Bring In the New But Keep the Old

If you’ve just inherited your grandmother’s antique dining room but can’t quite figure how to make it work in your contemporary home, Donna Straat might well be the person you need to talk to.

As a history major in college, Donna fell in love with art and antiques.  Being practical by nature, she realized that a career in interior design would enable her to create beautiful interior spaces as well as incorporate art and antiques into those same interiors.  “I love the combination of old antiques with contemporary pieces.  I have such respect for old things --  they tell such wonderful stories,” she explains.

Donna is currently the President of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers. http://www.asid.org   I asked her to give me some insights into why homeowners or businesses should hire an interior designer for their renovation or decorating projects.

“In order to become a member of ASID, interior designers must have extensive education at an accredited interior design school followed by four years of working under a licensed architect or interior designer.  Then they have to pass the NCIDQ exam, which covers all aspects of interior design such as drafting, construction drawings, building and safety codes, lighting and many other technical areas.  There are some very fine decorators in my business, but it is the education and on the job training that separates interior designers from decorators,” she told me.

Donna has recently worked with several clients who are downsizing and finding that they need to consolidate or eliminate furniture.  Saying goodbye to cherished possessions can be a daunting prospect and it can help to hire an outsider to draw up floor plans of the new space and plan what of the existing furniture will work in the new home.

“A skilled interior designer will listen to the needs of the client and find the best way to interpret them.  We often help our clients avoid costly mistakes, such as the purchase of furniture that looks lovely in the store but doesn’t work in the home.  Another example is lighting.  It takes a professional to know the best options for effective lighting of a room.  So many beautiful jobs are ruined by poor lighting,” she continued.

Donna Straat Associates can be reached at 14 Cresthill Place, Stamford, CT 06902.  Tel 203 324 5121

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