Book Club
Patina Modern - A Guide to Designing Warm, Timeless Interiors
Chris Mitchell & Pilar Guzman
There’s really nothing complicated or elaborate about my methods! When looking for new books to feast on, I typically find business and leadership books through recommendations from various podcasts I listen to or I’ll look for design and architectural tomes through my local public library’s search engine. This second method is how I found Patina Modern - A Guide to Designing Warm, Timeless Interiors. Right from its cover, this book sweet-talked me into thumbing through its pages…that buttery leather bench, that plush area rug, that mod artwork…HELLO!!
Released in 2022, this is the work of husband & wife duo Chris Mitchell and Pilar Guzman. Although neither are officially trained in design (note - this isn’t a requirement for good taste or good design), they are no lightweights in this arena. As long-time enthusiasts and collectors of fine design, both held various positions within the web of Condé Nast, the media empire responsible for most of the publications related to fashion, food, and furniture. They also both share an appreciation for Mid-Century Modern design, which instantaneously makes them A-Okay with me!
The Foreword, written by the book’s photographer Adrian Gaut, gracefully introduces the aura around this particular style of design and decor. As a frequent contributor for Architectural Digest and Domino, Gaut has seen his fair share of delectable interiors, yet here he gushes about how Mitchell and Guzman’s interiors are more than that…they are a home. As he says, there is no room here for the sentiment of “the good china is for guests”. Mitchell and Guzman then take over introducing their design frame of mind. The perfect combination is described as spare yet warm, layered yet clean, and current yet timeless. I couldn’t think of a more perfect mantra in today’s age of chaos and busy-ness.
The remainder of the pages flow more like a design almanac or sourcebook than the typical table books which span designers’ portfolios. There is the Manifesto, outlining nine adages they live by, many of which describe the interplay between Elements & Principles of Design. Then there is an ode to their design trifecta: Oak, Brass, and Leather, as well as insight into their preferred use of colors and fabrics.
Homes are shown as Case Studies or described as Moods, with appended Design Notes sections outlining decision points for specific pieces and their respective pedigree and/or provenance. There is a section about collecting pieces and floorplan layouts, followed by meaningful soundbites from talented designers such as Nate Berkus and Pierre Yovanovitch.
Among all of this amazingness (yes, that is the uber technical term I am choosing to use here), there were three things that stood out as slightly awry to me. First was the irksome issue of area rugs being too small. This is a primordial design faux-pas and I clutched my pearls in surprise as I saw this phenomenon occur among these interiors. Second was the sense of chill in the bathrooms, which I found odd considering the secret sauce behind the Patina Modern style was ultimately touted as the warmth felt in a home.
Third was the penchant for visually unbalanced kitchens, seen in their FABULOUS New York Brownstone (can I move in please?!!) and then again in their historical Bridgehampton home. In both cases, the focal walls have glittering glass shelving flanked by open storage to one side and closed storage on the other, making the room visually tip to one side.
But these are just pesky gnats that can be easily swatted away by the plethora of goodness in this book. Beyond the stunning images, the information is easily digestible and shared in a manner that you really feel like Mitchell and Guzman want to pass on this precious knowledge they’ve acquired over years of trial and error. For me, it felt like I was having a coffee chat with a fellow design nerd and I didn’t want it to end. Needless to say, my very own copy of the book sits on my coffee table, ready to inspire at a moment’s notice.
Battery Recharge: 97% (minus 3% for those gnats)
About the Author
Founder of TouchStone Interiors
After a successful and rewarding career in military healthcare, Nathalie followed her lifelong passion for design into the next chapter of her life. Beyond her formal education in decor and design, Nathalie continuously seeks out new and exciting materials and finishes to best serve her clients. An active member of the design community, she volunteers with the Decorators and Designers Association of Canada (DDA) and is a member of the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). Her experience in healthcare and corporate management enables her to simultaneously design a space that caters to her client's physical and mental wellness while delivering a seamless project management solution.