LA and NYC are two of our favourite design spots, so when Jonathan Fong (an LA-based interior decorator who does extensive work in NYC) came to Toronto, we just had to talk to him. Giving us his tips on how to pick a theme (and using our imagination to do so), we now feel more confident than ever in our interior design skills....
(Stay tuned for more Q&A with Jonathan Fong in the next few months...)
When designing a room, should you always use a theme?
That’s a good question. I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary but choosing a theme helps you plan. If you choose a theme, it helps you pick a colour and helps you pick furniture and accessories. A lot of people are clueless about where to start, so it helps them guide their vision and to create a concept. That’s the rational reason for it. I personally just love to add a little extra oomph to a room. To me, it's more than just creating a beautiful space, I like that wow factor and I want the room to have a sense of humour and a personality. That’s why I like to put a theme in a room. Even if the theme is non-descript (it doesn’t have to be Peter Pan), as long as it's something cohesive that pulls everything together or gives people a certain feeling, that could be enough of a theme.
Where do you draw inspiration for your themes? And how can homeowners do the same in their own lives?
Rather than just give my general answer, you never know where inspiration can come from (which is true, I go all around and am very open to different things).... but to give you something concrete, I would suggest trying to imagine your room like a movie. Even your life like a movie, and figure out what movie that would be. Do you want your home to be like A Room with a View? You can find inspiration through there. Do you want your life to be like The Jetsons? That’s one way to think about it.
The second is to just think about the things you like in your life. Think about your wardrobe, favourite movies and TV shows; see if you can find inspiration there. I am very media oriented, and I use the media a lot for inspiration. People don’t usually think about using the media for decorating, but it’s something I encourage. It all goes together; fashion and home décor are completely intertwined.
I also tell people to spend some time looking through magazines and start an inspiration file. Whenever you see something you like (it doesn’t have to be in a home magazine, it could be Entertainment Weekly), tear it out and put it in a file folder. It can be a dress, a look, an ad; anything you want. When you get a collection of magazine pages that you like, you’ll get a sense of what your aesthetic is -- it's very telling, and it can be something as simple as colour.
An interior decorator with a flair for the unexpected, Jonathan Fong became an instant design celebrity after his debut on HGTV. Additional stints there led to more frequent appearances on HGTV, USA Network and Good Day LA. He has been interviewed and featured in over 100 newspapers across the U.S. and Canada.
- Spring is officially here! We've got lots of outdoor decor ideas...
- Now that you've got the theme covered, check out our top five sofas under $1000.