How can you use interior design to increase the value of your home?
There are different aspects of interior design that many people don’t recognize. Interior design is not just about the furniture, window treatments rugs etc. That’s the distinction between a decorator and a designer. An important part of my business is working with architects and developers in the design and development of a residence, or commercial space. Getting to understand the client's needs and the anticipated use of a space provides me the ability to create a plan of how a room should be furnished. Even before any furnishings are brought into a space, the design of a home must be well thought out. A designer is best suited to select materials such a stone, wood, metals, tile etc. By incorporating the services of an interior designer, you will certainly be using some of the most beautiful materials available.
Many clients trust in me to find beautiful high-end materials specifically to add value and luxury to their projects, often at the same cost at as lower grade products. Through the introduction of these finer materials into the scope of the project, a great deal of value can be added to your home.
What is the most unusual interior design request you’ve received in your time as an interior designer? How did you go about executing it?
It’s a tie. My clients Max and Lubov Azria challenged me with two interesting design challenges for their home in Los Angeles.
The first is the 25’ tall chandelier in their foyer. Ms. Azria saw an art installation on a trip and loved the idea and the sparkle of the sculptural piece. From this original inspiration, I designed the chandelier. This was quite challenging and a great deal of engineering had to go into its production and installation. It’s anticipated weight, over 3000 lbs., required us to retrofit a steel girder on the roof within the skylight to support its weight. The chandelier itself is actually comprised of stacking 2’ tall sections of a chromed central tube with hundreds of holes throughout. Through the entire length of the central tube were pulled thousands of fiber optic cables. I was on scaffolding for two weeks with my crew pulling the fibers through the tiny holes with tweezers to create the illumination. Attached to this central tube are 4 concentric chromed steel circles which the Egyptian lead crystals were strung from. This is probably my favorite piece I’ve designed. It’s quite magical at night.
The second would be Ms. Azria’s request to create a feeling of “dining under water” in the ballroom.
Being an avid scuba diver, I was inspired by the Kelp forests off the island of Catalina in California and the way the light shines through the water and bounces around. It’s breathtaking. First, I had to have the entire ceiling covered with wood to support the weight of my creation. Once the wood was applied, I laid out exactly where we would need holes drilled to install metal hooks. I then had the entire ceiling mirrored with the tiny holes pre-drilled to accommodate the hooks. The next part was a bit dangerous. I designed three different patterns of vines and had 450 of them laser cut out of sheets of polishes steel. The sheets arrived flat packed and we had to twist, curl and bend each piece, they were razor sharp. Once they were sufficiently shaped we mounted them to the face of the mirror. The ceiling seems to go on forever and it’s incredibly sparkly.
For more information on Aly Daly, visit her Haute Residence profile and website.
