Have you ever felt overwhelmed while looking at the thousands of beautiful images available on Instagram and Pinterest, while searching for the ones that resonate with the Design Style that you would like to decorate your new home with, or get your favorite area in your home redecorated to something that is more of you?

I’m always impressed when I meet with a new Client, who have really done their homework and while talking in our first session about the design intend and the dream that they have for their home, they instantly can show me their favorite images saved on their phones or tablets from all the social media channels available in this world.

This makes the creation of their dream suddenly more realistic, as Images speak louder then words. Images connect to our Soul and our dreams. Images help me to fine-tune a Concept Design, as it allows me to connect intuitively to my Client’s dream.

One of my recent Clients wanted a “Versace” style for her classical build home, her inspiration being the icon Palazzo Versace hotel that opened earlier this year here in Dubai. She told me she loves everything about the interior of the hotel. But her “homework” images showed me a very Rococo style interior, while Versace is as a matter of fact Neoclassical!

That’s when my creative muse started having fun, coming up with the first Conceptual presentation for my Client’s ground floor Entrance Hallway, which she wanted to turn into a more functional area.

So instead of having the “standard focal table with chandelier hanging on top” theme which she had before, I suggested to make an oval or circular sofa the centre piece of attention, which would allow us to make 2 smaller seating areas on either side. This would enhance the octagonal shape of the area, to which all other ground floor areas were intricately connected. It would give life to the heart of her home.

She was very happy that this enabled her to have an extra area to elegantly entertain, as the family are socialites of Dubai’s multi-national community and therefor entertain on a regular basis. Of course the next statement object would be a stunning chandelier hanging on top of the centre seating area, which would accentuate the octagonal glass dome that crowned this part of the home.

I gently guided her to understand that not only Versace is Neoclassical, but also that there are various streams within Neoclassical, it being British, French, Italian or even Russian. In order to stay closest to the style of her existing home, which is interestingly enough build with very clean Neoclassical elements, considering her dream images of an elegant entertaining space, I opted to go for French and Italian Neoclassical and as a third option combining both styles.

We decided to combine different elements of the 3 options, as no matter what Period Design Style you are looking for, it comes down to personal taste in the end.

Interestingly enough, for the First Floor, there the theme of my Client’s home changed to a more modern version, but still respecting the Neoclassical elements of the house. For the Family Room, she wanted to use bolder colors and cleaner modern lines for the furniture.

So I coined the word Neo-Modern, which allowed me to come up with different Modern Interior Styles, by honoring the classical core of “Neo”. Vibrant Style was based on the use of bold and vibrant color on walls, floors and fabric. Contemporary Style was based on Neoclassical design elements on the walls, ceiling and accessories, but selecting very contemporary furniture, such as a curved Vladimir Kagan sofa. Eclectic Style was based on Neoclassical elements again on walls and ceiling, but the selection of furniture could be from a combination of modern styles, with a hint of Chinoiserie and Greek Key accessories.

The Neo Modern – Contemporary Style Image which shows the dark fuchsia sofa became our key to create an inviting and comfy Family Room, where the family would enjoy spending time together, a safe haven at the end of a busy day.

Annexed to the Family Room, there was the last room (at least for now) that needed some TLC. This was the private dwelling of the eldest son, active and energetic as young men in their early twenties are.

I opted for cleaner and more masculine lines when it came to the furniture selection, but honoring the Neoclassical elements that already gave structure to the house. Monochromatic Style shows that a strong use of two complementing colors doesn’t have to be boring and that Armani Cool could be the next hip thing for a young man his age. Contemporary Style gave us a palette where a Arne Jacobson Egg Chair would be very happy to sit next to a Mies van der Rohe daybed in the ensuite area. While Eclectic Style would let us play with around the world accessories, while choosing a retro Eames “Hand” armchair would add some funk.

Dubai being a fashion conscious metropole, made the Style choice an easy one!