My signature interior design secret – “House Candy”

Sweet Inspiration – Learn how I use House Candy, my signature design secret, to create stunning interior spaces.

You can put a sofa, table, and lamp in a room but it doesn’t make the room… Now add some "House Candy" and your room starts to sparkle with your personality and come alive with “moxie”!

House Candy is the unexpected “wow”

It’s in the details – color, texture, and pattern. It’s the accessories - artwork, throw pillows, or crystal beads layered on top of a jewelry box. It’s the surprising personal touches that make your room reflect your personal style. These objects and details are the passion I infuse into my interior design that I call “House Candy”. House Candy is what turns a house into your home!

My 2012 Mansion in May project featuring a Red Lacquer Mirror by Bunny Williams as House Candy

The fun, clever thing about House Candy is that it can turn up just about anywhere! It could be around a corner or on a shelf such as the white Jonathan Adler Rhino Sculpture I placed on top of a pile of books. It could be hanging on a wall in the form of a red lacquer mirror by Bunny Williams or make a big bold statement in the middle of a room like the pair of Faux Zebra Ottoman from Lee. It could take the form of a metallic Moroccan Pouf Ottoman from AllModern or be a witty message on a pillow in a teenager’s bedroom like the one I used from Alexandra Ferguson. House Candy is the geometric pattern of an area rug or the unexpected skull resting on a coffee table. House Candy comes in a wonderful array of forms, sizes, shapes, materials and colors… What makes it “House Candy” is that it evokes an emotional response from the viewer and that, in a nutshell, is what House Candy is all about!

A pair of Faux Zebra Ottoman from Lee make a big bold statement in the middle of a room

However, choosing the “right” House Candy for my clients isn’t always easy – sometimes I discover what I need right under my nose and other times I need to hunt it down based on what I think I’m missing to complete the design. House Candy might be items my client already owns only arranged in new and different ways. Other times, I scavenger boutiques, shops, and the Internet in hot pursuit of that “piece de resistance”… I may not know just what I’m looking for until I see it, but when I do, it’s a classic moment!

I cherish these sweet moments when I find just the right House Candy and present it to my clients. Some clients will ask me to makeover their whole house with House Candy while others need help with only a few pieces here and there. It’s all good! No project is too big or too small when it comes to House Candy. I love it all!

When it comes to House Candy, consider this metaphor… House Candy is an attractive woman. She may be naturally pretty on her own. Now apply make-up and accessories and everything pulls together. Now she’s simply exquisite!