It’s been a while since we had a friend over here for a chat and I’ve been missing sharing some of my inspiring friends and their work with you. Being back with “Chatting with Friends” feels even more special when you have a guest like Brooke Giannetti, she’s not only one of the best interior designers in America, author of the very popular book Patina Style and the blog Velvet & Linen, but she’s also one of the kindest people I know. She’s always very candid and you can’t help but feel closer to her when you read her blog. She shares her amazing designs and also her very interesting experiences. She’s married to architect Steve Giannetti and has three beautiful children and let’s not forget, she also has the most famous and cutest chickens on the ‘net!
Be prepared to know a bit more about this great person and very talented interior designer!
HB: You were born and raised in California and still lives there. Do you think this has influenced your designs?
BG: Absolutely! I think the relaxed California lifestyle can be seen in all of the homes we design. I also feel it is important to have a connection to the outdoors to take advantage of the gorgeous weather in Southern California.
HB: Describe what is a harmonious design for you.
BG: I love keeping most of the walls the same color (preferably white plaster) so all of the rooms flow together. I also like to keep the color scheme in the spaces complimentary. The most harmonious homes use a very limited color palette that is inspired by the location of the home.
HB: The ideal client usually is…
BG: Informed, loves collaboration and has an open mind.
HB: Name something that you can’t stand in the interior design world.
BG: Too perfect interiors. I like interiors that look comfortable and relaxed.
HB: I know you like flea-markets. Who would you love to go shopping with?
BG: Interior Designer Kim Fiscus. She has a wonderful eye.
HB: You have an exciting career and also a beautiful family. I must say that I admire the way you talk about Steve on your blog. I feel you really love and admire him. How do you balance your professional and personal life?
BG: Fortunately our profession is our passion, so it’s natural that it would be a large part of our life together, and I think it’s important for our children to see that. Our busy life with our children keeps everything in balance. We have no choice but to turn off our careers when the kids are around!
HB: I’m aware you don’t have a formal design education and in fact you’ve started in this business because you were asked by one of Steve’s client to help decorate their child’s room. You haven’t stopped since. Do you think there is advantages of not having a formal education in this area, like for instance, instead of being over-influenced by others, you’ve learned to find your own niche?
BG: The best part about not going through a design program is that I’m not afraid of breaking design rules. I created my own rules through experience and listening to my instincts.
HB: If you had to give some advice to a person that’s just starting in this career, what would that be?
BG: Find a mentor whose work you love and is open to sharing. Start designing! Experience designing will teach you much more than going to design school.
HB: Besides your own book, is there any other that have inspired you in the past?
BG: Rose Tarlow’s book is a classic. Her interiors never go out of style. All of the Belgian design books by Beta Plus are incredible. I’m drawn to the way Belgian designers use ancient building materials in a more contemporary way. I also love European magazines: Cote Maison and Campaigne.
HB: Unfortunately, not everyone can afford to contract an interior designer. I think that writing a book like “Patina Style” is actually a gift you give to all of us that want to learn more from you and Steve. I’m sure you have met many of your fans through your book by now. Please, tell us how does it feel.
BG: Wonderful! My blog, Velvet and Linen, and our book are ways for us to share what we’ve learned and what we love. To connect with people who appreciate our work is a gift.
HB: How do you see your life in five years?
BG: Our boys will be in college. Steve, Leila, and I will be living in Ojai on Patina Farm with our dogs, chickens, and miniature horses.
HB: What really makes you feel uncomfortable?
BG: Rooms with no connection to the outside. Rooms with too much color.
HB: Life is all about…
BG: Fulfilling your dreams.
HB: Something you’ve learned in this life that you want to carry with you until the end:
GB: Life is all about the experiences you have with the people you love. Our goal is to design homes that support the dreams that our clients have for their lives.
Home Sweet Home
Brooke’s house is dreamy! Take a look at her roses! Labor of love!
Lovely
I adore the feminine touches of this room and the fact that the French doors open to the garden.
