Connie Limoncelli
Most people want to live in a beautiful home even if they don’t always have the skills, know-how or budget to make that happen. Enter Hillary Keech of Modest Designs a firm whose ethos is centred on the idea that gorgeous interiors can be had no matter your budget. Case in point, the kitchen renovation featured below, where the complete dining area was decked out for less than $2,000. Keech, who has worked on a range of projects from everyday homes, celebrity abodes and boutique hotels, also favours using vintage items when possible to up the originality factor in a room, but still keep the price reasonable. Want to know more about what inspires this designer, the differences between residential and commercial projects, and advice she has for those looking to start out in the interior design field? Then read on…
CL: Your company is called Modest Designs, what was the genesis of the name and how does it reflect your design sensibilities?
HK: I believe that a well-edited space is a crucial aspect of any room. My favorite rooms usually have a restrained palette. I like design that is subtle and effective, design that does not need to hit you over the head to be beautiful. I liked the name modest because I felt it summed up my design philosophy in one word.
CL: How did you know that being an interior designer was your calling and how did you get stared in the business?
HK: I’ve known since I was a young girl that I needed to be involved in a creative field, where I would constantly rearrange my room at home (often driving my parents crazy). During high school I interned with an architect in my hometown, mostly answering phones but also learning about how the business worked.
CL: When considering a blank slate of a room—or worse, one that is decorated in all the wrong ways—where do you draw your inspiration from? Is there usually one piece that acts as the jumping off point?
HK: When starting a design project I always comb through hundreds of images in design magazines, books, and blogs to try and come up with a clear design style. It also helps if the client has one item (it doesn’t have to be a piece of furniture) that they love, it really helps express their preferred design style.
CL: These are some stunning Before and Afters on this kitchen reno. What was the biggest obstacle you faced on that project and your favorite part of the room?
HK: The biggest obstacle was balancing the client’s hopes of an open, modern, kitchen with the realities of their budget. It was important to know where we could spend less and still achieve the modern feel in the room. The rug is a great example, we were able to buy this for $150, yet it still makes the dining area warm and inviting, as well as my favorite part of the kitchen.
CL: Modest Designs works on both commercial projects and private homes—what are some of the differences you find with these kinds of projects? Are your objectives or the expectations placed on you different from one to the other?
HK: Both commercial and residential have their perks, for example commercial can be really fun because you have more freedom in your choices. You get to design for a specific aesthetic and all the choices are dictated by that. The downside of course is you don’t experience a personal connection with a client, it becomes very impersonal. My favorite part of working on private homes is that you get to influence how someone lives, by inspiring them and hopefully making the everyday a little more beautiful.
CL: What advice would you give to the burgeoning design stars out there who would like to break into the interior design field?
HK: Find a firm that you love the work of and work for them, even if it means an unpaid internship. You will learn an incredible amount about your sense of style and what it takes to succeed.
All photos courtesy of Modest Designs
