“My style is driven by the architecture and the client, by the spirit of what we’re trying to create,” says Fern Santini, Texan interior designer. “But there are things I always keep in mind, no matter the architecture. I’m always looking for ways to juxtapose something new and fresh with something with a few hundred years of history. I always encourage clients to think in terms of the unexpected and unpredictable — it keeps it fresh and personal, never staid, canned or boring. It should never look like you tried too hard, contrived.”
Featured in a recent House Beautiful interview, Santini is making quite a name for herself as a luxury interior designer, especially in her home state of Texas. She’s been compared to award-winning architect and interior designer John Saladino, but unlike Saladino’s ‘rough and refined’ style, Santini adds to her spaces some hints of glamour and unexpected quirks.
“I like exposing clients to things that they never thought of or knew was there,” says Fern Santini.
“Luxury Interior Design” is a perfect name – that room is very luxurious!
I don’t see luxury, I see uptight. This doesn’t look like a room I could be comfortable in.
Breathless — from the mixture of the rough-hewn wood ceiling and its ironwork light fixture reflected in the ornate gilt mirror placed on the formal mantel. The “reclaimed” elements contrast effortlessly with the luxurious furnishings in soft neutral tones, providing interest through texture and vintage, rather than conventional color contrast. The soft, muted colors of the Persian carpet ties it all together by hinting at the woodtones of the ceiling, the lush gold silk taffeta of the draperies, the numerous antiques, and the accent tones of the pillows. The ironwork light fixture and matching drapery rod make perfect sense with the addition of the leapard print bench, appointed at that perfect height which allows a full circle of seating without abstructing the view of the coffee table and providing an airy,open feeling.
It is really beautiful living room with beautiful flowers.