My Home

by Charlotte Crystal
Interior Designer
http://www.charlottecrystalinteriordesign.com/
(Montreal, Quebec, Canada)

As an interior designer, I am often asked the question: “What makes an interior special?” My answer is always “ personality.” A lot of money can be spent ensuring that all the elements of a room are well-coordinated and beautiful, but what adds that special interest is what the clients personally bring into the interior by way of their collections, lifestyle, and culture.
I consider my own home special and original because it is infused with my love of pattern and colour, and my various collections. There is much for the eyes to enjoy and that is one of the greatest pleasures in my life—to come home and be home, to enjoy these things.
When I enter the small vestibule, I enjoy the effort I exerted to paint the custom-made wall-mounted bench to resemble the wallpaper border that surrounds it. This bench, the art on the walls, the hand-knotted rug, and leaded glass entry door are an introduction to my home where craft, art, pattern, and colour are prevalent.
I love the living-room where I can cozy up with a book or knitting in my favorite wing chair near the fireplace, or gaze at my blue-and-white porcelain collection. The art on the walls have grown to be dear friends, and wherever I sit there are fluffy pillows that I designed with pieces from my vast collection of antique textiles and needlework.
Across the hall, in the dining-room, my collection of signed first-edition books are displayed on bookshelves I designed for this purpose. The kilim rug covering the mahogany table and the hand-knotted rug on the floor lend much pattern and colour along with all the books, but it is all tempered with the solid colour of the upholstered chairs. The leaded glass in the doors leading to the kitchen reinforce the crafted look that I love.
In the kitchen there are more blue-and-white porcelains to enjoy and to accent the blue-and-white wallpaper. My love of craft and artistry inspired me to stencil the backsplash tiles with the same floral motifs as in the wallpaper, thereby unifying all the walls and ceiling. Doing this prevented a chopped-up effect in this small kitchen.
To conclude, wherever I look in my home, I enjoy these details that took time and effort to produce and make my home unique and very personal.