Most Canadians know Dee Dee as one of the country’s leading architects and interior designers, and, thanks to Oprah (Dee Dee has been on her show three times!) most Americans do too. Now, they can add author to her list of many accomplishments. Here, she invites The September into her home to chat about her new book, her upcoming scented candle and how she likes to live in style…
PART 1: HOME WITH AN ARCHITECT
- How would you describe your personal style?
DDTE – Timeless elegance: style re-defined.
- Is your home a reflection of your style and, if so, how?
DDTE – My home is a collection of years of living and it depicts who I am. For example, I have a French gilded sofa from when I first started collecting antiques mixed with another sofa l designed, which is more contemporary but based on the formal lines of the antique style. Both have the same silk-linen grey fabric happily blending together. The overall look is edited and enriched.
- A lot of people have homes that, while beautifully furnished, don’t reflect the image they present to the world. Should people “match” their houses? Should we choose decorative items that relate to our image?
DDTE – Homes are personal: they can match who you are or not. It’s really a personal decision. I’ve lived in places where I’ve presented a different image to the world and that’s ok. Once I lived in a very formal classic setting with fabric walls and crystal drapery rods where my look was elegant old-world mixed with soft pastel colours. Now my look is all about being surrounded by what you love in a white background (white floors, walls and ceilings) and letting each piece make an individual statement loaded with boldness and colour.
- The idea of always changing brings up the question of rules and your aptly named new e-book, Dee Dee’s Rules. Tell us about the inspiration for this.
DDTE – I’m inspired every day to be good really good at all aspects of my life. I wrote a book that flows from my superlative knowledge of design and I really wanted to share my collective knowledge. My book offers 365 design rules, one for every day of the year based on room typology, for example kitchens, baths, living rooms – all the rooms that make up a home. I’ve expanded this to my new book entitled Dee Dee’s Rules: NYC, which is due to be released next year. It’s based on when I moved to New York in 2013. I lived there for a year and made NYC my own!
- Dream artwork?
love Sargent portraits and Damien Hirst butterflies.
- Favourite room in the house?
DDTE – My favourite room is the adult third-floor living room. I call it the adult living room because it is the master suite floor – the children have the floor below. It’s close to the roof garden and a perfect place for formal relaxing, but I do allow the kids and the dogs up every now and again!
- Favourite scented candle?
DDTE – I love Nest Candles, pure, clean air smells and anything by Jo Malone. I don’t do sweet and I’m currently working on my own scented candle. I’m always searching for the perfect scent and love rose, peony and lily of the valley mixed with the smell of fresh air. That’s why I’m designing my own candle. It’s called Today’ and it’s a scent that is both nostalgic and contemporary.
- Trend you can’t wait to leave behind?
DDTE – I hate Swedish Modern forever.
- What interior designers do you admire most and why?
DDTE – Honestly, I don’t admire anyone in particular. I just admire anyone who has style – good or bad. The worst is if you don’t have any style at all.
- You have a son and daughter. Does designing a space for children or young adults pose any challenges?
DDTE – I don’t design for gender or age brackets, rather for a lifestyle that embodies family and life. One of the ways I achieve this is with items that are customized. For instance, I designed a sofa with my son, who is 6’5″, in mind. It is one-armed so his feet can hang out over the sofa while he is hanging out!
- Is there one thing that instantly makes a house a home?
DDTE – A home is life. Life is an ever–changing moving target and, in that regard, you have to be open and flexible to making memories. I think one of the easiest ways to do that is with pieces that exemplify how you live in your space. Our dogs are a part of the family so even they experience personalized design with a dog bowl I created based on a glass shower enclosure I loved. It’s things like that, little details that fit your everyday life, that make a house a home.
- Your new book presents fun and easy rules for every day of the year. What do you say to the notion that rules, of any sort, are made to be broken?
DDTE – I strongly believe once you understand and know the rules, they are all meant to be broken.