Style architectural
Considering her impeccable personal style, it follows that Olivia Palermo also has stellar taste when it comes to home decor. “Sometimes interiors inspire me more than clothing, ” admits the fashion designer (her Olivia Palermo + Chelsea28 clothing collection is available exclusively at Nordstrom), lifestyle entrepreneur, and street-style muse, whose mom is decorator Lyn Hutchings, of New York–based Hutchings-Lyle Interiors. “I learned from my mother that your home should evolve as you grow as a person, the same way your wardrobe evolves.” Naturally, the jet-setting life she shares with her model-photographer husband Johannes Huebl provides plenty of opportunity for a multilayered approach to design. Read on for her thoughts on everything from incorporating color to entertaining at home.
Describe your home in five words or less. Modern, Brooklyn, light-filled, loft.
What are your design musts? If you’re part of a couple, your home should be a reflection of both of you. I love lots of color and pattern, and Johannes has more of a minimalist European aesthetic—we have a nice balance.
What is your favorite piece of furniture? I have these fabulous Art Deco chairs that my mother gave me years ago. They’ve been with me in all of my different homes, and I reupholster them when I get bored. I’m a big believer in reupholstering pieces if you’re looking for a little change.
Where do you look for decor inspiration? Well, my first stop is Architectural Digest, but I also like to go into the D&D Building, sometimes by myself and sometimes with my mom, as well as the other New York showrooms to see what’s on the floor. I’ll also browse the websites and social media platforms of Kelly Wearstler and Jacques Grange.
What’s on your bedside table? I have leather trays from Smythson on both sides of the bed, where I keep my watch and everyday jewelry. I also have an old Links of London clock, one of the double-faced ones, which I don’t think they make anymore.
Most nights you eat dinner . . . We definitely go out quite a bit, but we also like to go to Eataly or Citarella and get a bunch of things to cook together at home.
One thing I love about living in New York is . . . You’re not restricted to one specific style. You visit friends’ homes and see so many different aesthetics. You can adapt your decor to fit your environment. I think that’s true of fashion as well—dress for what’s appropriate.
When decorating a room it’s important to . . . Figure out the overall direction of the home in advance, so that your spaces are fluid and connect to each other. You can break it down and do it over time and not rush it—just start with the color of the rug or the color of the walls and build from there. Be open to change, though, because nothing ever goes entirely as planned.
Tell us about a time you successfully used color at home. I recently painted our office aubergine, and it worked out really well. The color saturates the space and adds warmth because there is so much light that pours into the room.
How do you approach entertaining? I love to entertain. When we’re home, we try to have dinner with friends. In the summer I’m always excited to visit this great little store I love in Capri called Cabana. I always bring back tons of things from there—glass decanters, nice tableware. But not everything has to be over the top. It’s fun to incorporate inexpensive, quirky items, too.
If you could own any work of art, what would it be? I’ve always loved Damien Hirst’s spin paintings. Art is very personal—you either love it or you don’t.
Before you leave the house you always . . . Make sure I have my Mophie charger and my keys. I can’t live without my Mophie. Once, at the airport in China, security didn’t realize it was a charger and they tried to confiscate it. I was like, No! That’s my lifeline! Fortunately, I got to keep it. Now I have the new model, and it’s flat and chic and absolutely wonderful.
