entire first floor of their home, including the living room, dining room, and bar area. We got a chance to photograph this project in a project named Bohemian Harmony. Their special relationship started immediately, and the result was better than we could have ever expected.
Andrea’s boho bar project took color, lighting, and lighting to a magic place…here is the design page that she presented.
And the final result. That lighting!
Marlee shared a client with me that pushed so many boundaries: handpainted murals, colors like raspberry, pink, and goldenrod, handmade tiles, mushroom wallpaper, and even a hidden built-in door bookcase that leads to the laundry room! I love this tiny bungalow in Grant Park. It is a truly special client that partners with us to implement these unique ideas. Another challenge to this design is that every solution needs to be sustainable and free of any toxins. Here are some pictures that we took ourselves, and now we are just waiting to finish the professional photography. Brace yourself; this will be surprising.
Marlee’s rendering of the living room fireplace wall with upholstered benches and record storage.
A photo once the built-in bench was completed and the fireplace tile was installed.
Marlee creates a hiding laundry room behind a bookshelf in a little Grant Park bungalow. Oh yes-she also added pink cabinetry and mushroom wallpaper!
A squiggle mural and sustainable sofa made this TV space truly unique.
To create a design surprise, there also needs to be mutual trust and vulnerability. Why? Because it goes way beyond just getting the job done and staying within budget. This process takes time and requires questions and more questions, and then research to do the functional aspect and then find the inspiration for the artful final touches.
Jennifer was recently asked to design a foyer area. In addition to Slim Aarons’ art and framed art from their travels, Jennifer presented an incredible three-story custom mural for the stairwell. Now that is drama- I cannot wait to see this beauty go up!
Jennifer dared to do a 3 story mural for a client in Virginia Highland. This project is in production right now! Stay tuned…
Finally, I wanted to add a recent design that Melody is currently working on with our contractor. This was such an amazing project to watch grow. It started when both Melody and the client shared the same photos on their Pinterest boards. Next, they seemed to speak the same language with each other, part witchy foliage, part Victorian modern, part deep rich color. They just seemed to get each other and it was so much fun for me to witness! Here is the design that Melody and her client settled on -forest murals, moon phases for the stained glass window, and beautiful jewel tones. I cannot wait to see this one come to life!
Melody’s design rendering features a copper Japanese soaking tub, a snake rug, moon phases, and a gorgeous tree mural. Just a couple of surprises!
This is a new poolside project that I presented to a favorite client this week. She was looking for a spot to relax and enjoy with her grandchildren. (I had never seen a giraffe topiary before.)
After thinking about surprises more, maybe they are not so bad! I am going to walk through each room of my home and see if I can add a secret surprise to each space. Perhaps only I will know it is there…but it will surely make me smile. And finding those moments of awe and gratitude makes life so much more fun, don’t you think?
Have a great weekend,
Stephanie