Accessible design is something our industry tends to struggle with expecially during these trying times sans a few of our favorite retailers, and budget-friendly makeovers generally end up inspired by the pages of catalogs.  Kristian Cunningham, HGTV’s Design on a Dime host and Rachel Ray show regular, lent some of her expertise to us about how design updates do not have to break the bank, and fresh ideas are easier thank you think.

LoftLife: Give us some background.  How did you get into interior design?  And more importantly, how did you become so handy?

Kristian Cunningham: I knew from the time I was a young girl that I wanted to be a designer- never wanted to do anything else. So after school, I moved to LA and started out assisting several designers and running showrooms- freelance drafting at night to make extra cash- until I landed my dream job at a small firm.  And then the TV thing happened very accidentally.

On the day I found out that I had the Design on a Dime job, my new boss said, “and you sew, right?” I told her, “of course I do”, and headed to Sears that night to buy a sewing machine.  A pillow for my debut DOD install was the first thing I’d sewn since high school Home Ec, (I was still trying to figure out how to thread the bobbin at 3 in the morning!) and after that it was sink or swim.  I encourage people to learn as they go along because that’s exactly how I did it.  First week on the job, I had the boys show me how to use a chop saw and by the next I was making projects that incorporated miter cuts.  Same thing with the table saw, pneumatic nailer and so on.  Four years later, I had a garage outfitted so well that the neighborhood fathers came to me to borrow tools! And I’m still learning…

LL: Design on a Dime has never been more relevant than it is right now.  People are spending less money and more time at home.  What are the easiest, budget friendly changes you can make on a dime?

KC: I’ve said it a million times, but the biggest bang for your buck will always be paint.  It may take you a weekend, but a space can be entirely transformed for under $100.  And don’t underestimate the power of rethinking and rearranging the things you already have.  After we live with our spaces for awhile, we stop seeing the possibilities, so getting a fresh perspective from another set of eyes can do wonders.  Ask a friend who’s taste jives with yours to come over and make some suggestions- I always call on my “partner in design”, Ruth.  We go to brunch and then  back to each other’s houses to “play”, as our guys like to call it.  By the time the boys get back from the beach, the spaces look completely different and neither one of us had to spend a dime.

LL: What are some of the most common design dilemma’s you come across?

KC: I get a lot of emails and makeover requests from folks who are trying to figure out how to get the most use out of every square inch of their homes- whether it’s creating more storage or carving out a home office.  Sourcing the right multifunctional pieces and creating a good space plan can be life changing for people who feel they’ve outgrown their spaces.

I also get a lot of cries for help from people who are fully aware that  they’ve overdone it- whether it’s a theme or a color, or just room after room of the same wood tone.  Sometimes, my job is to just be an editor, and to help people reign it all back in.

LL: DIY-K (Do It Yourself – Kinda) is our take on the DIY movement, as many of us are not as good with tools as we’d like to be.  What are some tips and tricks to fake it till your skills make it?

I like the kinda part!, and it’s more relevant now than ever.  I think that design enthusiasts have been inspired by the DIY movement over recent years (thanks to the plethora of super design shows ; ), shelter mags, and design websites!), and the current economic environment is forcing those who were hesitant to jump in, to be more proactive in getting things done themselves.  Luckily, there’s info available online for everything from fixing a leaky toilet to building a table.  For people who aren’t familiar enough with power tools to feel comfortable taking on projects that involve them, barter!  Find a friend or coworker who’s got skills and figure out a service that you can trade-heck, they might even do it for pizza and a six pack!  While you have someone with know-how right there in your home, take the opportunity to watch and learn- ask questions!

Most people don’t start out with a garage full of tools (and people who live in the city wouldn’t have a place to put ‘em anyhow!), but you can rent just about anything from Lowe’s or Home Depot for a small fee, and it’s a great way to kind of “test drive” different tools before taking the plunge and investing in them.  Just be sure to have someone there with you ANYTIME you’re running power tools.  You gotta respect those beasts! And take a breather when you’re frustrated.

LL: Now that you’re programmed to design on a budget, what do you consider the most well worth decorating splurges?

KC: Good white sheets.  I still make every attempt to buy them on clearance, mind you, but I value my sleep time immensely and it’s worth every  penny to wake up deliriously happy thanks to delicious bedding.  The white part is important- it’s classic and bleachable, which is imperative if you make a habit of eating in bed and sleeping in mascara.  I do both, thank you very much.

And good hardware.  You can make a junky piece look bespoke, or a builder’s special kitchen look custom with the right hardware.  When the details look high-end, the rest of the space seems to get elevated by association.  Oh, and good lampshades!  You can spend a jillion dollars getting everything just right, but a cheap white shade can ruin a room.  It’s the details, I tell ya.

LL: What are your favorite projects you’ve had the opportunity to work on?

