The Clean & Contemporary Interiors of Amy Elbaum
We asked Interior Designer Amy Elbaum to share her inspiration, and allow us a peek into some of her favorite interior projects to date.
Name: Amy Elbaum
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Profession: Interior Designer
Instagram: @ae_design_
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/ae_design_
How would you describe your design style?
My design style is clean & contemporary — I am always looking for an effective way to marry beautiful & timeless design with practical functionality. I gravitate towards clean lines and bright open layouts but continually challenge myself and my clients to think “outside the box” by integrating color, pattern and unique forms into each space.
Having started my design career in New York City and then moving to Los Angeles, my design style has definitely evolved. I have moved away from the heavy velvets and mohairs you would see in a Manhattan penthouse and gravitate now towards indoor/outdoor fabrics and more natural materials that are more relevant to life in Los Angeles.
“My design style is clean & contemporary — I am always looking for an effective way to marry beautiful & timeless design with practical functionality.”
Photographed by Jessica Alexander
Photographed by Amy Bartlam
Photographed by Amy Bartlam
Where do you take your design inspiration from? Any specific Instagram accounts or blogs you ‘stalk’ for ideas?
I take my inspiration from everywhere, especially social media platforms like instagram and pinterest. Some of my favorite follows include Michelle Gerson, Collective Studio, Studio Lifestyle and Lindsay Brooke. I am most interested in designers that are doing things that are new and different and break away from the trends.
I also look to some of the design philosophies I learned from my late grandmother, Harriet Robinson, who taught me so much about interior design. She always encouraged me to take risks and reminded me that there are no rules in design. I think about those concepts often when pushing myself to do something innovative or different.
Your designs feel so fresh and airy, and we love your feed at @ae_design_. What aesthetics inspire your interiors? Are there any particular projects you loved bringing to life?
I definitely love a good white wall and a space with lots of natural light. I try not to over-furnish my spaces and leave plenty of room for life to happen. A recent job I did (Oak Lane Drive) was such a complete transformation and it felt so great to give an older home new life. I worked with an older couple who had not updated their home in years and they let me take total creative control in most of the decisions. Things were very heavy and dark and I loved brightening things up and adding fresh color and pattern into the mix. The before and afters are jaw dropping and they are so grateful to be able to enjoy their home all over again.
Photographed by Amy Bartlam
Photographed by Amy Bartlam
Are there any Organic Modernism pieces that stand out to you? How would you style them?
I have always loved the Dallas coffee table — that base is a stunner! It’s like a beautiful piece of jewelry for your home. I also love the irregular shape of the glass top — it’s so unique yet timeless & contemporary. I would love to use it in a space with a lot of seating so that it offers an opportunity for everyone to use it in close range. I would add a stack of coffee table books and an orchid and let the table shine!
How would you say being an interior designer affects the way you look at a piece of furniture?
Because I have been exposed to so many pieces of furniture over the years, I definitely like to see something new and different. A simple piece of furniture can be great but I always like to compliment simple things with interesting and innovative designs. I also look a lot at the functionality of the piece because of all the experience I have had with people using furniture in their home. Is it kid friendly? How easy does it clean? Is it the right height? These are all important things to consider when sourcing furniture.
Photographed by Amy Bartlam
We noticed our Siena 4A pop up in one of your projects. Do you use this piece for function or design?
Both! It is nice and oversized, which not only filled up the blank space but also provided tons of storage. My favorite thing about this piece is the mix of finishes — white lacquer, warm walnut, and aged brass — not to mention the leather pulls! I always mix finishes in my spaces to add depth and this piece was really tied the whole space together.
Photographed by Amy Bartlam
What are your favorite trends right now in design? Are there any you’re just over?
I generally don’t gravitate towards trends but I do love the mixing of metals that is going on right now. I use chrome, brass, bronze and black all in the same space — I think it makes a space feel warmer and richer. The matte black plumbing fixtures we are seeing now are so interesting and are providing opportunities to design bathrooms like we haven’t seen before.
I am pretty over the modern farmhouse look in general — white shaker kitchens, wide plank oak floors, and shiplap. It’s beautiful but I see it way too much!
Give us your elevator pitch about you. What can our readers find in your blog?
I try to provide content in my blog that reflects on what’s going on in my business and my personal life. I am constantly redoing and trying to finish my own home so I have posted a lot of blog content about that. I think you will find I go through the same agony making decisions that everyone else does!
I also post on instagram a lot about my finished projects as well as my process. I try to involve my followers in some of my decisions through polls in my stories. It’s so fun getting an outside perspective! I try to be honest and real about what life in the design world is all about — the good, the bad and the ugly.
Where can our readers go to learn more about your services?
www.aedesigns.com
Anything else you’d like us to share?
I have been a fan of Organic Modernism for many years because of the way it takes some more classic modern pieces and adds something interesting — texture, curves, finishes. I think it has a really unique feel and provides that something extra that as a designer I strive to find in the pieces I source for my clients.
About AE Design & Amy Elbaum
AE DESIGN is a Los Angeles based interior design firm offering custom design solutions for residential & commercial spaces. The firm was established by Amy Elbaum in 2012, and prides itself on creating fresh, exciting and luxurious interiors tailored to each client’s specific needs. Known for her clean & contemporary aesthetic, Amy is always looking for effective ways to marry beautiful & timeless design with practical functionality. Her modern point of view carries across all of her work through the use of clean lines and bright open layouts. She continually challenges herself and her clients to think “outside the box” by utilizing innovative products and design techniques.
From a young age, Amy was heavily influenced and inspired by her interior designer grandmother, Harriet Robinson, who introduced her to the world of art history, antique textiles, and classic furniture design. After receiving a bachelor of arts from the University of Wisconsin, she traveled to New York City where she resided for 10 years. She studied at Parsons The New School for Design earning a degree in Interior Design and upon graduating, worked for such well known NYC design firms as Christopher Maya Inc. and GRADE Architecture + Design. She ventured out to open her own firm in 2012 and relocated from New York to Los Angeles in 2015. She provides her clients with a range of services including interior renovations, floor plan layouts, and specifications of furniture, fabrics & finishes.
This publication originally published in Organic Modernism blog:
https://www.organicmodernism.com/blogs/news/the-clean-contemporary-interiors-of-amy-elbaum
