 |
||||
DIY by Design Forced to be creative on a budget, Doug Wilson pulls from his farmhouse roots, thrift-store prowess and less-is-more attitude to help you discover your model makeover  First things first: Kick off a do-it-yourself project by determining your budget and assessing the work, suggests Doug Wilson, reality show host and designer. Image courtesy Doug Wilson For the last seven years, designer Doug Wilson has been advising — and sometimes criticizing — average Americans on the look of their homes on such hit reality shows as “Trading Spaces,” “America’s Ugliest” and “Moving Up.” And in the process, he’s honed his do-it-yourself skills. “These reality shows are the perfect mix of drama and design,” he says. “Because the budgets are almost non-existent, you have to be creative. You also have to think on your feet. That has made me a better designer.” Wilson became a designer almost by accident. He started out as an actor who, between roles, did carpentry and decorative painting to pay the bills. His mentor was decorating legend Albert Hadley, for whom he completed numerous painting and finishing projects. “Albert melded traditional qualities with new ideas and the results were timeless and beautiful,” he says. “I learned a lot from him.” Both on- and off-screen, Wilson embraces the DIY aesthetic. “I’m a big believer in being self-reliant,” he says. “The fundamentals of most decorating projects aren’t that hard. Patience and willpower are more important than money.” HomeStyle: What’s the biggest mistake people make when they’re redecorating? DOUG WILSON: Using every decorating idea they’ve ever had in one room. My own feeling is you should keep it simple. You can always add stuff later. HS: How do you get started? DW: The first thing to consider is your budget – what do you actually have to spend? Then, assess the major flaws you want to correct. Finally, be flexible. If you’re on a fairly tight budget – and who isn’t, these days? – don’t get locked into one idea. If your whole scheme depends on having a certain sofa in a certain color, it eliminates a whole lot of options that might work just fine.  The art of flexibility: Having a plan is good, but allowing yourself to adapt when the budget, resources or timetable change is a must for every do-it-yourselfer. Image courtesy Doug Wilson HS: Where should most of your budget go? DW: Spend money where people will see it. For instance, don’t spend $1,000 on a paperweight. But rugs and upholstery fabrics are things that everybody notices and that get a lot of wear and tear. It makes sense to buy the best you can afford in these categories. HS: What’s the biggest single thing you can do to change the mood of a room? DW: Paint. It’s also one of the cheapest things. Paint is the key to a quick makeover. You can tie just about anything together with the right paint color. And if you decide you don’t like it, you can just start over. It’s not that big of a deal. HS: What colors are you liking these days? DW: I like that whole American Classic palette – blue, chocolate brown and ivory. I also like greens and lavenders. But that’s just me. I don’t really believe in promoting certain colors at the expense of others. I think color is very personal. In general, if you like it and it works for the space, that’s the color you should use. HS: How has your taste evolved over the years? DW: In the beginning, I liked mainly modern stuff. Partly that was a matter of economics. You can be simple and modern for very little money. But I am a less-is-more kind of person; I like the pared-down look. That said, today I’m more of a generalist. I like mixing different styles and periods together. HS: Where do you find stuff? DW: Everywhere. I’m a big one for popping into thrift stores wherever I am and picking up unique things. HS: What’s your best find? DW: I was in a thrift store in Los Angeles recently and noticed a Tiffany-style light fixture that I first thought was plastic. However, when I looked at it up close, I realized it was leaded mother of pearl. It’s the kind of thing you would normally pay at least $1,500 for in an antique store. I got it for $60. HS: Do you have a favorite period or style? DW: I love stuff from the 1940s. The look and materials were still fairly traditional then but you can see Modernism on the horizon. It was the last moment before Modernism totally took over. My least favorite period is the 1980s. The ‘80s were all about gilding the lily. Today, we’re trying to scrape all that gilt off.  All American: The American Classic color palette of blue, chocolate and ivory ties a room together with its muted tones, letting the furniture and accent pieces speak for themselves. Image courtesy Doug Wilson HS: What kind of house do you live in? DW: A beach house in East Hampton. It’s very simple, white walls and a lot of furniture and objects I’ve collected over the years. HS: Any favorite objects? DW: A Chinese document box made out of burnished red leather. I don’t know the exact date, but my guess is 1700s. I bought it in an antique store in South Africa. Also, an Ethiopian bed that I use as a day bed. It’s made out of wood and is a little tippy but I love it anyway. HS: Did you grow up in a stylish house? DW: No. I grew up in a clapboard farmhouse in downstate Illinois that my family has owned for over a century. It wasn’t fancy. It started out as a four-room house and then got bigger over time. But not in any organized way. They just added rooms here and there as they needed them. The last big addition was when I was a kid. They tore down a barn on the property and used the wood to expand the house. HS: What’s the hardest part of what you do? DW: Learning to compromise. I’m a total perfectionist. But decorating, and especially decorating on television, isn’t always about perfection. Sometimes, you have to compromise to get the job done. That’s hard. |
||||
|
||||
