Talking Design

a conversation with New Orleans Interior Designer Denise St. Etienne

Designs With Finesse Owner Denise St. Etienne invites buzzup readers inside stylish digs. 

Rhodesia Jackson

Writer

NEW ORLEANS--Who doesn't think that s|he can do her|his own interior design, especially after watching years of  diy network programming? Some may even feel that it's earned them an honorary degree of sorts.

Why it's easy: 1, 2, 3 and a room is transformed from drab to fab.  After all, they do tell you which stores to shop and share all the tricks of the trade; there's no reason to pay a professional.

DIYs mislead
Don't be so mistaken, warned Interior Design-extraordinaire Denise Felton St. Etienne. Often times, these programs act as consumer traps for advertisers.

"I think these shows give people an unrealistic idea about interior design," stated St. Etienne, proprietor of the New Orleans-based Designs With Finesse.  "Where are they going to find fabric at $2 a yard…contractors to provide the labor? And what about the rest of the house?

"It's a way to get people locked up into trends -- spending money and frustrated."

St. Etienne, whose lush, warm, exquisite, visionary work graces the interiors of financial institutions, governmental lobbies and the homes of A-list clients, knows what she's talking about.

The dining room reflects impeccable neoclassical design.

achieving good design

"It's easy to be swept away thinking that you can do it yourself," conceded St. Etienne.  "What I do isn't rocket science; but when you take into account time and money for a person who's working, it might take me 2 hours, whereas s|he might spend two or three years."

That is hardly a stretch of the imagination.  St. Etienne cited one client who spent an entire year trying to figure out a style for the space and who finally got sick of visitors complaining about how empty and awful the place looked before calling Designs With Finesse to the rescue.

contracting a professional

"If you not getting a cohesive result for a particular space and you've already put in a lot of time and money, it's one sign that you need a professional," explained St. Etienne. "I am going to come in and do it all -- assess, develop a budget and game plan, shop, set up and you will be happy."

Taking a timeless, highly personal approach, St. Etienne likes to pick up on a person's "vibe" and then push that client to go beyond the usual. "My skill infused with their personality gives edge and style to the space," she stated. 

The second-story entertainment room affords
comfort, leisure and sophistication. 

the benefits
"Good design and aesthetics are important in so many ways," added St. Etienne.  "It's important to one's environment, productivity, function and health."

Studies have proven that cluttered environments breed harmful mold, dander and dust contributing to allergies, asthma and bodily injuries.

"Interior design is not a luxury -- it's a needed benefit that's more affordable than you think," assured St. Etienne.

great tips
But if you must, St. Etienne shared several tips:

• Don't live by trends; they are too unpredictable.
• Look for color: orange, grayish/blueish green neutrals.
• Less is best.
• Think green and re-purpose (chair, rugs, etc.).

For more information about consultation and services, contact Designs With Fitness at 504.913.2686 or dsaint1@cox.net. To visit DWF website, click the following link: designswithfinesse.com