Interview with Barry Dixon

We got a moment to catch up with famed interior designer Barry Dixon at AmericasMart. Barry is one of the most genuine, approachable, and giving design professionals that we have ever had the opportunity to meet.A surprising number of people that we spoke with at the show used the exact same word to describe Barry: Generous. We think this adjective fits Barry to a tee. If you have an opportunity to make it out to a book signing in your area to meet him, we encourage you to go.

Barry Dixon: Mixing Old and New

Some of the amazing things that Barry incorporates together seem an impossible feat for novice designers and homeowners. In a few examples that Barry showed us, he demonstrated decorative leaf & vine detail in the pediment of a an antique hutch. A vibrant green set of drapes with a stark white vine print fits perfectly, although the design behind each piece has a 100 year gap! "The theme is the liaison between these two different periods. The most beautiful rooms are timeless, not a fad. You should incorporate the past into the basic design," said Dixon of his famous blending ability.

The results are stunning. Comfortable, classy, and timeless interiors invite you to have a seat at each interior. Barry extolled the virtues of using a mixture of periods. "Blending periods removes the museum-quality from the environment... When you walk into a room that has a museum style, you often worry 'Oh, I'm going to mess this room up'," said Dixon of his interior design style. Elizabethan, modern, and 19th century elements fuse perfectly to create a single statement. Color plays largely into Barry's designs, so many of the elements are upholstered in unconventional ways. "You can refresh a classic element for today with very subtle changes," said Dixon of his furniture lines. "[A] Victorian chair casts the same shadow it did back then, but by upholstering it and adorning it with decorative nailing, we make it comfortable and attractive for today... we can take an upholstered chair and design it in such a way that it isn't button-tufted to death. It creates a clean look with a classic shape."

Barry Dixon: Using Colors to Set the Tone

Barry also uses an interesting mix of colors to create different effects. In his new collection with Megerian Rugs, Barry uses varying amounts of contrast to completely change the mood of a room. One rug, using a brownish-grey background and chartreuse floral patterns, blends perfectly with mixed-period furniture of mostly 19th century origin. The same floral pattern, expressed in deep chocolate brown with burnt sienna and pear colored flowers, fits with the exposed wood of a transitional theme. Barry put together numerous interesting combinations of contrast and color on identical designs with surprising results.

Barry Dixon: Interior Design Concepts

"To me, the most opposite is the most interesting," said Dixon of his work as a designer. "Polar opposites, like overly-ornate 19th century furniture and clean, unadorned modern accents strike a balance when paired together." This timeless quality is expressed numerous times in Dixon's book, Barry Dixon Interiors. The front cover of that book is a home that Barry finished 14 years ago, though it looks like it was designed just yesterday. This lends proof to Dixon's teachings; to stand the test of time, your design must incorporate pieces from all periods of time, not just the current moment.

Barry's design is built on the foundations laid by centuries of craftsmen and designers like himself. "I don't have to reinvent the wheel," said Dixon of his work, "I simply point the wheel in a different direction. I take the truths discovered by the designers before me, and find a way to apply them right now".

Barry has an interesting outlook when talking about his particular style. "I don't want someone to look at photographs of what I've done and be able to say 'that's a Barry Dixon home'. I want to take elements from all over the world and find the appropriate theme," said Dixon. "The designer is really the third influence. The homeowner's personal style and the history and architecture of the residence are more important elements. The interior designer comes after all of that."

Barry has a lot of work ahead of him in 2009. Last year was a great for working abroad, with a client list from Beijing to Moscow. He is looking forward to bringing fresh ideas and design concepts to homes around the world. Barry also announced an extension of his collection with Megerian Rugs to be released autumn, 2009. We'll be sure to keep up with Barry's fascinating work, and thank him for sharing a little slice of his world with us.