Denver Home Living Huettner Capital Summer 2017 | Page 17

other colors like cool blues and greens, but only in her bathrooms
and kitchen, not in her main living spaces.
4) FIND WHAT SPEAKS TO YOU
Here is where the element of “fun” comes in. When you mosey
around the accessories store, which pieces are you naturally
drawn to? Ladner designs her collections precisely around
this idea. She sees her brand as a unique style (pretty, worldly,
sophisticated, and vibrant) as well as a unique attitude (lively,
approachable, charming, and fun). The goal is to create enticing
pieces that naturally draw in you and, by extension, the guests in
your home.
5) GO SEASONAL
Ladner uses seasonal themes to easily and inexpensively change
up her design schemes on a regular basis. Cosy winter nights
can mean thick patterned throws, lush area rugs, and glowing
candles, while spring ushers in bare floors, crisp linen throws,
and cheery, new accessories.
6) DON’T BE A STRANGER
Ladner stays on top of style trends—it’s part of her job—but
that doesn’t mean she depends on them heavily for all her new
product development ideas. The point of decor, she says, is to
make you happy and let you express yourself. Don’t go so on-
trend that you feel like you’re walking into a stranger’s home,
with nothing that particularly excites you or suits your personal
style. At the same time, don’t play it so safe that your home is a
sea of monotone beiges and creams. Make your home a living
space you will love!
7) DON’T OVERDO IT
Ladner notes that common sense comes in handy when setting
out on a design mission. It’s not hard to see that if you paint
your walls a bold color, like red, your furniture should be fairly
neutral. On the contrary, if your walls are beige or gray, it’s best
to introduce some colorful or patterned pillows, furniture, or
other accessories. If you can successfully create a balanced look in
your room, then you have probably done a pretty good job.
8) LIVE THE CULTURE
Today’s youth culture is all about being your own person. Skirt
lengths can be short, medium, or long; hair can range from
stick-straight to dreadlocked; and piercings and tattoos usher
in a whole universe of individuality. Take a lesson from this
generation and introduce a sense of individuality directly into
your home. If you like something, pure and simple, that means
it’s the right choice for you. It really doesn’t matter what the
magazines say or what your designer recommends. Think for
yourself and choose what will make you happy.
Ladner recalls the time she met a woman who had her heart set
on an extremely expensive French oven as the centerpiece of her
new kitchen. The oven was available in a wide range of colors,
from neutrals to very bold. The woman knew what color she
wanted—had long dreamed of, in fact—a beautiful, cerulean,
medium-shade blue. Her decorator, however, was sensibly trying
to steer her toward a cream or light gray color. Ladner had no
choice but to intervene. “If you’re going to spend that kind of
money for an oven once in your lifetime,” she told the customer,
“absolutely get the one you want.”
In reflecting back over the past decade, Ladner is proud of the
brand she has created and the overwhelmingly positive reactions
she has received from her customers. Ladner and her husband
enjoy entertaining and seeing how their friends—who often
stand in for market research subjects—react to the new looks and
accents in their home. “There’s a zeitgeist that goes on in the field
of design,” she says. “And I’d like to think that I continue to be in
step with it.”
A. BRIGHT COLORS
Brightly colored throws
and fabrics can perfectly
capture the new
beginnings of springtime.
A
C
B. COLOR OF
THE YEAR
Pantone’s “Color of the
Year 2017,” a pleasant
yellow-green hue,
symbolizes nature and is a
perfect spring accent color.
C. COBI'S PICK
Ladner’s favored color
palette of rich reds,
golds and oranges
reflects her taste in
clothes and complements
her skin tone.
B
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Cobi Ladner, past editor of
Canadian House & Home Magazine,
is one of Canada's leading design
and decorating authorities.