Designer Q&A
Express Yourself
Interior Designer Linda Kusmer helps her clients translate their moods, memories and memorabilia into home design
BY
Susan Newman
PHOTOGRAPHY
Colin Miller/Stauss Peyton

Linda K. Kusmer, Allied Member ASID, founded Total Interior Designs, Inc. in 1976 and is definite about the need for her clients’ homes to reflect their own style and personality.

Q: How does your design philosophy create inviting spaces?

A: I create pleasurable surroundings for people with their own personalities in mind. I recommend clients use resources, including design magazines, to look for color schemes, fabric patterns and furniture styles that are interesting to them, and in turn, inspire me to establish a design plan that meets the needs of the client on many levels.

Q: It sounds like for you, interior design goes way beyond color and Feng Shui.

A: It does. Decorating goes to the heart of the people occupying the space. I’ve helped create beautiful spaces for clients working through life transitions – helping them at a crossroads, where their lives and home are changing. For many clients it is a time to move forward.

Q: How would you inject a client’s unique personality into a series of rooms?

A: I am happy to walk (and talk) them through the spaces with samples of actual materials we’ll use. And I listen carefully to what clients want. Many people are opting for function and comfort – spaces have to work for everyday living. I work to blend a client’s family treasures, antiques mixed with contemporary furnishings, and personal color preferences.

Designer Sketch: LINDA KUSMER
BORN: San Francisco, CA
GO-WITH-ANYTHING FABRIC: Silk – there are so many beautiful silks, such as Oriental silk with saturated colors.
WHAT CLIENTS SHOULD CONSIDER: Accessories and artwork to complete a room.
THE BEST PART OF A DESIGN PROJECT: For me, it’s art.