Serendipity Design Market Digest

Each year, Serendipity magazine creates a special Design Market Digest to showcase the latest styles in textiles, products and interiors in the Westchester County area.

Each year, Serendipity magazine creates a special Design Market Digest to showcase the latest styles in textiles, products and interiors in the Westchester County area.  I was happy to submit a Q&A for this featured issue and am pleased to be able to share it below.  You can see the original piece in the recent Serendipity Design Market Digest, along with many other great products, projects, and designers.

SerendipityAmy Aidinis Hirsch

For over a decade, Amy Aidinis Hirsch has been designing elegantly crafted interiors.  Each design begins with a deep understanding of architecture and the history of each site and the ability to listen and understand a client’s needs.  The resulting interiors are always sophisticated and original, and have been featured in magazines including House Beautiful, At Home, and New England Home.

What inspired you to become a designer?Serendipty 2

My father works on high-end residential homes as a plumbing and heating contractor.  As a young girl, I was fortunate to always see the floor plans and walk through impressive and large caliber homes designed by great designers such as Tony Ingrao, Thierry Despont, and David Easton.  At the time they were under construction, but you could see the craftsmanship, reclaimed materials and history within the spaces.  I fell in love immediately with the thought of collaborating and building something from the ground up.

What influences your designs the most?

Fashion is a huge influence.  I love looking ahead at the color forecast an dhow pieces are tailored, and I appreciate the intricate attention to detail in couture pieces.  I love the idea of curating collections.

What’s your design process like?

Honestly, I am a tornado.  I try to bring in as much product as possible — carpets, fabrics, tiles, etc. — that I feel is appropriate for a project and then I begin to edit.  I have to make sure I explore every possible element.  I am constantly hunting, sourcing and reading to find out what is in the industry.

Any particular places you turn for inspiration?

The beach — it’s a safe heaven and peaceful.  It recharges my energy and spirit and allows me to focus on what I am trying to create.

Do you have a design icon?

David Collins, S. R. Gambrel, Jean Louis Denoit, and David Kleinberg — gifted architects and designers who exemplify impeccable taste.

What colors do you love now?

Sultry, saturated colors that have depth and are rich in pigment, like persimmon, ink, plum.  I am interested in integrating unusual colors together in a way that is unexpected and out of the ordinary.

What are three key pieces that every home should have?

Pillows, books, and artwork.

What are your top three design rules?

I honestly do not have rules.  Rules can get tricky and establish a barrier.  As a designer, my best tool is to listen to our clients’ needs and particulars.

What one thing do you always keep in mind?

Scale/proportion:  It’s essential when making selections and pairing furnishings together.

 

What Inspires Me: Feathers

I love the look of feathers, especially how intricate and saturated the colors can be.

I love the look of feathers, especially how intricate and saturated the colors can be.  You get such a sultry, silky feel with feathers.  When I think of feathers, I think layers, texture, and tonality.

FeathersFeathers 10Feathers 3Imagine how thrilled I was when a client who is building a home in Montana brought up the idea of incorporating feathers into her interior!  Sometimes it’s funny the way things come full circle.

Feathers can be present in small doses as an accent, such as a lampshade.  It would make a dynamite back wall for a bookcase, or in a piece of art.

Feathers 5Feathers 4Feathers 6Feathers 7Feathers 9

Method Monday

This design scheme came about while I was working with an existing client, brainstorming ideas for their dining room.

This design scheme came about while I was working with an existing client, brainstorming ideas for their dining room.  I wanted to do something glamorous.  The adjacent family room and kitchen included a lot of yellow, so for the dining room I decided to insert some brass for a touch of glimmer.  The room is somewhat small and intimate, so I wanted to smother it in saffron.  I thought of silk walls, saturated drapes, and a pure gradation of the same tone.  The light fixture is something I really fell in love with.  Because the plan for the walls and window treatments is monochromatic, the rug provides contrast.  The resulting scheme has a depth of color reminiscent of summer and happiness.

Amy Aidinis Hirsch Interior Design

Clifford Ross

When the latest copy of Architectural Digest arrived, the feature about photographer Clifford Ross immediately caught my eye.

When the latest copy of Architectural Digest arrived, the feature about photographer Clifford Ross immediately caught my eye.  I am just fascinated with his photos of the ocean.

Clifford Ross 1A New York native, Ross earned his BA in Art and Art History from Yale in 1974.  He began his career with painting and sculpture, not turning to photography until the 1990s.  His large scale black and white photos in the Hurricanes series from 1996 represent a milestone in his photography career.  He captured these incredible shots during hurricanes by actually going into the water, keeping himself tethered to an assistant on land.

Clifford Ross 9Clifford Ross 8Clifford Ross 4I have always been so drawn by the water and find Ross’s photos of rolling surfs and hurricane waves to be ridiculously beautiful.  He really puts himself in harm’s way to capture these moments, creating work that is truly special.

Clifford Ross 3Clifford Ross 5Clifford Ross 2Ross’s work has been exhibited widely in the United States, Europe, Brazil, and China.  It can also be found in many public collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.  You can see more of his work on his website.

Weekend Antique Shopping

This past weekend, I took a stroll through the Antique and Artisan Gallery and Hiden Galleries in Stamford.

This past weekend, I took a stroll through the Antique and Artisan Gallery and Hiden Galleries in Stamford.  With over 20,000 square feet and dozens of prominent dealers, the Antique and Artisan Gallery is a treasure trove of incredible antiques.  I could spend days browsing the various vignettes and never get tired of finding new items to love.  Here are some of my favorite finds:

Amy Aidinis Hirsch Greenwich Design 1 Amy Aidinis Hirsch Greenwich Design 2 Amy Aidinis Hirsch Greenwich Design 3 Amy Aidinis Hirsch Greenwich Design 4 Amy Aidinis Hirsch Greenwich Design 5 Amy Aidinis Hirsch Greenwich Design 6I also enjoyed a stop at Hiden Galleries, although covering 48,000 square feet and 250 dealers takes more than just a stop!  Hiden Galleries features constantly changing collections of vintage finds and antiques.  From furnishings to accessories and lighting to rugs, there are just so many incredible pieces to explore.  I found a lot to love at Hiden Galleries!

Amy Aidinis Hirsch Greenwich Design 7 Amy Aidinis Hirsch Greenwich Design 8 Amy Aidinis Hirsch Greenwich Design 9 Amy Aidinis Hirsch Greenwich Design 10Did you discover anything wonderful this weekend?