Page 3 of At Home With A Designer An Interview with Charlotte Moss

Here is more of what Charlotte has to say about trends, floorcoverings, and personal style.

Page 1, 2, 3, Small Room Article

Q. Most of us are eager to know what is the "latest" color, design, and furnishings trend. Can you comment on trends vs. personal style?

Charlotte Moss: "I'd say stick with the classics, trust yourself, and, every once in a while, experiment. I think what's basic, what is 'classic', will hang around for a long time. But personal style is about being true to yourself and not being a fashion victim. It's about trusting your instincts and if you want to try that kiwi color on the walls -- just do it. It's about yourself and listening to yourself, not reading the magazines and thinking 'I've really got to go beige this year.'

"On the other hand, sometimes there are people who are a little reluctant to do certain things. They need that push, and oftentimes something comes along within a trend that they happen to like, and it validates their choice. Now they can still be themselves because they've liked it all along, and now they look like they're stylish, but the fact that it's stylish now validates their purpose. A lot of times those trendy things end up hanging around for people who are doing it like that.

But there are people who are going to do what's new, sort of like jumping between the newest hem lengths -- short skirts, long skirts, and back -- that makes a wardrobe schitzophrenic. It's the same for personal style and room design. So, again I'd say stick with classics, trust yourself, and every now and then try something new."

Q. Do you have any advice on choosing floorcoverings?

Charlotte Moss: "It depends on the nature of the rooms. Some rooms are natural wall-to-wall carpet rooms. I think bedrooms lend themselves to wall-to-wall carpet, where it is easier to maintain rather than having to dust and vacuum around all of the area rugs. For living rooms, it depends on what the basic flooring is -- if it's wood you can do any number of things. It depends on how formal you want the room.

"A piece of sisal or seagrass can go a long way in an informal space. Dining rooms really don't need anything. If you're really thinking about how to stretch the budget -- because floorcoverings can be a big expense -- you have to pick and choose. If I had to choose I'd definitely have something in the living room and bedoom, but my dining room could go naked forever. If you've got good wood floors I'd be a bit reluctant to start covering them all up again."

Q. In the April, 2001 issue of HomeStyle Magazine you were quoted as saying, "It's not about the stuff, it's about making a home." Can you expand on that?

Charlotte Moss: "I meant that decorating is all about being yourself, about having that chat in the beginning, whether with yourself or with your new husband or bride, and starting a home. It's really about who you are -- not worrying about what you 'should' have, what someone thinks you should have, or what the styles are. It's a bit like how you dress -- you can always tell when someone's uncomfortable in an outfit. They're wearing it because they think they should or because it was the style. But did they love it?

"You can tell when a room has been decorated for another reason, but not to please the owner. Rooms should be welcoming, but not so that every picture is so artfully arranged that it feels like an art gallery or it's ready for a magazine shoot. It's also about self confidence. In decorating, self confidence comes, not from knowing exacly what you want in the beginning, but from experimenting."