Schumacher’s Creative Director and Frederic's Editor-in-Chief, Dara Caponigro, sits down with Mary McDonald, a designer she heralds as the “epitome of sophistication and glamor,” to discuss what it takes to create a glamorous room. McDonald, an award-winning, bicoastal designer and long-time Schumacher collaborator, waxes poetic about how different elements of a room contribute to the overall flair—scale, finish, and contrast are few of the elements she believes lend a healthy dose glamour. She goes on to explain how elegant, timeless spaces often possess an intangible, indescribable essence (“je ne sais quois”, as the French say!). McDonald cautions overusing shiny, sparkly, or feminine elements, and suggests masculine decorating can be just as glamorous if executed correctly. A few tips she offers to achieve an “elevated level of style” are substantial crystal chandeliers, painted ceilings, saturated tones, striking painted floors, and a refined selection of large-scale accessories. Her best advice is to go for it and own it—warning that any half-hearted commitment to a glamorous theme or a decorating scheme will often look like a woman wearing an ill-fitted dress: utterly uncomfortable. McDonald shares with us her favorite glamorous homes throughout history (Château de Malmaison and Hubert de Givenchy's “Green Salon” to name a few!) and dazzles us with her sharp wit and fierce decorating chops!
Produced by Tori Mellott
Cinematography by Elliot de Bruyn
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