Venus Williams may be best known for her talent on the tennis court, but her passion for interior design has made her a true stand-out in the celebrity design industry – thanks to her celebrated Florida-based firm, V Starr. And we can’t stop scrolling through her most recent designs.
Although the star primarily focuses on commercial design nowadays, there are some incredible decorating ideas to be found in her firm’s projects – and many can be easily transferred to our own homes (albeit in smaller, subtler ways).
Here, we break down five of her top design projects and note some key ideas to steal from her spaces.
Our top five Venus Williams designs
Having opened V Starr studio in 2002, Venus used the project as a side passion away from the court. Since then, she has designed over xx interiors – including that of her sister, Serena. It is
Architects Paloma Hernaiz and Jaime Oliver, cofounders and directors of OHLab, believe that a building is only as attractive as it is sustainable. “If you know it’s polluting the environment, it probably won’t appeal to you,” Oliver argued. Climate change has changed our perspective. Glass curtain walls, for example, have lost some of their allure. “Today, if you see a building that’s entirely glazed, it’s not as nice aesthetically because you should know it doesn’t work well,” he says. By that measure alone, Paseo Mallorca 15, an apartment building the firm designed in Palma, on the Spanish island of Mallorca, is a stunner: Covered in pine shutters, it relies on passive heating and cooling techniques and consumes little energy.
Hernaiz and Oliver, who are married, met in New York while earning their masters’ degrees at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and later worked together at OMA
City Council declared a housing emergency in 2020. It didn’t declare an ugly buildings emergency.
Published June 20, 2023 • Last updated June 20, 2023 • 3 minute read
They’re an eyeore to some, but in Montreal, exterior staircases are an iconic part of the urban landscape.Photo by Oxana Sawka
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Ottawa city staff have released updated urban design guidelines for low-rise infill housing, outlining their esthetic preferences for residential infill buildings under four storeys. While infill guidelines have been around for years, this update comes as Queen’s Park expands areas that allow multi-unit homes and in advance of city hall’s new zoning bylaw that will do the same. With increased demand for infill housing, the guidelines will have a broader effect on housing in the city.
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The four houses that stand on a large plot in Kurumassery in Aluva are symbols of the deep love and affection between siblings. Homes may look different; however, this does not affect the special bond shared by the siblings. Of particular interest is Mohandas, the eldest brother who designs his own house as well as those of his siblings.
Mohandas said that it was their parents’ biggest wish that the four brothers stay close and live in the same plot. In addition, their children work or study abroad. So, staying close is the best way to take care of each other.
The English word “bespoke” is popular in the US. We think it’s GREAT and here’s why…
What does bespoke mean?
“Bespoke” means “ultra custom” in the British design language. Originally used in the context of clothing. Its use in the world of kitchen and bathroom design coincides with the growing notion of customers seeking spaces that are unique and personal. The word helps differentiate between something custom made and something truly custom made.
Custom made meaning there’s a thorough template and you get a made-to-order unit based on the dimensions, color, material, and style you have in mind.
bespoke is when you have a general idea – and maybe even a napkin sketch – of what you want, but it’s nowhere to be found…. it wasn’t until a designer and craftsman worked together to create it. Your bespoke creations are truly unique.
Joey Khu Interior Design taps into the elegant ethos of French icon Christian Liaigre to create a restful and beautiful home for a Singaporean family
Elegant, discreet and minimalistic—these are some of the defining traits of renowned French design maestro Christian Liaigre’s stellar work. The late designer and his eponymous brand Liaigre continue to be recognized worldwide for a signature look that is both polished as well as tastefully understated. A Singaporean couple who are ardent admirers of Liaigre’s work sought to incorporate some of the French brand’s most notable designs into their semi-detached house. They felt that their 4,600 sq ft property in Singapore’s Bukit Timah needed a major overhaul to meet their needs, and for the Liaigre furnishings and other designer pieces to fit beautifully within the interior.
The couple live with two daughters and the wife’s parents; the owners wanted ample storage for their family of six
There is a house, and there is House. The good endures, inspires curiosity, and instills a stamp of revived creativity in anyone who visits. But the historic home, and the tour that accompanies it, isn’t a monolith. Some are genuine treasures that have never been lost, and others are masterpieces from special sources. Some have been demolished, rebuilt from scratch and rebuilt from old records. Whether preserved through love or money, or both, these boxes of American design jewels endure through the ages, and designers never tire of looking through their inspirational gold mines. Here, the designer shares their favorite historic homes across the US — with a special emphasis on the East coast.
Beauports
Beauport (built 1907), or Sleeper-McCann House, was the home of Henry Davis Sleeper in Cape Ann’s Gloucester. With tony clients like Joan Crawford, Sleeper was a prolific decorator in the early days of professional design,
Casey Keasler values experiential learning. The founder of interior design firm Casework recently completed a nearly five-year renovation of her 1966 Portland, Oregon, home, which she affectionately calls the “Ranchalow” thanks to its ranch-meets-bungalow vibe. “I used the house as a bit of a testing ground,” the designer says. “Doing a lot of the work myself gave me a better understanding of the details and process, which strengthened the design as well as my relationships with vendors and tradespeople.”
In conceiving a design scheme for the 1,250-square-foot mid-century home that would suit her needs and reflect her personal style, Casey followed the same process as she does for all her clients. “We are very calculated as we develop the palette and vision, and always set three key phrases,” she explains. For her own home they are: “golden hour”—the warmth and glow of that really beautiful September sunshine; “easy like Sunday
While many employers are grappling with the post-pandemic Return To Work conundrum, Bobby Berk, the interior design expert on Netflix’s Queer Eyes, has created an innovative solution. The designer’s work from home concept satisfies his growing team’s need for creativity, collaboration, and comfort. Berk purchased a 1970s Spanish-style home in the Hollywood Knolls neighborhood (conveniently located half a mile from his own home), renovated it, and turned it into his eponymous design firm’s new HQ.
“I wanted to find a space where I could really showcase our designs and products in a residential interior setting,” Berk tells AD of his new digs, which opened five months ago. “The front of this house is completely set up as if it’s an actual home. It has a dining room, the kitchen, andliving room. There’s a little library office that we use if somebody needs to take a Zoom and they don’t
The rising temperature is making our concrete houses feel no less than a furnace and as summer approaches, the scorching heat at home can make it difficult to stay indoors without an air conditioning unit. However, there are many people who cannot afford such luxury or prefer to use sustainable solutions.
Home decor, interior design: Tips and tricks to cool-off your space this summer (Photo by Kinga Howard on Unsplash)
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Bhavana Bindra, Managing Director at REHAU South Asia, shared, “While some of us will find the luxury of cooled homes using natural building materials such as bamboo, clay, straw, etc., some will be able to use advanced construction techniques such as insulated walls and panels but for most of us, the air-conditioner is running at its full capacity, often blinding us from the impact it has on the environment. To sustainably protect oneself from
