In Pursuit of Beauty
Growing up on Lake Michigan I developed an appreciation for wide open spaces, natural scenery and the reflection of light on water. Today, in my career as an interior designer, I begin every project by looking out the window, as the space beyond is just as important as the room I am creating and often informs my design decisions.
A mobile by Martin Boyce gracefully and provocatively takes advantage of a 26-feet-high living room but does not dominate its space. Hand-painted floors in a Renaissance pattern add visual depth to this high-ceilinged room, while a Napoleon-style sofa, upholstered in grey silk velvet, adds a dynamic touch.
Along with nature and the play of light within a room, I have been inspired by the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum and my tours of some of the great English country houses, such as Syon, Hatfield, Chiswick and Holkham Hall. My visits to these great houses allowed me to savour their history and the connection between their decorative arts and the architecture that contains them.
The pre-war character of this New York apartment is enhanced with panel mouldings, while a neutral palette expands the feeling of space. A photograph by Dutch photography duo Inez and Vinoodh hangs over a bed upholstered in black-and-white honeycomb-patterned linen.
Travel also influences my design choices. Whether I am in Italy, South Africa or Los Angeles, I buy objects that speak to me and enjoy the mix of high and low – so I am just as happy to shop at flea markets as I am at the more upscale antique stores in Paris.
Interior designer Timothy Whealon
With a European’s reverence for history, a New Yorker’s need to stay on the cutting edge and a Midwesterner’s sense of practicality, I strive to create rooms that have a sense of harmony and comfort – rooms that are rooted in the past but informed by the present. With a love for both classicism and modernity, my aim is to produce interiors that stand the test of time, and I never forget what a great friend taught me – that an acute sensitivity to architecture and space yields results that imbue places with beauty and soul.
In Pursuit Of Beauty: The Interiors of Timothy Whealon, is published by Rizzoli, priced at £35.
A mobile by Martin Boyce gracefully and provocatively takes advantage of a 26-feet-high living room but does not dominate its space. Hand-painted floors in a Renaissance pattern add visual depth to this high-ceilinged room, while a Napoleon-style sofa, upholstered in grey silk velvet, adds a dynamic touch.Along with nature and the play of light within a room, I have been inspired by the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum and my tours of some of the great English country houses, such as Syon, Hatfield, Chiswick and Holkham Hall. My visits to these great houses allowed me to savour their history and the connection between their decorative arts and the architecture that contains them.
The pre-war character of this New York apartment is enhanced with panel mouldings, while a neutral palette expands the feeling of space. A photograph by Dutch photography duo Inez and Vinoodh hangs over a bed upholstered in black-and-white honeycomb-patterned linen.Travel also influences my design choices. Whether I am in Italy, South Africa or Los Angeles, I buy objects that speak to me and enjoy the mix of high and low – so I am just as happy to shop at flea markets as I am at the more upscale antique stores in Paris.
Interior designer Timothy WhealonWith a European’s reverence for history, a New Yorker’s need to stay on the cutting edge and a Midwesterner’s sense of practicality, I strive to create rooms that have a sense of harmony and comfort – rooms that are rooted in the past but informed by the present. With a love for both classicism and modernity, my aim is to produce interiors that stand the test of time, and I never forget what a great friend taught me – that an acute sensitivity to architecture and space yields results that imbue places with beauty and soul.
In Pursuit Of Beauty: The Interiors of Timothy Whealon, is published by Rizzoli, priced at £35.