Patina
You’ll always find some gorgeous elements with patina on Brooke’s designs. She loves to mix old with new. That’s what is perfect design to me!
Kitchen
Brooke’s kitchen is just stunning. I adore the light green touches.
Sunroom
The most inviting sunroom. Everything feels comfortable.
Sweet Dreams
Her master bedroom is all about comfort and beauty.
Sleep Like an Angel
Timeless and inspiring.
Candles
Very romantic.
Clawtub
Her master bathroom has the same vibe as the rest of the house.
California Beach House
The design gets more relaxed at the beach house.
Water View
Brooke and Steve has their own line of furniture. Don’t they look great in this room?
Time
Gorgeous vintage chair and desk.
Dining Area
I love the light fixture and the table. Everything has a very natural feel.
Eating Area
The antique shutters add a chic feel to this eating area.
Master Bedroom
Creative and beautiful.
Master Bathroom
Falling in love with this sink is so easy!
Relax
The perfect place to relax!
I hope you guys have enjoyed Brooke’s interview and also her houses. Brooke and Steve have an amazing portfolio but I chose to show you their homes because I think it’s always interesting to see the designer’s own home, after all, it’s where they can use 100% of their instinct and personality. And the more I see Brooke’s houses the more I fall in love with the authenticity of her designs.
Once again I’d like to thank Brooke Giannetti for taking the time to have this chat with us!
Please, make sure to visit her blog Velvet & Linen and I also really recommend her book Patina Style.
Have a really great day!
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
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Source: Velvet & Linen.
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Great interview, Luciane! So excited that you “chatted” with Brooke today. Her blog is one of the first that I started following, and I find myself referring back to lots of her posts again and again. Not only is she an incredible designer with great taste, but she seems very down-to-earth too. I love that she lives with dogs and chickens! And, don’t even get me started on Steve’s paintings… I’m saving my pennies for one of them!! Have a great day 🙂
This is one of the best blogs posts I’ve read in a long time! This is a BIG TIME interview to get, too! I love Brooke’s work, and really enjoyed the interview. Congrats love!
Stacy
Luciane, sou fã dos trabalhos da Brooke Gianetti.
Seus ambientes são relaxantes e super aconchegantes.
Eu já encomendei o livro, lógico.
Adorei o post, parabéns.
Beijos
wonderful interview, L. and i’m always breathless while viewing Brooke’s designs…so much lovely layered magic there.
gorgeous post from a gorgeous blogger.
michele
I am such a huge fan of Brooke, so it was so much fun to read this interview and see many of her amazing designs altogether like this!
It was so much fun “chatting” with you Luciane!
Thank you for sharing our work and dreams with your Home Bunch readers 🙂
xo
Brooke
Brooke is an amazing person and designer. I love her designs and her husband is so talented too! It is wonderful watching them build their new home, and yes, the chicken are one of my favorite along with the herb garden!
Thank you for sharing Brooke’s thoughts here.
Have a great day, Luciane.
Teresa
xoxo
I love the first home. It seems so warm and lived in and has beauty and style!
What a wonderful interview from one of my favorite blogs. Love all of her posts, and her homes are so warm, cozy and inviting. Dying for the vintage chair and desk!! Fabulous job, Luciane ~
What a wonderful interview! I love her blog it is such a fun and inspirational read!
Great post and interivew…loved hearing what Brooke had to say, she seems very “real”, grounded, down to earth and wise. I love her style, its laid back, elegant, with a nod to European elegance. I love each and every room pictured. I am sure Patina Farm is going to be a dream come true and I look forward to sharing her journey as many others have done with mine. Great interviewing Luciane and wonderful answers Brooke!! Enjoyed it very much.
oi Luciane
Que super entrevista amiga! já vi o nome deste blog por aí, depois vou passar pra conhecer. Amoooooo pátina.
Amei o quarto da sua casa em especial e a casa de praia é mais o meu estilo.
no domingo fui com meu marido e nossa filha conhecer um edificio em construção( queremos mudar de cada parar apartamento). As pardes da sala eram de um cinza bem clarinho e lembrei da sua postagem sobre o cinza. Não era um cinza muito puro, era meio bege, mas eu via cinza…rs
bjoo, vou ver tua postagem anterior.
