Carolina Home + Garden talks with interior designer Ashley Smith of Hendersonville’s Benson and Babb Interiors on working with what you have, and why patience is a virtue when it comes to good design.
How did you get into design?
Well, I was born! I’ve always done it. I can remember as a small child going to the bank with my mother and looking and seeing everything in the building and being taken by it. I would run home and draw the building to scale — I’m talking at 6 or 7 years old.
Your specialty?
We like to say that we are a full-service interior design group. What sets us apart from a lot of interior designers is that we have a fully-stocked showroom with furniture, area rugs, lighting, the whole bit.
What is the most innovative project that you have taken on?
Taking a 1920s stone mansion that hadn’t been touched since the ‘60s and having a ball with the client to take it back to its original flavor while still updating it with all of the technology that we need today.
What do you think are today’s biggest design trends?
I think that because of the economy being the way that it is, people aren’t building new or moving around. I think the trend is staying put and working more with what we have. I actually like that because I think it will lead to a resurgence of reusing and cutting down on all of the materials that get wasted and such.
What’s your take on green design?
I think green is a hot-button issue with everyone, whether people really do it or not. I think most of us like to believe we’re being green. It can be done in many ways. I think the use of natural and renewable materials is great — using wool instead of synthetics or bamboo for example. I think things like that are no-brainers. We love to try to reuse materials where we can, like old barn floors in new construction houses, or we pull in old chandeliers and rework and reuse them. Those are great ways that people can be green and not have to sacrifice their look and their aesthetic.
Do you feel like you have a signature look?
Back in design school, I probably would have answered that very differently. It would be an absolute abomination to say that you can’t work in every aspect or every design mode, which I can. But, do I end up walking away from most jobs and seeing a commonality? Absolutely. Over the years I’ve come to learn that I’m quite traditional in terms of design, but I love to throw a little spin on that with a modern touch here and there.
What are good tips for working with a designer?
I find that most people know what they want, but don’t know how to get there. Being up front and totally honest about what you like and what you don’t like and being totally open with a designer is important. We take what they want and take that to the next level.
What’s the biggest mistake that people make in design? I think sometimes people forego comfort for aesthetic. As a designer, I want a room to take my breath away, but comfort has to come first.
Any design tips for revamping a house on a budget?
I find that people want to run out and buy, buy, buy. Slow down. Choose pieces slowly. You don’t have to fill a room up with things just to have a full room. Do it a piece or two at a time, make those pieces that you can carry with you into the future and build upon them. You’ll be happier in the long run.