Behind the Scenes with Steve Chambliss

Posted on: June 17, 2009 by Whisper Mountain

Getting to Know You!

Meet Steve Chambliss, Whisper Creek Cottage, Asheville, North Carolina

Now that you’ve seen the houses, we thought we’d share the interior designer’s insights on great design and how they make it happen. Though all of them forgo trends, they each have their own ideas and points of inspiration for making a house a home. Take their tips for your own projects. And if you enter to win, you might just find yourself living in one of their inviting creations.

Here are Steve’s tips for creating a great looking interior:

Find Inspiration
Look to established designers for guidance. Steve finds inspiration in Ralph Lauren’s classic and tailored looks—whether in his fashion or home designs. “One of my favorite Ralph Lauren pieces is a jacket that  I got when I was 18-years old. It looks just as good today as the day I got it. One day I was wearing it and a client asked me to use the jacket color in their home.”

Mix it up
“I love mixing textures, deep colors, and elements from different centuries,” Steve says. “It gives rooms timeless appeal.” In the Whisper Creek cottage, Steve mixes custom new and antique oil paintings, new and antique furnishings and accessories for a gathered over time look.

Wide Open Spaces
Planning for family gatherings is important says Steve. “I try to create comfortable, open spaces for people to gather.” The Whisper Creek cottage offers an adjacent living room and kitchen beneath a soaring vaulted ceiling. The dining room is accessible by a large opening so people are always in proximity—especially important in a vacation home.

Pull Double Duty
In a small home, Steve prefers versatile furnishings such as a dining room table that can double as a game table, coffee tables that can easily convert to the “kid’s table,” and swivel chairs that turn easily to jump in on a conversation.

Embrace Technology
Televisons, video games, and computers are a major part of our daily lives. Steve suggests embracing these everyday electronics by putting them in accessible places in an elegant way. “I always make sure the electrical layout is compatible for the high-tech family,” Steve says. “I know some designers find electronics intrusive, but we are a media generation in a media world. With televisions getting thinner, there are many ways to add them to your decor in an unobtrusive way Steve says. He suggests concealing them with thin cabinets, hiding them behind artwork, or suspending them from the ceiling.

Set The Mood
Lighting needs vary for different activities such as watching television or having dinner says Steve. “I like to use directional lighting as well as dimmer switches to cover all the bases.”

Go For Color
“I think a lot of people feel safer with beige or white walls, but color is a guaranteed way to spice up an interior and add drama,” says Steve.

Leave a Light Footprint
“The world has moved to green design. We have all become very conscience of the environment,” Steve says. When building or renovating, Steve suggests seeking out recycled materials, reclaimed wood, and antique or vintage furniture. The Whisper Creek cottage embraces Green and sustainable design with its tin roof—pulled from an old barn; poplar bark siding and locust posts—harvested from felled trees on site. Hardie Plank, a fiber-cement composite, offers durability with no detriment to forests.

Where to Splurge?
“One of the greatest mistakes a homeowner can make is to try to do too much on a limited budget,” Steve says. “It is always better to buy quality not quantity. If you do something right the first time, it will cost you less on repairs or upgrades in the long run.”

Where to Save?
Buy off the rack. Create your own custom looks by mixing and matching store-bought items such as draperies and bedding.