As an unhappy lawyer in need of a creative outlet, he designed homes. When one landed on the cover of Metropolitan Home in 1997, he abandoned law and hung out a design shingle. His rooms take a fresh approach to the traditional, marked by subtle palettes, art and antiques. A room is not complete, he says, without “a fantastic piece of art and a variety of time-worn books.”
My Design Yoda
If you like historic houses, worn antiques, natural materials, curved lines, the old tried and true - but you also like - modern architecture, industrial design, man made materials, straight lines, hard edges, and The Cutting Edge...
If you have a house full of fine traditional furniture, but you long to free yourself of clutter, confusion and material baggage...
What do you do?
You pay close attention to Darryl Carter.
About the time I decided to reinvent my house, short of tossing everything out, I discovered Darryl Carter and his book The New Traditional. I don't just look at the pictures of this one; I read every word.
I'm convinced that if you edit things sparingly, even a fossil will look new. Likewise, if everything you own is modern, but it's packed into every nook and cranny, your house will look high Victorian. Sparing looks new, clutter looks old. Simple as that. Carter proves that theory with his new traditional approach to decorating, and what a breath of fresh air it is.
His sense of design is so unerring that when I needed a good set of whites for my house, rather than test-swatch dozens of paint colors, I cut right to the chase and used his favorites: Benjamin Moore's Moonlight White on the walls and Simply White on the trim. All my main rooms are now thusly anointed and absolutely right, under all light conditions.
His book The New Traditional has become my new testament. When I get religious about atoning for the sins of my last remodel, and read his scripture for good design, I understand where I went wrong. He has an easy way of explaining things. Hallelujah!
Today I added eight posts curating much of his work, because I want it here and handy. Have a look and maybe Darryl Carter will become your design yoda too.
Darryl Carter ✦ On the Internet
Darryl Carter ✦ The New Traditional
Darryl Carter ✦ D.C. Townhouse
Darryl Carter ✦ Virginia Farmhouse
Darryl Carter ✦ His Parents' Kitchen
Darryl Carter ✦ Loft Apartment
Darryl Carter ✦ Thomasville
Darryl Carter ✦ Threads Collection
