Insights from Texarkana's Top Designers and Decorators
/Designing a home that is both functional and stylish is a daunting and difficult task. Choosing colors and patterns, making lighting choices, arranging furniture, displaying artwork: these are not easy decisions to make for the average person.
Luckily, Texarkana is home to many talented interior designers and decorators. FSLM asked several local professionals to offer insight into their craft. Whether your space needs a quick makeover or a full-scale renovation, look no further than these experts for your interior-design needs.
LYNLEE HARVEY
Lynlee Harvey AT HOME
What is your design background and experience?
My education and background are in accounting and internal audit/technology risk consulting. I accidentally got started in the home industry in 2008. I was doing the plans for my family’s first new construction build after looking at hundreds of plans and being unable to find exactly what I was looking for. I started Lynlee Harvey AT HOME, a full-service construction and architectural design company, full-time in 2011. I combine my skills as a CPA with my passion for design and construction.
What are your greatest strengths as a designer?
The details, start-to-finish. Our team strives for meticulous preparation and places an emphasis on both the small and large details of a build, from plan development, interior specifications, and organizational systems to completed construction of the home or office. We want to provide owners with a seamless, low-stress, and FUN experience!
Where do you find design inspiration?
I see so many inspiring things when I travel . . . from the beautiful (unique material and finish choices, rooflines—I can’t stop myself from constantly looking at them!) to the technical (ways to tie in stone to metal frames, how simple cabins were constructed years ago). My favorite place is near water, and I find I get my most creative work done while I’m there!
What do you consider more important in a design project: aesthetic or functionality? Why? I LOVE a beautiful space, but I think functionality is the greatest gift I can give my clients. As a woman and mother who both lives and works in my home, I understand how important it is to have a space that works most efficiently for those who use it day in and day out.
How do you stay on-trend within the industry?
I am aware of what is going on in the world of design, but I make most of my decisions based on what feels right to me.
Is there a project that you are most proud of?
I moved into my current house two years ago and love all of the fun things I can try when I am my own client. My personal design favorite is lighting and lots of large windows with natural light! It just sets the tone for your entire day!
LAUREN CALLAWAY
PH Design Firm
What is your design background and experience?
I’ve owned my design business since 2017. I started designing for friends and family, and it grew from there. I have worked on over 50 commercial and residential projects since then.
What are your greatest strengths as a designer?
I think my greatest strength is the ability to listen to my clients and give them what they want. I also help them achieve what they never thought possible by pushing them a bit outside their comfort zone to really give them the “wow” factor. I am able to design many different styles, so I am typically sought after not because I have a certain look but because I can give a client what they want. I am also a real estate agent, so knowing the market and resale value in design decisions is a key factor in my decision-making.
Where do you find design inspiration?
Everywhere. Nature, fashion, music and travel are all very important to me.
What do you consider more important in a design project: aesthetic or functionality? Why?
Really, neither is more important than the other. Without the functionality of a space, what’s the point of it? Without it being aesthetically pleasing to the client, what’s the point of using the space? They go hand-in-hand and are both equally important.
How do you stay on-trend within the industry?
I do not necessarily do “trends.” I do not believe in designing a home based on a trend. I like to design to stand the test of time. The finishes in your home need to be something that you are not going to get tired of in five years. I design based on the needs and wants of each individual client rather than what’s on-trend. If you want something trendy, let’s plan on adding that in with furnishings; those can be changed a lot easier!
Is there a project that you are most proud of?
I’m not the most proud of one single project over another. All of my projects tend to be very different, so they are all fun. I do love when I have clients who really trust me because that’s when the real magic happens!
KYLE B. BARRETT
Patina by Kyle B. Barrett
What is your design background and experience?
I specialize in designing lodges, ranch homes, and mountain getaways, as well as traditional homes, using styles like European mid-century modern and southern traditional. My clientele spans from coast to coast and across the South, with a strong client base in Montana, Colorado, and Sante Fe.
What are your greatest strengths as a designer?
My greatest strength is my ability to work with many different styles to fuse opposing visions within partnerships, in order to achieve a design that is suitable to my clients’ desires.
Where do you find design inspiration?
I see the beauty all around me. In the simplest of ways, nature provides road maps for design. From the way a branch grows in a tree or moss on a log, nature effortlessly places opposing elements together while creating perfect harmony
What do you consider more important in a design project: aesthetic or functionality? Why?
Answering this question is like walking a tightrope wearing new cowboy boots—almost impossible. Each client and project is different. It’s a designer’s job to listen to the client while adding to their ideas, to make a space that is warm, functional and stylish. I often use the word “rich” to describe the perfect space: a feeling from inside that makes one safe, comfortable and relaxed.
How do you stay on-trend within the industry?
I attend shows like Art Deco and Art Basil in Miami. I read and attend events by industry magazines like Luxe Home + Interiors, Veranda, and Galerie. I work and collaborate with design colleagues like Dwayne Bergmann Interiors located in southern Florida. I do all of this to keep abreast of what’s happening in the interior design space, to make sure I am aware of the latest technologies and advancements. I don’t follow trends for my clients; I create interiors that are reflective of the life they want to live.
Is there a project that you are most proud of?
There have been projects more challenging than others, and there have been projects that came together seamlessly; however, I’m equally proud of all projects, especially when I see a satisfied client enjoying their new space with family and friends!
SUZY OSBURN AND BRITTANY BROOKS
Seventh Day Design
What is your design background and experience?
Suzy (Pictured right): Growing up my dad was a home builder, and I was constantly around him. I’ve always enjoyed decorating and putting stuff together as a creative/right-brained person.
Brittany (Pictured left): I’ve always had a passion for design and would always have friends and family asking me to decorate for them. After I built a personal home, I fell in love with design even more and began pursuing it as a career.
What are your greatest strengths as a designer?
We find ways to combine old and new and are good at finding unique antique pieces. We also find the perfect balance of minimalism while still keeping things warm and cozy with lots of texture and layers.
Where do you find design inspiration?
So many places! Traveling, nature, other inspirational designers, and, of course, Pinterest!
What do you consider more important in a design project: aesthetic or functionality? Why?
This is hard. We would have to pick functionality. A space should serve you as top priority. In the grand scheme of life, this is most important. There are always ways to make it aesthetically pleasing also.
How do vou stay on-trend within the industry?
We stay in the loop by using social media platforms.
Is there a project that you are most proud of?
Suzy: Of course, I’m emotionally invested in my personal home and my parents’ home that I helped design and furnish from scratch. Getting to enjoy both spaces and seeing them function well every day makes me proud.
Brittany: For me it’s The Charming Glass House! It was my first official large-scale project for a client that was recently completed. My clients really trusted me throughout the project. Seeing it come to life and seeing the finished product is something I am really proud of.