People in New York City, the Hamptons, the Hudson Valley, and Connecticut call on Bennett Leifer to find their perfect interiors.
Leifer, who founded his New York City-based interior design firm nearly a decade ago, has his finger on the pulse of the design fads and wants of his clients.
He spoke with Insider about what his clients are looking for in a home, and how tired the trends are.
The minimalist white box aesthetic that was so popular five years ago has given way to an appreciation for texture and Old World craftsmanship.
People want their spaces to be rich and unique to them. They don't want to add a bold print to the wall and they don't want to paint a wild color. They want to have a subtle luxury called personal richness.
He uses hand-painted wallpaper and handmade Italian tiles to reflect the roof of an adjoining New York City building that can be seen through a window.
Adding Venetian plaster to walls instead of the standard paint job is one of the lower-lift projects.
Clients are more interested in big, bold headboards.
He thinks it is a response to the rise in catalog and online shopping.
He said that people started seeing a lot of the same thing after the wave of getting the look for less.
A lot of the interest in making these unique, personal moments came about there.
The room's wallpaper features a shape that is mirrored in the oversized arched headboard created by Leifer. There is a chance to be playful.
He said that levity can be brought into the design in a way that doesn't turn it into a kid's room.
It's tempting to get rid of functional furniture in favor of something that's more aesthetically pleasing.
His clients are becoming more practical than that. The ergonomics chair is known for its bad looks.
He said that he was seeing more demand for things being what they should be. It's important to have good back support so we're buying the prettiest chairs we can find. It used to be a club chair style on a caster base.
The Aeron chair is the gold standard for ergonomics, and is about as streamlined as they come. Around $1,200 is the starting point. The less expensive options at Branch Furniture start at $330
He said that his clients are not using white as a back up anymore. After a few years at home, people want a space that speaks to their own aesthetic.
It's an intentional decision if you use it. It's not just that clients want it to feel crisp, it's also that they want it to look good.
When it comes to dressing up windows, simplicity and intention are the keys to success.
Leifer said that clients are not falling back on the old rules.
They're curious to try out new touches, like the project where Leifer used bronze around windows. Dressing windows for the sake of dressing them is not the intent.
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