Interior design is more than objects, measurements, and property, it is a state of mind that creates the life you dream of. This prophetic idea is central to the work of Reed and Delphine Krakoff, the creative power couple who kicked off SCADstyle 2018. Reed currently serves as chief designer of Tiffany & Co., while Delphine runs a thriving interior design firm.
However, their collaborative projects are what brought them to the SCAD Museum stage Tuesday morning in a Q&A with Margaret Russell, editor for Galerie Magazine and honorary dean of SCAD’s School of Interior design. The pair provided insight into the skill of collecting to curate a livable space. This is a concept exhibited in their book The Houses We Dreamt Of, a pictorial narrative that provides a candid glimpse into six timeworn houses Reed and Delphine transformed into their own homes.
When inquired about the title, Reed was the first to speak. The idea was to look at homes as a state of mind, something they dreamed. Ironically, the photographs aren’t a dream at all but a truthful capture of homes that are evidently inhabited. The couple admits they owe this sincerity to the photographer, Ivan Terestchenko. Using no added lighting or staging, he showcased each room as a still production of existence. This also captured the essence of Reed and Delphine’s intentional and honest style.
Each room tells them what it wants to be and the life that is going to be lived in it.
Both Delphine and Reed shares that the houses they’re most usually drawn to are ones that might “scare” people; but they also admit their appreciation for the character of old things. To them, old houses express a narrative that can now be molded into one’s own life.
Their process of decorating any space begins with collecting. The couple boasts an extensive amount of antiques that have adorned their past homes and describe the collections as an “alchemy” of objects. Some might find irony in the concept of refurbishing an old house with more old objects. However, Delphine explains that the best redecorating should appear as if nothing has been redecorated. It should look lived in.
In one word of advice to any new collectors who aspire to curate the houses they dream of, Delphine and Reed both advise to educate yourself. Read catalogs. Go to stores. Don’t solely rely on the vast landscape of the internet. More specifically, Reed prompts students to learn all the rules and then break them. This goes for all artists: trust yourself to develop a style. This still rings true for the Krakoff’s, who are moving into new terrain in their next project: building their first contemporary house. They are selling a large portion of their collection as well in order to make room for the new– new objects, new homes, and new dreams.
Written by Kat Sours
Photos by Lucy Hewitt and Angie Stong