Interview by Shereen Lurie
Originally from Durban, interior decorator, Steven Graham, has been decorating for over 10 years. He earned his stripes managing the leading retail and decorating outlets, Weylandts, Wetherlys and Osiers, and through pursuing his own personal businesses. He has a showroom in Cape Town’s Cape Quarter where he sells custom-made furniture, scatter cushions and lamps and offers a full design and decorating service.
• What inspires you?
Aside from humour, personality and a scotch on the rocks, my clients inspire me mostly. I am fascinated by how people live, and I get inspired by placing those personalities in a space that matches them better to where they currently are.
• What makes your style of design different from other designers?
I don’t have a style anymore! My style changes according to every client I meet. I never want someone to walk into a home and immediately say “Steven Graham decorated your home”. I decorate spaces that enhance the family/people that live there. My job is to make sure that when you walk into their homes that their personalities and humour live out throughout the house.
I reinvent people’s homes and add to what they already have, I believe we all have 99% of what we need; we just need help in showing it off better. I don’t throw very much away – in times like these, reinvention is my goal.
• What, in your opinion, are the hot new interior home trends for winter?
Grey is back, not that I think it ever left. I think we just keep taking it out of the cupboard at the end of summer. Navy is making a mark in winter, and will continue to do so until summer together with stark white. Big bursts of colour in accent pieces, as well as very large graphic florals in deep purple and yellow will be very trendy. People are still wary about spending, but I feel that we are still able to find luxury in the likes of big blankets and soft throws. This winter people are definitely reinventing their bedrooms, headboards and lampshades, and creating ideal moments for a good book and a box of chocolates.
• What are some of the most common decorating mistakes made by home owners?
To be honest I don’t think there are too many mistakes one can make. Everyone has a particular style, and what works for someone may not work for someone else. I say go for it and be bold – paint those walls and if you hate it, repaint them until you find a colour you love. I try to dare my clients to do something that both scares and excites them. I have a phobia of white walls, unless they are used to create a theme and the white is used to show off the house – for example white on white can be spectacular when it’s about texture and shapes, and inviting colour into signature pieces. But most people move into a home where the walls are white, and instead of painting them a richer hue and creating a warm home that accentuates the wonderful style they have, they keep on repainting them white to play it safe.
• Best perk of your job
Seeing clients fall in love with the magical spaces in their home. My mother would say it’s the discount she gets when she shops on my decorator’s card.
• Dream celeb decorating client
I could be boring and unimaginative and say Oprah or Celine Dion or Donald Trump, because with them, budget would not be an issue. Trump certainly could do with a lot of help with that nasty gold fetish he has. But to be truthful it would have to be British comedienne Miranda Hart. I would love to decorate her home because she has the most brilliant sense of humour, and would enjoy the entire process, and secondly she needs my help!
• Favourite design pieces
My favourite design piece in my home is my sofa, designed by myself with added help from my partner and built by my best friend. It’s filled with lots of what a sofa actually needs but the magic comes in 3 goose down duvets sewn into the upholstery. When you lie on it… absolute bliss… I also adore chandeliers and mirrors. Light in any form is key. And last but not least, fresh cut roses. One of the roses should always be placed next to your bed, so that you can watch it every day from bud to bloom, to remind you that life and homes are journeys. I don’t believe in instant homes. There are moments to savour and time is precious. Take time to watch it grow.
CONTACT:
Steven Graham – 021 418 0506, info@stevengraham.co.za
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