Karen Lehrman Bloch didn’t set out to write a coffee-table book on interior design — in fact, her background is in political journalism. But after relocating to Manhattan from Washington, DC, more than a decade ago, Bloch found a new passion — covering art and design. Though she lacked any formal design training, she had a strong sense of what drew her to particular spaces. And she wanted to find out why.
“I began looking at all this new scientific research coming out that was showing why we are attracted to certain things in terms of art and design, what universal principles in architecture and interior design help us feel good,” explains Bloch. “Those studies were more about hospitals and care centers, but I thought, ‘Why can’t we apply this to homes?’ ”
So she began talking to designers and searching websites, finding interiors across the globe that embraced the “golden ratio,” a complex mathematical equation involving proportion and arrangement that makes something pleasing to the eye.
“I tried to figure out why a space affected me, what makes it beautiful, why I responded in a deep, emotional way. They were rooms with texture, proportion, grandeur, elegance,” says Bloch. “These rooms had a soul.”
Ultimately, she chose 25 interiors for “The Inspired Home: Interiors of Deep Beauty,” which comes out Sept. 17 from Harper Design. Those spaces also happened to belong to some rather high-profile international stylists, artists and designers. “I didn’t start out looking for ‘names’ to be in book,” says Bloch, “but I ended up with many.”
Alberta Ferretti, Marni founder Consuelo Castiglioni, Donna Karan, artist Michele Oka Doner and interior designers Juan Montoya and Vicente Wolf are among the boldfaced names whose homes appear in the pages.
And Karan, whose Zen-like Central Park West apartment is prominently featured, also agreed to write the foreword.
Readers of typical interior design books may be a bit surprised by “The Inspired Home.” Rather than being a compilation of particular rooms or styles, Bloch chose to separate the projects into such categories as Restraint, Poetry, Stillness and Reduction.
“It stems from a philosophical idea . . . that art and design are out there but are being overlooked in favor of superficial beauty,” she says. “And though we can all have individual taste and cultural differences, we need to surround ourselves with objects and interiors as a whole that connect with us on an emotional and spiritual basis.”
In the “Balance” chapter, you’ll find Karan’s home: Designed in conjunction with the architectural firm Bonetti/Kozerski, it’s a study in calmness and serenity — open, uncluttered spaces, simple furnishings, a restrained palette. But dull it’s not.
“Her apartment is filled with incredibly sensuous colors and a variety of textures — both are incredibly important to creating a luxurious feel — not superficial luxury, but true luxury,” explains Bloch. “As for color, there’s a misconception about neutrality, that everything needs to be beige. But nature isn’t beige: It has complex, layered, rich colors that have depth, as opposed to Crayola colors.”
And Karan uses nature quite literally, with plants and flowers throughout — from the elegant white orchids in the living room to the brilliant flora on the landscaped terrace.
Another New York apartment, one with a very different vibe, is that of stylist Lori Goldstein. Her Chelsea loft is filed under “Whimsy,” thanks to sprightly, unexpected choices — like placing an antique Buddha next to a funny little robot atop a sleek modern fireplace. “There’s no reason you can’t be whimsical but still have soul,” says Bloch. “That robot next to the Buddha actually enhances Buddha’s presence.”
And Bloch also admires the loft’s mix of old and new and high and low (something Goldstein, whose fashion mantra is “everything goes with anything,” knows well). “This home pushes the boundaries, but as a stylist, Goldstein knows the rules so well, that she also knows how break them — not in a crazy way, but in a way that keeps you intrigued, without losing soulfulness of place.”
The biggest mistake Bloch sees with today’s interiors? “The trend in decorating now is to over-design; your home has to be completed in three months and has to be a showcase to wow people. Some feel a need to treat homes like they are Louis Vuitton bags, using them to show status. But the question you need to ask is: Do you feel good in the space?”
As for Bloch’s own Upper East Side home, which she shares with her husband and four-year-old son, she admits she’s a bit behind in the decorating department.
“We’ve been living here five years and still have to finish the dining room and living room. But I would rather approach the process in a slower way, not in a random way. I want to curate my home and fill it with things that are meaningful. I am fully taking the advice of Juan Montoya, who told me, ‘Leave a space bare until you find the right thing to put there.’”