Charleston-based interior designer (and friend) Angie Hranowsky has a knack for creating colorful, eclectic homes, and was kind enough to share some decorating tips for us that will help anyone from newlyweds to new parents create a space worthy of praise and publishing. She is my favorite!
Your rooms don’t necessarily evoke traditional Charleston design, and we love that you’re constantly shaking it up. Where do you look for outside inspiration and how do you keep your designs feeling fresh?
I’m inspired everyday by my daughter Loulou and her constant creativity and ability to throw to together insanely cool outfits. I also follow fashion trends and have a never ending library of magazine and design books- new and old- that I pour through. Not to mention blogs and traveling.
What would you recommend for couples who are looking to combine their slightly different styles in their new home together?
If it’s really important to each person that their aesthetic is represented then it’s important to find a way to marry the two. You don’t want to divide up rooms and have the house feel choppy. Try balancing the space with color and bring in some antique or vintage pieces to mix in with what you have. It may require purging a few existing pieces and bringing in new new items that will help to unify the space.
And what about when they have a baby on the way… any tips for creating a nursery that can evolve with the child as they get older?
I love designing nurseries that can evolve as the baby grows into their toddler years and beyond. Long gone are the nurseries filled with ducks and cartoon characters. Come up with an interesting and fun color palette. Fill it with cool lighting and soft textures like fuzzy rugs. Opt for converting a dresser into a changing table. Then you still have a nice piece of furniture for their room when the diapering days are over. Don’t think strictly baby. Go at it with more originality and sophistication.
What design trends are you completely over and what would you like to see more of?
I’m tired of Hollywood glam and chinoiserie. I always want to see more originality. Less is more for me, the more unique and less prolific the better.
Last but not least, any exciting things in the works that you can share with our readers?
I’m working on two great beach houses on Sullivan’s Island and Folly Beach. One is a modern house designed by my client’s architect father and the other is a home with a large open floor plan and breathtaking views of the intracoastal.
