At the Gary Feldman Group at Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty, we have longstanding, strong connections with the best of Aspen’s interior designers, architects, lenders and more. Below is Gary Feldman’s Q&A with Robyn Scott, owner and principal designer with Robyn Scott Interiors, who gives her industry insider’s views regarding the importance of using an interior designer:

 

 

Robyn Scott is an accomplished, award-winning interior designer with a portfolio exemplifying top-level expertise and an elite clientele. Since opening her design firm 20 years ago, Scott has garnered acclaim for her unique vision and holistic approach to interior design. She is the only designer executing her unique approach: “Artitexture.” She crafted the concept and coined the term “Artitexture” as a way of bridging her passion and talents ― art and interior design ― creating a link between architectural structure and interior furnishings. Robyn is known for her clean, curated interiors that reflect the story of the home and the homeowners. She aims for timeless interiors that feel both sophisticated and approachable, while being grounded in a sense of place.

 

 

We provide value to our clients by offering premier design services and proposing products of value and with a fair market price. We take our clients through the steps of understanding the difference in price, quality, and customer service around their design choices. Working with trusted suppliers and artisans is critical to a successful project. Our mission is to ensure our clients know and trust that we have their best interests in mind when it comes to their investment in their home.

 

 

I see art and design coming together more frequently and earlier on in on our projects. Recent conversations and information gathered through trade sources is pointing to the merger of the art selection process with interior design. Why? Because people want something original. I believe that because so much of interior design selections (i.e. furnishings, wall coverings, plumbing fixtures etc.) are accessible through online sources, homeowners are feeling that what they are buying is not exclusive or unique to them. It’s become a mass market. However, an art piece makes an interior unique as an expression of the homeowner; and how it is put together within the design is key.

 

 

When my clients walked into their newly designed home in Snowmass Village after not seeing it since the construction phase, they were pleasantly surprised and overjoyed. The expressions on their faces were priceless, the pure excitement exploding as they turned through each doorway into each room, with expressions of “Wow!”, “I remember picking this!”, “This piece looks so perfect in this new location!”, and “Look at the ceiling and the wood finishes!” When the client sees their design decisions come together in the end, it is true satisfaction for everyone. Suddenly, all the hard work, the investment of time and money, and the energy put into long-term decisions all fades away and a sense of relief, joy and contentment emerges. This is why we love what we do. These amazing clients created a video with me and we truly had a lot of fun throughout the process.

 

 

It is important to hire an interior designer verses a decorator. An interior designer has an undergraduate degree and approaches projects in a comprehensive way. Designers focus on lifestyle, environment, functionality, durability, sustainability, quality, lighting, and codes; and get down to the true essence of a space. The combination of a trained eye, understanding what people want, and problem-solving with a team is quintessential to the field of interior design.

 

I feel a true responsibility to design interiors that have depth and will stand the test of time. To be able to provide this level of visualization of space, materials, lighting, furnishings and art; plus have an understanding of construction and architecture, I feel is a true gift to our clients.

 

The decorating phase is the very final icing on the cake. In many circumstances, decoration is not needed. Editing a space, and selecting specific artful objects with a few functional accessories such as tissue boxes, cozy blankets, and coffee table books; is the approach to decoration that we take. I believe interior designers may decorate, but decorators do not design.