*** BOTH STEVE N’ BROOKE UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE THE MIDAS TOUCH…. AND I BELIEVE NOT JUST AS DESIGNER/ARTCHITECT, ETC., BUT ALSO AS A COUPLE THAT’S TRULY MEANT TO BE TOGETHER… AND THEIR KEEN SENSES OF WHAT LOOKS AND FEELS GOOD/RIGHT NEVER FAILS TO AMAZE AND IMPRESS ME.
WE’VE NEVER PERSONALLY MET, BUT THRU THEIR WORDS, PHOTOS AND PHILOSOPHY I FEEL I KNOW THEM… QUITE WELL, ACTUALLY… AND YES, I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY THERE…
WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY BUT I ADORE THEM, AND WOULD, IF ABLE, SIMPLY GIVE THEM CARTE BLANCH, AND MY JIM AND I COULD GO OFF SOMEWHERE, FOR MANY MONTHS, ONLY TO RETURN AND FIND A HOME THAT JUST SAID ‘LINDA AND JIM’ … AND DOGS, OF COURSE, THRU AND THRU… THEY’RE THE ONES WHO COULD DO THAT…
PLEASE FORGIVE THIS BEING IN ALL CAPS… I SPILLED A DIET SODA ON THE KEYBOARD EARLIER TODAY, AND GUESS I’LL NEED TO REPLACE THIS KEYBOARD, AS I CAN’T GET LOTS OF THINGS TO WORK PROPERLY…
THANK YOU FOR THE TREAT HERE…
LINDA IN AZ
Great interview. Love her style and sweet personality.
Oh my! What a life! I hope that they have time to enjoy it all!
Love her house.
It has such a relaxed ambiance and restrained elegance.
I’m loving her master bedroom.
Luciane,
I can tell you that Brooke and her family are wonderful and lovely people! And you can feel that Brooke and Steve has a lot of respect for each other and also for other people! They really have an open mind and they are so talented. People to love!!! Jan and me are so pleased to call them friends!
xx
Greet
I have admired Brooke’s work from afar for quite a while now so it was fun to learn a bit more about her and her life/career. I love how she says to “follow your instincts” – wonderful, genuine advice for all aspects of life!
wonderful interview luciane! i had the opportunity to meet brooke and she is indeed one of the kindest woman you could hope to meet. her talent? unrivaled.
xo
debra
Great post! The design is fabulous.
Thank you so much for sharing this interview with the rest of us Luciane. You asked some really great questions, and I love Brooke’s answers. She is as lovely as her designs!
I hope your week has been great so far. Can you believe it’s almost over already?
xo Sheila
Hi Luciane, I had some time off from blogging to focus on other things but have now returned and really look forward to catching up on your latest posts.
I love the images in this post especially the ones with the cosy fireplaces. Have a great weekend!
Kate x
Great interview, Luciane! I have always thought Brook’s house to be beautiful.
Great interview and great photos, Luciane. We all love Brooke and Steve.
Best…Victoria
Oh Oh Oh!!! I adore everything Brooke Gianetti designs! Thank you for providing me with the wonderful eye candy and the friendly, insightful interview. Yeah!
xo
Valerie
Hi Luciane – what a perfect day to stop by!! Just loved your interview with the wonderful Brooke!! Terrific questions! Hope all is well with you and your family!!
Thanks Luciane and Brooke for a wonderful interview. You two are both admirable women.
What a nice interview!!! Well done! franki
Love the interview with Brooke. She is a favorite of mine and her style is always spot on.
Luciane, great interview, great questions!
Brook is the best. Beautiful on the outside and inside. A fantastic design eye and a her own style. She is not a follower, she has her own style and tons of integrity and I love her for that.
Hugs to you both!
ox, Mon
this was so much fun! I adore Brooke and loved the interview!!!
joan
What a fab home you can see why she is so talented at design ozzes style!! 🙂