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Q&A with Leanna S. Farrell
Reprinted from Spaces Magazine, January/February 2007 issue
Never one to take the traditional route, Leanna S. Farrell enjoys
finding creative solutions to design dilemmas and has sustained an
enduring career by drawing inspiration from her gratifying clientele.
Story by Karen Hufford
Photos by Rob Downey
Leanna S. Farrell, senior designer and office manager for Porter Baxter
Interior Design in Melbourne, brings over 20 years experience in the
interior design and visual arts industries to each project. Prior to her
current position, Farrell, who attended Shippensburg State College and
Indiana University at Pennsylvania and became a licensed designer in 1990,
was highly involved in business development aspects of the art industry,
including serving in positions such as an art director and buyer for
various well revered galleries. Her experience also extends to the
commercial design industry where she owned and operated her own firm,
Phoenix Design Group, in Orlando for 11 years.
Porter Baxter Interior Design is set apart by being a full-service
interior design firm celebrating 50 years in Brevard County in 2007.
Farrell takes pride in the creation of exquisite window treatments, and
excels in color selection. She thoroughly takes pleasure in her client’s
satisfaction and contributes a huge amount of her success to building
trusting relationships with her clients.
Spaces recently met up with Farrell to talk about the longevity of her
career, current projects, and where she sees her profession heading in the
future. Here’s what she had to say:
Q: When did you discover your gift for interior design, or is it something
you’ve always been passionate about?
I guess you could say I evolved into my career. I’ve never taken the
traditional route starting college at 29 years old with three kids.
Looking back, my creativity was always showing up in things I did, whether
cooking, gardening, or sewing. I didn’t realize what a gift it was until
others affirmed me. If solving design dilemmas in my sleep and wishing the
night was over so I could go to work is considered a passion, then yes, I
do have a passion for design.
Q: Although you design for your clients’ tastes and preferences, what is
your favorite style of design?
I feel that the more one is exposed to different styles, over time one’s
taste level increases and classic styles become favorites. I appreciate
all styles and use several in my personal design. Dramatic colors and
unusual accessories and artwork are more exciting to me then any piece of
furniture.
Q: Are there any cultural influences that seem to reemerge in your
designs?
I would say the Asian culture has most influenced my design. I have always
loved oriental accessories, lighting, and most of all, artwork. I’m not a
fan of Asian furniture, however. But I find myself leaning toward the
primitive qualities of the pottery and art.
Q: I’m aware that you are completing a full-design project of an 8,000
square-foot home on Lansing Island. Where do you begin a project of this
stature when starting from scratch?
One must literally start from the ground up! I interview the client to
determine their lifestyle, what is important to them, the size of their
family, and how they like to entertain. These answers give me clues as to
the types and styles of furnishings, fabrics, and functions these items
will have to perform. A project of this magnitude could easily overwhelm
one, but I find that breaking it into phases works well for my clients and
for myself. Experience helps!
Q: From a different angle, how would you design a space building on family
pieces that the homeowner will not part with?
Family pieces and collections actually help a designer develop a room
focusing on what is meaningful to a client. A lot depends of the scale,
color, and function of the piece. Sometimes it can be a great focal point
in the room or the design may require incorporating other like pieces to
complete the look. When using an eclectic palette that mixes several
styles in one room, it is certainly easier for the piece to look as if it
was meant it to go there. Other times we just have to “hide” it in a room
that is not seen. Be sure to bring it out if Aunt Martha comes!
Q: In your opinion, what is the most fun design accessory to incorporate
into a space?
For me, I love whimsy or a little unexpected surprise in a room. Art or
sculpture is the most fun for me to place. You don’t see much sculpture
and I love the controversy it can cause, from love to hate.
Q: From your experience, how important is choosing the“ right” window
treatments? And how does a homeowner’s lifestyle affect which window
treatments they should use?
The right window treatment is like frosting on a cake. It leaves a lasting
impression and can overshadow everything else in the room, and that’s good
if the furniture is ugly! When I do a window I want to know many things
about what the client expects the window to do. The comment most often
heard is, “I don’t want anything too heavy.” You really have to explore
what“ heavy” means and translate that into what the space requires. It is
not just about the window, but how the window balances the rest of the
space.
Q: When it comes to flooring selection, what are the first things to
consider?
Function, function, and function. That’s the number one consideration, and
if it doesn’t perform it doesn’t matter what color you choose. A designer
needs to be an expert on different types of flooring today because there
are so many choices and such diversity in prices. You have to help the
client wade through the choices.
Q: Wallpaper seems to be making a comeback recently. How would a homeowner
go about choosing the best wallpaper for their décor?
The first thing a homeowner should do is call their designer! This is a
hard one and again the space and scale are most important, not just the
color and pattern. The function of the space is important, as you would
not want to put grass cloth in a steamy bathroom. You can really create an
instant atmosphere
with a wall-covering.
Q: What things do you take into consideration when designing a commercial
space, such as a restaurant or hotel lobby, versus a residential space?