KC: Designing a pop-up restaurant for an event that President Bill Clinton co-hosted with Rachael Ray was incredibly exciting, and last year I made over center field at Minute Maid Stadium (home of the Houston Astros) into a wedding venue where 40 couples simultaneously married.  Both of these projects were installed and broken down in less than 24 hrs!  I also participated in Hollywood Life Magazine’s “Young Hollywood Home” at the PDC last year, and designed and installed  the “Gibson Lounge”.  I was loaned 3 Les Paul’s, a piano and these sick vintage amps  to create a space where musicians could perform and an audience could get liquored up and relax.  This space was one of my personal favorites, and was able to live for a whopping 3 weeks before being disassembled- new coffered, wallpapered ceiling and all

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have worked side by side with some of the most talented, committed and fun contractors and tradesmen on the planet.  Every project, in every city, has brought me new friends- whether it’s a Habitat for Humanity build or a TV makeover.  I love the comradery that forms on a jobsite so, after hundreds of ‘em, I still cry at the end of every single project. Picking a favorite would be like having to pick a favorite kid!

LL: Aside from your work on HGTV and Rachel Ray, any other exciting news we can share?

KC: I recently joined the team at Raymour & Flanigan as their resident designer, where I’ll be providing tips and advising customers about their product.  I’ll also be appearing as a judge on HGTV’s $250,000 Challenge, a new design competition premiering May 31st, as well as a few more exciting projects in development ; )

12/3/08

From the start of this season’s Top Design, one designer stuck out as the obvious front-runner to us. With stints at Alexandra Champalimaud & Associates and NathanEgan Interiors, New York-based designer Nathan Thomas displayed an approach to design that would enhance any loft. Following a well-deserved win on the Bravo series, he has now launched his own eponymous design firm, Nathan Thomas Studios.

We had the opportunity to ask this season’s Top Design winner a few questions about his artistic sensibility.

LoftLife: First things first: Season One’s finale was a loft challenge and you were tasked with a nondescript townhouse. Which kind of space do you prefer to work with?

Nathan Thomas: In comparing both finale spaces, the loft of Season One and the townhouse of Season Two, I would have to say that the loft speaks to me more in a designer’s vocabulary versus a townhouse. I find the architecture of cast iron or old warehouse with soaring windows to be full of personality and possibility.
The bones of a real loft space are historical, and conjure up ideas of modernity and sophistication. I tend to view architecture of the late 19th century and its prospects of re-purpose as so relevant today. Although I was very happy with outcome of my town home in the finale, I feel I only achieved that by channeling an idea of a more architectural spirit. It was a builder’s home, void of character and personality. This is the true test of a designer/decorator, however. The ability to look beyond what may be a dull and vacant space and transform that into something special and unique.

LL: Your artwork tends to be such a striking focal point. What draws you to a piece? When do you work it into the design process, at the beginning or the end?

NT: When decorating interior spaces, whether they be commercial, residential, private, or public, artwork plays such a crucial role in the outcome and total package. I have always been deeply connected to art and have never felt like a room should be designed around art. Rather, the art is the piece de la resistance, the bonus, the firework!

LL: How did your philosophy surrounding artwork play itself out on the show?
NT: During the filming of this show, I shopped my artwork prior to finishing a space. What I tried to do was really search out the personality of work – look for pieces that spoke volumes to me and that I knew would have great visual impact. As you saw in my townhouse, I incorporated both kinetic sculptures and paintings, plus a painting that I actually created!

LL: Which designers have you admired or have inspired you along the way?

NT: Good question! I draw inspiration in so many ways. Fashion designers are also a huge part of my “sketchbook.” I have always looked to the classic houses of Hermès, Balenciaga, and YSL for strong ideas and classic elements but enjoy the cutting edge viewpoint of Viktor & Rolf and Comme des Garçons.

Fashion and Interiors are an intermingled industry. I find interior designers and decorators are constantly drawing cues from the fashion world. However, the classic interiors of Mario Buatta and Larry Laszlo are also wonderful springboards for any designer to look to for inspiration. Their interiors are graceful, well thought out, and memorable.

LL: What are your favorite online sources of design inspiration?

NT: I have recently been introduced to Design*Sponge. Fantastic site full of ideas, resources, and inspiration.

(Above: Loud art packs a punch in this office project from Nathan’s previous firm, NathanEgan Interiors)
LL: Any exciting projects we can expect from you next, as well as with the launch of Nathan Thomas Studios?

NT: Absolutely! Stay tuned for some new work to be posted on my website. I am finishing a great salon called DELUXE in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It’s a very young, hip, fashionable space with a lot of attitude and personality. The space is loft-like with some great details. I commissioned an artist to do a very large over-scaled wall painting that reads very “street” inspired. Also, I am launching a line of custom upholstered chairs that are growing in popularity and will be more readily available soon. I am working on decorating an apartment on lower Fifth Ave for an important fashion executive. It’s been tons of fun through use of color and repurposing old furniture. Stay tuned to the website Nathan Thomas Studios as it is ever expanding.

For a recap of the whole season, check out Bravo’s Top Design here.

Posted by Erin Ryder