How I think About Materials

When I begin thinking about a space, I am often looking first at the envelope. The walls, the floors, the larger surfaces that everything else will sit within. These decisions carry more weight than they might initially appear to.

They set the tone for the room.

From there, it becomes a matter of hierarchy. What is the primary voice in the space, and what is supporting it. Sometimes that is a bold wallpaper. Sometimes it is a rug or a floor material. Not everything can speak at the same volume.

Once that is established, the rest of the materials are considered in relation to it.

Pattern, scale, and texture begin to shift depending on what is already present. In some cases, you want contrast. In others, you want a more immersive effect, where elements feel closely related in scale and tone. There is no fixed rule. It depends on what the space is asking for and what the client is drawn to.

The work becomes more exploratory here.

Materials are tested, not assumed. Samples are moved around the room. They are looked at in the morning, in the evening, and under artificial light. They are placed next to one another to understand how they interact. Some surfaces feel flat. Others catch the light and shift throughout the day.

Materials are not simply finishes, but active elements within a room.

They change with light. They respond to use. They carry texture, temperature, and weight. Some feel soft and quiet. Others draw your attention immediately. The goal is to understand how they will exist together over time.

That also extends to how the space will be lived in.

Material decisions are different for a family with young children than they are for a couple without them. Durability matters. So does flexibility. I want to create spaces that can evolve, not spaces that feel like they need to be replaced within a few years.

That often means asking questions about past decisions. Where clients felt they played it too safe, or where they wished they had done something differently.

From there, the work moves into execution.

You can have the right materials and still end up with the wrong result if they are not handled properly. Craft is what carries the idea through.

I value working with people who are deeply invested in what they do. Artisans who understand the history behind a piece. Restoration specialists who can bring original elements back into alignment. Contractors who are willing to make decisions based on the end result, not just convenience.

When that alignment is there, the process feels less like a series of tasks and more like a coordinated effort. Everything is connected. Each part affects the next.