Design Trends & Styles with Martha O’Hara Interiors
It takes a trained eye to balance style and function like the interior designers on the Parade of Homes. Martha O’Hara Interiors shares some of their design advice and digs into the styles you’ll see popping up this spring.
Q. How would you describe your interior design style?
A. Instead of limiting ourselves, we look to imbue every space with a sense of welcome and ease regardless of style. In every home we decorate, balance is key. First and foremost, things have to work. After that comes style, and our clients take us in so many directions – from traditional to transitional, modern to farmhouse. Creating a timeless space comes with experience and confidence. We know better than to chase trends and would rather make them.
Q. What are some of the things that influence your work?
A. There are so many elements that inspire our work – from art to architecture to fashion. The inspirations and influences of our clients guide us, while the design process often requires creating unique solutions that work for the way each family lives. When people think of our work, they often think of dramatic magazine photos and home tours but the real beauty comes to a space when people become part of it – like our client who hosted a gorgeous bridal shower in her newly decorated space and another who cherished the simple joys of life, playing trucks with his son for the first time on their new living room floor. No matter how a space is used, or whether or not a home is big or small, new or old, when you approach design with gratitude and creativity, the results will outshine the effort.
Builder: John Kraemer and Sons // Photographer: Troy Thies Photography
Q. How has your style evolved over time?
A. Design styles are a lot less categorized than in the past. We’re focused more on creating spaces that our clients love, that are filled with pieces they love. Today, styles tend to play off each other, where mixing and matching is welcomed and styles like modern, farmhouse, transitional and Scandinavian can be combined.
Builder: John Kraemer and Sons // Photographer: Troy Thies Photography
Q. What is your best piece of advice for someone who is redecorating their home?
A. We recommend partnering with a designer that inspires trust – someone that will listen to you and will work to design a home that allows you to be yourself, freely and comfortably. When you find a trustworthy designer, where you also respond to their body of work, then the process becomes effortless. Our job as designers is to make your decisions easy. The best advice we can give is to speak up when things aren’t following your aesthetic, but try to also stay flexible and keep an open mind.
Q. What is one current design trend you’ve been loving?
A. Rather than speaking to a trend, we would love to share a design style we’re loving. Scandinavian design has become increasingly popular, especially in the Twin Cities where we lose daylight quickly, because it works to maximize and amplify natural light. We love that it’s a design style that feels airy and open, while still being grounded by natural woods and organic elements. This style features clean lines and an emphasis on simplicity while still maintaining a look that’s comfortable and approachable.
See more from Martha O’Hara Interiors in the Spring 2017 Remodelers Showcase Guidebook. Visit Spring 2017 Parade Home #263 to see their work in action.