Inspiring Design
By Whittney Parkison

The New Year is a time to be thankful for what we have, and hopeful for what is to come. Just getting to 2021 seems more significant than ever before. After spending so much time at home this year, now is a great time to appreciate your space and think about how you can make it truly your own.  
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I began my career in 2008 as an interior architect and designer—melding the jobs I saw growing up as the daughter of an architect and an interior designer. I started Whittney Parkinson Design almost five years ago in order to focus solely on projects I truly aligned with, and this year I made another leap, concentrating my efforts on residential design and working closely with families to achieve the home of their dreams. 

My style is transitional at heart, balancing modern and traditional elements. I look beyond trends to create ageless homes that will reflect my clients and their families for years to come. Whether you are ready to build a new home, remodel an existing one, or just imagine what your forever home might look like, here are a few design ideas you can take with you into 2021.

"A simple trick that

quickly enhances

any room is fresh

greenery--instantly

adding a sense of

​life!"

MAKE IT PERSONAL: Your home is your sanctuary and a reflection of who you are. I get to know my clients so that I can specify unique, quality items and accessories that reflect their one-of-a-kind personalities and reveal their personal style. Bookshelves not only add height, but they also allow you a place to display accessories that tell your story. Artwork is another effective solution to beautify a space and add a focal point. I encourage finding a work of art that is meaningful to you. Another simple trick that quickly enhances any room is fresh greenery—instantly adding a sense of life. I love adding a natural element by bringing in a few snipped branches from nature—the larger in scale, the more dramatic.

LOVE THE LIGHTING: Ambient lighting is so important and can make an immediate difference. I can’t tell you how many spaces I walk into with only a ceiling fixture. An easy way to start is by adding floor lamps and table lamps, giving off warm light at eye level. When you’re ready, you can add wall sconces or recessed lighting, which is a great way to highlight artwork. This underestimated design layer will instantly take a space from sterile to cozy. 

EMBRACE COLOR: There is a seismic shift in color trends right now, and after nearly a decade on the cooler end of the color scale we are happily embracing warmer tones again. While cool colors may make an area look brighter and bigger, warm tones are intimate and inviting. Paint will forever and always be the least expensive way to transform a space, and it’s a fantastic way to enhance your home, but it is not the only way to add color. Think about adding color with artwork, textiles, cabinetry and even woven furniture.

KEEP IT CLASSIC: Classic pieces help make a space last forever. Chasing trends can become tiresome, and we are figuring out collectively how disposable trends can be. Vintage and antique furniture, whether in a traditional setting or contrasted in a transitional style, aren’t going anywhere any time soon.