In her own words:

If there’s one positive of this relentless pandemic, it’s that I had the time to throw myself creatively into transforming my own space into a moody, cozy, Victorian Era-inspired home, which in turn has encouraged me to start a business in design and decorating. 

As a young adult, I felt my style didn’t resonate with what I was seeing in the houses of family and friends. Moving to Milwaukee in 2013 and living amongst historic homes with their charm and vintage appeal has drawn this passion out of me. It took me back to visiting my grandma at her antique store and shopping estate sales with her. I wanted to bottle up this specific feeling: familiar and nostalgic, yet glamorous and bold.

I wouldn't be doing this unless Keith Barnes of KCB Buildings and his wife Carol Alexander hadn’t convinced me (over and over) that I had a talent worth exploring. Thank you two for the push(es) and unwavering support. Thank you to my sons’ father for letting me paint two of the rooms in his home black, and thank you to my family and friends for cheering me on. 

Q&A

What importance do textiles play in your designs?

Textiles pull together the design and create cohesiveness amongst the various elements in a space. I often start with a rug or a great piece of art and build a room around that. Pillows are another fun place to play around with color, texture, pattern, etc. and can truly tie everything together. 

Where do you take risks in your work?

I take the most risk with color and lighting. The mood of a space and how you feel when you enter it is crucial. 

When should a home-design enthusiast enlist the help of a design pro?

There's no wrong time. I offer a la carte services for the smaller projects or for simply sourcing and procuring materials, as well as remodel project management services and computer images to-scale of floor plans, elevations and 3D images. No project or question is too small! A home is ever-evolving.

Why make custom goods instead of purchasing "off-the-rack" from retailers?

I'd never want to put my name on any project that was cookie cutter or trendy. Your home should reflect your unique identity and needs; therefore I prefer custom, family heirlooms, and anything vintage or antique. 

How much of being a great designer is innate, and how much is learned?

Good taste and color memory can't be learned, while there are classes available for the technical aspects of design. All are skills that a good designer should have.

To learn more about Marcy and her work visit:  https://extraordinary-spaces.com

TEXTILE TRENDS & KNOW-HOW / INDUSTRY NEWS

‘Sustainability’ is on the minds and mouths of material manufacturers and marketers everywhere.  We have seen a dramatic increase in this category of offerings from our suppliers and it’s an exciting time.  With increasing popularity though, can also come more posturing and throwing around a lot of sustainability buzzwords without a lot to back it up.  Remember the whole “authentic” craze in marketing messages?  Bleh.  We can barely say the word now without cringing because everyone jumping on the bandwagon made “authentic,” well, not very authentic anymore.  

My hope is that we won’t make the same mistake with sustainability and that we will evaluate every product on its own merits.  The truth is, not all gorgeous textiles that you want to use in your design can be made sustainably.  Not all fibers can be produced organically.  The question is always, what can we do that we also want to do.  The more we can merge our excitement for our design with products that are also sustainable, the more, well … authentic the finished product.  Yep, couldn’t help myself.  That’s all for now, make sure you’re subscribed and thanks for being here.

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