As a preview to this summer’s Nantucket Historical Association Designer Luncheon, keynote speaker Katie Ridder shared her expertise with N Magazine.
Before founding her own firm in 1995, famed designer Katie Ridder worked on home design magazines such as House & Garden and House Beautiful. Today, Ridder employs that same keen editor’s eye in designing spaces for high-profile clients from around the globe. Her projects are as varied as Japanese pavilions, Hamptons estates, Park Avenue apartments, and downtown lofts. On July 29th, Katie Ridder will be bringing her worldly design sense to Nantucket.
N MAGAZINE: When did you first come to Nantucket?
RIDDER: Summer of 1984 when I moved to New York from Northern California.
N MAGAZINE: What do you find most special about the island?
RIDDER: Its age – compared to California where the oldest beach communities were from the 1960s.
N MAGAZINE: How would you describe your design style?
RIDDER: I try to see through my client’s eyes so every project is different, but I always bring color and craft and I don’t repeat myself.
N MAGAZINE: How do you successfully incorporate antiques into modern design?
RIDDER: I’m a big believer in antiques. They give a project depth and sophistication and difference in texture.
N MAGAZINE: If there is one design element that changes the feel of a room instantly, what would you say it is?
RIDDER: Adding wallpaper. It can be grass cloth – it does what antiques do for a room. It adds another layer, texture.
N MAGAZINE: Is designing an island residence different than other locations?
RIDDER: I avoid decorating that suggests a “summer place” only. Nantucket is so much more than that.
N MAGAZINE: How would you describe Nantucket’s design aesthetic?
RIDDER: Tasteful, American, and timeless.
N MAGAZINE: Which designer has most impacted your career?
RIDDER: Renzo Mongiardino, Tony Duquette – the oldies that piled it on.
N MAGAZINE: Is there a period of antiques or style that you think works particularly well for houses on Nantucket?
RIDDER: Swedish, English, American – they all work.
N MAGAZINE: What advice would you give to an aspiring interior designer?
RIDDER: It’s 10% scheming and 90% organization. Having a good business mind helps.
N MAGAZINE: What would people be the most surprised to learn about you?
RIDDER: I’m not sure, but I love to sew and garden and bake!
N MAGAZINE: What are you most proud of in your career?
RIDDER: That I’ve stuck with it through the years. It is a joy.
N MAGAZINE: What do you think are some of the biggest mistakes that people make when designing homes?
RIDDER: Not designing a room on paper first.
N MAGAZINE: What is your ideal weekend getaway?
RIDDER: My garden in Millbrook, NY.
To purchase tickets to the Designer Luncheon with Katie Ridder, click here.
