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.

Amy 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?

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.