Environmentally friendly design for interiors means more than just using low voc materials and sustainably harvested raw products. If you can live longer with the same furnishings, that means less materials going into the landfills and less replacement furnishings needing to be produced from raw materials.

Designing residential interiors often involves mediation skills. I find myself mediating between clients and builders, vendors and clients, and quite often between couples whose tastes vary widely. Everyone should have a say in how their home is going to look and feel. It is possible to create designs that meet everyone's expectations. The key is having all interested parties involved in the decision making from the beginning.

Since I work on a lot of family vacation homes, the usual name of the game is "practical" but in every project I try to add in some more luxury textiles because they definitely elevate a room by adding in either color, a unique pattern or just a beautiful tactile touch. 

Think about the difference between those pieces of furniture you know you'll have forever, versus the furniture you bought in a hurry because you needed a temporary fix. Great design and high quality construction and materials makes the difference between heirloom furniture and quick fix furniture. The most cherished pieces of furniture I have are the ones that I acquired over time and found uses for them no matter where I lived.

People ask me all the time what style I design in and it's not really something I want to answer with a one category word or phrase. I design using elements I like and feel they go well together, but are necessarily from one singular genre or era. Using items you love and are drawn to usually ends up with a well rounded collection of furnishings that work well together.

Interior Designer Molly McGinness loves to infuse colors and patterns into the high end vacation homes for her clients on Cape Cod. Color and patterns are essential elements to layer into custom interior design.

These odd nooks and crannies are opportunities to create functional spaces! The obvious and most expensive way is to have a carpenter build a custom built in to fill every inch of the space. This could be a simple bench with storage underneath in an entryway or hall. It could be an elaborate build out of a wet bar (add in the plumbing, lighting, and additional materials) in a living or dining area. It really depends on the location of the space and what function would enhance the experience.

It’s more of a combination of antique market and flea market, but either way it’s huge and overwhelming and totally worth the trip. It’s such an adventure that you must go into with an open mind. I go hoping to find some interesting lamps, maybe some cool little side tables, a piece of art worth salvaging or a mirror with a unique frame.

This past week I went to the Spring 2023 furniture market in High Point, NC. After the fall market I realized I hadn’t been able to focus on upholstery vendors and that was my goal for this spring market. As my clients know, I generally do not order from retail stores, so it is important to check in with various “to the trade” vendors to see what’s new, what’s changing, is quality being maintained, are there new vendors to consider, etc.

An area rug can be a big investment, especially when it’s for a living room or family room that is going to get a lot of foot traffic and, let’s call it, visual traffic. You want to love what you see every time you walk by it. I think of buying a quality area rug similar to buying a piece of art. It’s an investment upfront but you will enjoy it for a lifetime.

I guess it’s an occupational hazard, the collection of design books, perfect for coffee tables and filling bookshelves. They are beautiful to browse through and great for inspiration. I guess it’s the old fashioned version of pinterest. As I look through them, instead of pinning the images, I generally tag them with mini post-it notes, so I can remember to reference them later.

I design a lot of vacation homes, usually second or third homes intended to host family and friends. Just about all of my clients have a general plan of who gets which bedroom… there’s always a primary bedroom, then there’s the “oh my daughter wants that room, my favorite sister will probably always use this room, the grandparents get that room on the first floor,” etc.. In all cases I assume any of the bedrooms may at some point need to double up as a guest room. I always keep this in mind when I am designing the rooms and selecting furniture.

You can find furniture to fit any budget, be sure you are choosing the right piece for your desired quality, location and purpose. Here’s an example of three sofa price points and qualities used in the same interior design project.

Interior Designer Molly McGinness designs vacation homes with her clients in mind, and that usually means kids, guests, parties, summer fun and all that goes with summer homes. Specifying durable finishes and fabrics that can clean easily and endure pets and bathing suits is a high priority.

Interior Designer Molly McGinness loves to infuse colors and patterns into the high end vacation homes for her clients on cape cod. Color and patterns are essential elements to layer into custom interior design.

More things from High Point Market Fall 2022! Curvy organic shapes, custom bedding, lots of wallpaper, unique ottomans and fun lighting!

I generally look for pieces that use quality materials and finishes in an unusual way. I like to see a classic piece with a twisted vibe. Here’s what I found at High Point Market…

Wondering if custom window treatments are worth the investment? They are! Here are a few reasons why they are a smart addition to your space…

The first step when planning for an interior design project is both the most challenging and the most important: preparing a budget. Whether it’s building from the ground up, tackling a home renovation, or furnishing an entire room or rooms, having a budget will guide the project’s style, quality, and design and give clarity into what is possible. Having a budget of $200,000 for a kitchen versus $25,000 for a kitchen will yield a very different process, team, and result.

Homeowners often have a beautiful vision in their heads, but aren’t quite sure how to translate it into a budget. As an interior designer, a large part of my role is helping clients to understand what things cost (especially when it comes to renovating and building as those numbers aren’t readily available like a coffee table price or rug price might be) and then working within their budget to design a functional space they love.