At Home With A Designer An Interview with Charlotte Moss

It's been years since Charlotte Moss made the leap from the world of Wall Street into the world of design, opening her own shop full of antiques and decorative items for the home.

From there it was an easy transition into decorating as the principal of Charlotte Moss & Company. After making a splash as one of House Beautiful's top 10 rooms in the Kips Bay Showhouse of 1995, she wrote 3 books, has lectured extensively, and designed many rooms featured in major decorating magazines.

Her decorating advice is practical ("create a master plan, then prioritize") and her approach to a room is with an equal eye for function, comfort, and beauty. Words that help define her style include: warm, welcoming, European, detailed, formal, balanced, functional, precise, and layered.

Join us as we visit with Charlotte Moss on home decorating...

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Q. What are some of the decorating mistakes that you notice when you walk into a home?

Charlotte Moss: "Things I notice right away are bad lampshades, straggly plants -- often one great plant will do instead. Also dinkiness in scale, with little teensy things dotted all over or picture frames on every surface. I really think things should be massed together for greater effect."

Q. What tips do you have on themes, fabric and color choices, window treatments, furniture, etc. when decorating a long lasting room for a young child?

Charlotte Moss: "I'm not big on themes because that is what is outgrown first. With children's toys and what they play with, they'll create their own theme.

"There are some types of what I call 'knockdown furniture' that is very practical for a child. They can use it for playing, drawing, and sitting on -- things like a table and four little chairs. Those things will be a part of them now, but not later.

"Paint is easy, and if children draw on walls, you can just paint over it. I also love doing big chalkboards and big bulletin boards -- things that children can draw on so that they're not inclined to draw on the walls.

"When it comes to upholstered items -- slipcover everything. You might buy a great chair, but you don't want to put an expensive fabric on it until the child gets older, so slipcover it for now. And curtains or a fabulous upholstered headboard are going to last a long time, so invest in good ones."

Q. Can children be part of the planning for their rooms?

Charlotte Moss: "Sometimes, with children who are old enough to know what their favorite color is, you can have a talk with them and make them a part of the decision-making process. When they are part of the process the room will last longer, and they won't get tired of it.

"We once did a room for a girl who wanted a lot of black, but the mother was not happy about it. So we found a way to add some black with leopard prints, which ended up pleasing everyone.

"You've got to be democratic. There's a way to bring children into the process by being the parent, but letting them know where you draw your line. And one day when they graduate from college they can do whatever they want!"

Q. What decorating techniques/ideas/projects would you recommend to a homeowner who wants to rev up the look of a bedroom or living room for Spring, without spending a fortune?

Charlotte Moss:"Paint -- it's cheap, you can often do it yourself, and you can create a lot of effect with color. Try a color you've never tried before -- kiwi green or a pale violet -- something you've always wanted to try. A couple of gallons of paint is a very inexpensive experiment."