Thad Hayes
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When I begin with a new client, I always...
Attempt to understand their expectations, wishes, dreams and desires. I look at their existing home or homes to see how they live. I inventory any furniture and art that they are considering reusing.
The mistake most people make when doing their own designing is...
Not to self-edit, which is the most difficult thing to do.
The most unusual request from a client was...
Nothing strikes me as unusual.
For someone who wants a big look on a small budget today...
I would use muslin curtains and natural canvas upholstery and a great, rich paint color—not bright, not bold.
One of the best things right now to collect for an investment is...
Older antiques—17th- to 18th-century English or French. Since 20th-century furniture is bringing record prices at auction houses, I would look at second-tier designers from the mid-20th century.
In the area of home electronics, people are asking for...
Lots of gadgets and flat screens. Audiovisual systems. Computers everywhere (in baths, dressing rooms, etc.).
In the next ten years the most important thing in design will be...
Comfortable furniture and ease of living. Yoga and meditation rooms are becoming more important to clients' lifestyles.
My biggest design mistake was...
And is the old lampshade dilemma. They're really hard to get perfect.
My favorite room to design is...
The entrance hall, library, living room and master bath—in that order.
I change my own interiors...
Not in any major way and not often, but I constantly make small changes.
There are many rules designers should bear in mind. One is...
To break the rules.
The order I follow when I design is...
I start out working on a visual concept and floor plan simultaneously. Then come the architectural materials, the furniture and then the fabrics. Though I tend to think about everything at once and as a piece.
Every home must have...
A good sofa and comfortable chairs.
Design likes and dislikes...
I like any space that's easy to understand. It could be by John Pawson or by Mario Buatta, who represent opposite ends of the design spectrum. Clarity is the key. I like keeping myself open, as it seems the minute I say I dislike something, I start looking at it differently—and I'll find a situation where it might be appropriate.
My personal dream house would be...
A maintenance-free, simple, elegant, light-filled box.
Who or what has influenced my style...
Mid-20th-century American architects and decorators; minimalist design from the '60s and '70s.
Three essentials for entertaining are...
Great food, lots of candles and, in winter, a fireplace.
If I could live anywhere (other than where I am), it would be...
The American Southwest.