{"id":3379,"date":"2024-11-24T20:38:01","date_gmt":"2024-11-24T12:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/2024\/11\/24\/the-designer-is-in-brad-ford-at-home-in-nyc\/"},"modified":"2024-11-24T20:38:01","modified_gmt":"2024-11-24T12:38:01","slug":"the-designer-is-in-brad-ford-at-home-in-nyc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/it\/the-designer-is-in-brad-ford-at-home-in-nyc\/","title":{"rendered":"The Designer Is In: Brad Ford at Home in NYC"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week, New York designer Brad Ford describes his version of what he calls \u201cAuthentic Design,\u201d illustrated via a guided tour of his own home. He is available for the next 48 hours to answer any and all questions. Ask away!<\/p>\n

Growing up in rural Arkansas with the woods for a backyard, designer and taste maker Brad Ford (a member of the Remodelista Architect\/Designer Directory) has always been drawn to the organic shapes and colors found in nature. In his New York Chelsea apartment, the designer practices what he preaches and surrounds himself with meaningful objects and artwork that tell interesting stories about his life and experiences. \u201cDesigning authentically means working with my clients to work their interests into their spaces,\u201d\u009d says Ford. \u201cIt\u2019s about getting them over the fear of feeling vulnerable that the things they own and love can\u2019t be placed in a context that is beautiful.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n

Photography by Eric Striffler.<\/p>\n

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Above: Ford mixes vintage midcentury chairs by Danish designer Paul Kjaerholm with an organically shaped wood coffee table by French artist Jerome Abel Seguin. Green cuttings bring a splash of color and nature inside.<\/p>\n

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Above: The designer constantly finds inspiration in nature, whether in its organic shapes and forms or in plants themselves, such as the blossom branches he picked up from the Chelsea flower market around the corner from his apartment. His obsession even extends to insects (notice the Austrian metal grasshopper sitting on the the frame of a Robert Mapplethorpe print). \u201cI have always been intrigued by insects; there is so much beauty in their color and structure,\u201d Ford says.<\/p>\n

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Above: In Ford\u2019s harmonious world, a neutral palette allows everything to exist calmly without fighting for attention; as reflected in a Captain\u2019s Mirror by BDDW.<\/p>\n

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Above: The \u201cDonald Juddesque\u201d wall sculpture is made up of wall-mounted metal cabinets from Ikea. \u201cThe storage is actually quite handy,\u201d Ford says. Ford\u2019s father did woodworking as a hobby, and the wood sculpture from a friend reminds him of his father.<\/p>\n

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Above: \u201cI am drawn to things that are handmade and reflect the work that was put into them,\u201d Ford says.<\/p>\n

Above: After a trip to South Africa, Ford\u2019s family gave him an Impala head which hangs on the wall next to a series of vintage Victorian medical splints. \u201cI am fascinated by their shapes,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Above: Ford was drawn to this midcentury desk because of the unexpected shelf detail, which is ideal for displaying his ceramics. The adjustable standing lamp was designed by the late French designer Andr\u00e9e Putman.<\/p>\n

Above: Ford\u2019s artwork includes a small still life painting by the artist who painted the backdrops on the Muppet Show; the watercolor is by David Rathman (it\u2019s of a rather polite cowboy: \u201cSorry, I need to borrow your horse,\u201d he says).<\/p>\n

Above: \u201cI was drawn to the contrast of the modern use of the color red with the traditional concept of a silhouette,\u201d Ford says. \u201cWhen I start a project, I often ask my clients what their favorite color is and what it represents to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Above: Ford\u2019s gentle giant Turbo relaxes on the bed as he is overlooked by a map of the moon that Ford found in a flea market. Ford celebrated his first birthday on the day of the first moon landing in 1969.<\/p>\n

Above: Ford maximized the width of his bedroom and designed a wall to wall built-in headboard.<\/p>\n

Above: Ford introduces a sea of color into this bedroom through his collection of Scandinavian pottery.<\/p>\n

Above: \u201cI am drawn to the muted subtle colors of Scandinavian glazing,\u201d Ford says. \u201cWhile bright, they are not garish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Interested in seeing more of Ford\u2019s \u201cAuthentic Design\u201d? See A Mobile Bar Inspired by Bourbon and A Holiday Table with Soul.<\/p>\n

Have any questions about \u201cAuthentic Design\u201d and how to put the concept to work in your own space? Ask away in the Comments section below.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This week, New York designer Brad Ford describes his version of what he calls \u201cAuthentic Design,\u201d illustrated via a guided tour of his own home. He is available for the next 48 hours to answer any and all questions. Ask away! Growing up in rural Arkansas with the woods for a backyard, designer and taste […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3380,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diy-projects"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3379"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3379\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/it\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}