Design Public

I recently had a chat with Mark Cutler, an L.A. interior designer who is able to create beautiful spaces for a range of clients, including quite a few celebrities. Mark doesn’t let trends push him around or influence his vision, and he spends a lot of time getting to know his clients to assess their needs in order to personalize their homes.

Describe your design philosophy. How has it developed over the years? Who/What/Where have inspired you the most?

My design philosophy is summed up in the phrase “the luxury of simplicity”.

My training is in Architecture, I went to the School of Architecture at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. After completing my Design Degree I was on my way to London, and decided to take a two week vacation in NYC, which ultimately turned into several years. Eventually I moved to Los Angeles, after a brief interlude in London, where I got a job for an architect who did ultra high end residential work. I worked there for almost 10 years, during which time I created an Interior Architecture specialty, which lead me into Interior Design. My work is different I think, because it comes from an Architectural perspective, I think that it starts with a sense of context and space and works toward decoration.

My work has been described as Modern Traditional, because it has aspects of traditional European design, but interpreted in a modern, clean way.

My influences have been pretty varied from Glenn Murcutt to designers like John Saladino, Jed Johnson and Victoria Hagan.

When did you know you wanted to be a designer?

LOL I cannot remember a time when I didn’t want to be a designer. I recall as a child always building models of little houses, drawing plans etc etc. It is such a great gift to be able to see your passion from such an early age, and then to be able to pursue it as a career. I spend a lot of time with younger designers and people starting out, because I know the joy and rewards this profession has given me, and I love helping to make that a reality for people starting out.

How did you make the transition to having your own firm?

I had only worked for architects my whole career and then pretty much just went out on my own, and found my own way. The first project I did was for a wedding gift to a friend, I designed her whole house, it got published a few times, and one project built on another, on another etc till here I am today. I have had my own firm about 7 years now, and have projects all over the U.S.
Do you have any favorite design moves? Any general design pet peeves?

Favorite moves?? Hmmmm to me creating someone’s home is like painting a portrait of them, when I am done I want people to walk in and see the personality of the family who lives there, their values, their history etc etc. That is why my work varies from traditional to more modern, because the personalities, vary the same way. I have done a lot of celebrity work I think because of this, these people have very distinct personas and I am able to capture that in a way that complements them. I think a lot of designers have a signature style, this doesn’t appeal to me, I think I would get bored repeating myself, and I think my clients would feel like they are living in someone else’s house!

As far as pet peeves go…… Laziness! As a designer it is such a tremendous privilege to be invited to create a home for someone, I hate it when designers get lazy and just through something together, going on the latest trend etc. I want people to have something fresh and unique that will be timeless, this is their lives that you are becoming a part of, treat it with loving respect.

What advice would you give aspiring designers?

The biggest piece of advice, only do this if this is your passion, it can be a tough profession with a lot of talented people so you REALLY have to want to do this above all else. Having said that, study every magazine and book you can get your hands on, who is doing what, how did they do that, what is that furniture arrangement like,,,, dissect every image in every magazine, it can be such an amazing learning tool.

Try and decide what it is that sets you apart, what thing do you have that is unique and pursue that.

Try and stay away from trends, by the time it is a trend it is too late, splashy is not always good, quiet, cool and understated will never go out of style.

Do you ever hit any creative block? How do you get yourself out of a creative rut?

I think every creative person, has a block every now and again, and it will always come at the worst possible time. I am working on a new project for a place in New York at the moment, and I have spent a couple of days pulling furniture and fabric ideas, and I pinned it up on my wall, and was very disappointed to see a bland combination, nothing special at all. So I just put down my pencil and left the office and went to a local shopping district here in Los Angeles. It was only a matter of time till I saw this great dress in the window (it was oscar time) and there was a detail on the hem, that gave me an idea about the drapery and I was off. So my advice is just walk away, don’t force it, just go out and just look at stuff with no agenda, and an idea will come.

How do you get clients to see it your way. For example, one of my professors in landscape architecture had a client who wanted a literal Japanese garden (which would have looked rather ridiculous and cartoonish on the site). She brought it around to “which elements of Japanese gardens do you admire? We can adapt them to this site and climate.”

I think it is vital to the success of a project that the clients feel involved and open enough to make suggestions. It always amazes me how intimidated some of them can be by their designer. I think a slow process of education is good, I like to start with a very clear concept from the beginning that we all sign on too, whether it’s a modern French farmhouse or an Early American seaside home, once we decide on the general idea, you have a backbone to your design, that all the other decisions refer back to, so that really helps in keeping control. For instance, “no we can’t do that green chest that you saw in a magazine because if you recal the color palette that we all decided on was in shades of blue, and that won’t work, but lets see what we can find in our palette that will contribute to our specific scheme”.

I used to work for this guy who was from Texas, and he had one of the greatest techniques I have ever seen. If someone was making suggestions that didn’t work, he would put down his pencil, slowly lean back in his chair, put his arms up, hands behind his head, sigh, all this done very slowly, so that by this point the meeting was silent, and all eyes were on him. It made anything he said at that point sound like Moses coming down with the stone tablets, it was a great way to get control.

That’s hilarious! Sounds like designers need some background in drama and psychology for certain occassions! Moving on, which designers inspire/influence your current work?

There are a lot of designers whose work I really admire, I like the free thinkers with a timeless style, here is a brief List:

Albert Hadley, Saladino, Vicente Wolfe, Victoria Hagan, Jed Johnson, Thad Hayes, Sills Hunniford

Thanks Mark! Be sure to check out Mark’s relatively new blog. His first post is from late February, and it’s already full of very helpful decorating advice, design insider favorite sources, and inspiring photographs. His blog is also a great place to get advice, as he answers reader questions.