Photography: Britt Smith
Whitney Jones is a New Orleans based interior designer who draws inspiration from the vibrant colors and eclectic charm of her southern hometown. With a distinct design aesthetic, she utilizes moody dark tones, artistic paintings and lively pops of color to bring her projects to life. Through her site, Whitney J. Decor, she works with clients in her local area as well as across the United States and internationally. Full of life and bubbly charm, she is warm with an undeniable zeal for life. Find out more about her favorite design project and how she doesn’t use the color wheel in her interview below.
What do you feel separates you from other interior designers?
I don’t like to compare myself to other designers, but if I have to choose one thing that I think separates me from most designers, it’s my ability to read a client and bring their personality into a room. Any designer can design a beautiful space, but not everyone can effectively blend their styles with that of their clients. I always try and give my clients a great design, but I want to make sure that when they walk in their new space (or when their family and friends walk in), their personality shines through. That might not always be my ideal dream room, but my client is happy. That’s what it’s all about.
What are your favorite elements to include when styling a room for a client?
My favorite elements to include when styling a room is bold and/or unexpected art and color. I also love to bring in an oversized sculpture or wall art.
Does where you live influence your design aesthetic?
Being from New Orleans definitely influences my design aesthetic. I love color and eclectic spaces and you’ll find lots of color and eclectic style on every street in my city. I don’t go by the color wheel when styling a space and I think that comes from living in such a vibrant city where every color goes. So, naturally, I like to bring in lots of color and don’t always try and match a shade to another.
What has been your favorite project to date?
My favorite project was a dining room that I had full creative control over. My client had an amazing art collection already and let me choose which pieces to bring into the space, and gave me full reign to bring in my style. The room is a direct reflection of my style and how I like to design. It had dark walls, bold art, and fun pops of color.
If you only had 5 items to style a room, what would they be? Why?
Ideally, it would be an oversized art piece with lots of color, a large gorgeous agate stone, a marble coffee table, a living tree to sit near a window, a fun, colorful pillow, and a cowhide rug.
You can check out Whitney’s gorgeous apartment tour here and grab a stylish accent pillow at her shop!
