Welcome to How to Decorate from Ballard Designs! While the team takes a short summer break, they are re-sharing a handful of their all-time favorite podcast episodes. Today, Caroline, Taryn, and Liz sit down with American interior designer David Jimenez to discuss his path to living in Paris and his Rizzoli book, Parisian by Design: Interiors by David Jimenez. David shares the secrets behind effortless Parisian style, the art of layering, and how to create deeply personal spaces filled with joy and memories.
Quick Decorating Takeaways:
Embrace Antiques for Continuity: The French are known for holding onto the pieces they buy and passing them down through their families. Bringing familiar, story-filled antiques into a new home offers a comforting and reassuring atmosphere.
Curate a "Salon Style" Gallery Wall: To replicate the gallery walls seen in the Louvre Museum, start hanging artwork on thin metal rods right under your room's ceiling molding.
Mix Finishes Fearlessly: Do not feel constrained by strict design rules regarding matching wood or metal finishes. Mixing dark and light woods, or nickel and brass, brings energy and vital contrast to a room.
Leverage Large-Scale Pieces: Create dramatic "highs and lows" in your spaces by mixing oversized items with smaller ones. A large piece of art or a tall secretary desk provides visual surprise and hierarchy.
Utilize Decorative Screens: Room dividers can introduce subtle layers of texture and color, or serve a highly practical purpose like masking an unattractive view outside a window without blocking the natural sunlight.
Anchor with Black: Black serves as an excellent underlying punctuation mark in a room. Using black lampshades is a reliable way to add contrast and prevent a space from feeling too monotonous.
What You’ll Hear on This Episode:
00:00 An introduction to the summer "best of" series and a warm welcome to guest David Jimenez.
04:52 David’s career journey, starting as a Gap salesperson and leading to his relocation to reinvent a historic French brand.
08:37 The beauty of investing in antiques and the reassurance of bringing familiar furniture into new spaces.
13:55 How to casually layer your decor over the course of a relaxing afternoon.
16:27 Tips for constructing a Louvre-inspired gallery wall with high placements and metal rods.
20:20 Why breaking traditional design rules about wood and metal finishes breathes life into a room.
23:02 Using scale and oversized pieces to create necessary visual drama.
25:37 Practical and aesthetic applications for decorative folding screens.
29:02 The inspiration behind David's favored 7cm-wide black and white striped curtains from the Marché Saint-Pierre.
32:25 Why black lampshades and pops of dual-tone colors help ground a space.
34:29 How observing master designers like Madeleine Castaing can influence your own design choices.
37:23 Exploring the second half of David’s book, featuring an insider’s guide to Parisian artisans and shopping destinations.
41:01 The crucial etiquette for shopping at French flea markets, starting with a polite greeting.
44:07 Finding bold color inspiration within historic French museums and former homes.
51:29 Details on where to purchase Parisian by Design and where to follow David's work online.
Also Mentioned:
Book: Parisian by Design: Interiors by David Jimenez
Marché Saint-Pierre (Paris fabric market)
David Jimenez's website: davidjimenezstudio.com
David's Instagram: @davidjimenezstudio
Send your decorating dilemmas to podcast@ballarddesigns.net
Parisian by Design: Interiors by David Jimenez For a closer look at the stunning interiors discussed in today's episode, this visual overview highlights the elegant photography and practical styling advice found inside David Jimenez's book.
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