Commercial spaces require special attention to the function of the space
and the materials used have to meet certain fire codes and all kinds of
other tests. How many people will use the space at any given time, and how
the space is being used are a couple among the many, many design
considerations. I feel fortunate to have experience with commercial
projects because I basically use the same process with my residential
clients and am always considering if a design will work over the long
haul.
Q: To date, which of your completed projects do you feel is the most
unique?
The State Headquarters for the American Legion in Orlando was very
rewarding, but the St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Altamonte Springs
was a labor of love. I took the job on a pro-bono basis, as so many
professionals do, because I wanted to give something back to my parish.
Part of the renovation and new building project was to design a senior day
care facility that became somewhat of a prototype in the state because
there were virtually none at that time. It is a great tribute to visit a
site 16 years later and find it still functioning great and servicing the
client.
Q: As someone with extensive experience in the art industry, do you have
any tips for successfully choosing and displaying art pieces?
There are very few investment art collectors. Most of us just buy art
because we love it! Some people buy art that matches the sofa. Others buy
the sofa to go with the art. I knew I was the latter when I hung all the
art I owned in my new apartment and didn’t own a sofa. Buy what you love
and you’ll find a home for it—just ask my husband. Big tip! Try to hang a
big picture on a big wall and tiny pictures on a small wall. My pet peeve
is to see these little tiny pieces on a huge wall. It looks ridiculous.
Q: What colors and pieces would you suggest to a homeowner who would like
a “sophisticated” look?
Sophistication comes in many colors but a neutral palette is the most
sophisticated and hardest to achieve. Why? Because people do not realize
that many shades of beige can go together, and should. Texture is the key
to this type of look.
Q: Do you feel it is beneficial to incorporate different textures in a
room?
Well, I guess I got ahead of myself. Texture is always important. It’s
boring to have all smooth surfaces. One must mix to achieve interest.
Texture also gives bulk and can create the illusion of weight when you
need it. It makes smooth look smoother.
Q: “Green” design and resource conservation focusing on the idea of using
environmentally friendly products has come forward as an important design
consideration. Why do you feel this is significant?
Yes, we’ve all been hearing about “green,” but not many people are
interested, understand the importance of it, or can afford it. Big
corporations are forced to get it and they can afford it. Then there is
the availability factor. Where do you find it? We are being exposed to it
now but it has not been a big player in mainstream design for the above
reasons. But when it becomes more affordable we will all be buying.
Q: What are some of the most common mistakes that people make when doing
their own decorating?
People spend lots of money on mistakes. It is just as easy to spend it on
the right things! People often do not take the whole room into account.
They may see something they can’t live without and/or buy on emotional
impulse, or worse, because it’s on sale. Buying pieces that are too big,
selecting the wrong paint colors, selecting items with no regard to
function for their family, and buying lots of trendy accessories that that
are too small and actually cheapen the furniture, are just some of the
mistakes I deal with on a daily basis. My motto: “Good design doesn’t
cost, it pays.”
Q: How important is building a solid relationship with your client during
the design process?
Communication and listening are the most important factors when building
any relationship and it is even more crucial to a successful project.
Trust is built over time and with consistent, good rationale, a designer
will gain that trust. Every meeting builds trust and this is the
foundation to a good relationship. Without this you will never be taken
seriously. If I feel a client doesn’t trust me then I stop the process and
re-evaluate the expectations of the client, with the client! Sometimes
it’s best to “ un-hire” yourself.
Q: As someone who has enjoyed many successful years in the interior design
industry, what advice would you give a new designer fresh out of school?
Well, the most important thing to ask yourself is, “Do I have talent?”
When I started in this field very few schools offered interior design as a
course, let alone something you could get a degree in. It was not
considered a serious profession. Today schools are accepting students
without regard for talent. A designer must play many roles and glamour
plays a tiny one. Take some courses in business management because each
project takes management. The knowledge that comes with experience is
required to do a project and they can’t teach that to you in school. If
you have a passion for the field then get the experience any way you can.
Don’t go into the field if you want to be a millionaire. Don’t expect a
large clientele in one year. Longevity counts in this field. Have fun
working and don’t take it so seriously that you lose your sense of humor.
You’ll need it.
Q: If you had the opportunity to design or re-design any space in Brevard
County, which would you choose?
I have always dreamed of transforming The Ice Plant, on US 1 in Melbourne.
I envision the first floor divided into working artists’ store-fronts and
a gallery downstairs with a private club for dancing, and dining upstairs.
The interior would be an Art Deco design. Fabulous wood floors and period
chandeliers
would grace the club with white tablecloths and jazz bands playing soft
music. In the evening guests could browse through the art galleries with a
glass of wine and passer-bys could see couples dancing below the wonderful
chandeliers. That would be a dream project.
Leanna S. Farrell of Porter Baxter Interior Design in Melbourne can be
reached via phone at 321-724-4777 or by visiting the studio at 404 S.
Babcock Street, Melbourne, Fla. 32901.
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