DESIGNER Q&A: GET TO KNOW QUENTIN MACDONALD
At Clive Daniel Home, we pride ourselves on having some of the very best interior designers in the business. Our residential and hospitality teams have helped design some of Florida’s most stunning homes and buildings—from breathtaking private residences and models to award-winning restaurants and hotels.
One of these esteemed interior designers is Florida native Quentin MacDonald, who brings more than two decades of design experience to his role at Clive Daniel Home. As a designer, Quentin loves stretching his talents and incorporating fresh concepts into his projects. He is especially interested in user experience design, which he utilizes to ensure his clients’ homes will work as well for them as they look.
Read on to learn more about Quentin’s work, inspirations, and style.
Current design inspiration:
Since I am currently working on a project that has a lot of existing Stickley furniture with beautiful handmade joinery, I have delved headfirst into the Arts and Crafts period in an attempt to find inspiration. I have a picture of William Morris, one of the leaders of the movement, in England tacked to the wall overseeing my process. During his time, mass-produced products were beginning to fill everyone’s homes but he believed people deserved to have beautiful handmade products instead. I feel we are at a similar crossroads today; low-cost furniture made overseas and without care has flooded our market… my goal is to fill people’s homes with handmade, well-thought-out designs instead to bring beauty into their everyday life.
Favorite design trend:
My favorite design trend right now is COLOR, I am so glad it’s back. I don’t care what specific color you prefer, I will make it work! Let’s forget about the “everything beige or gray” days, and let’s bring vibrant, lively color into the home—especially here in Florida, where the whole point is to have fun! You don’t have to throw everything out or start over, either; we can layer in color with wallpapers, fabrics, and accessories to bring your spaces to life.
Design pet peeve:
I always try to stay positive about design, so I’m not a “let’s never see that again” kind of designer. But I do miss the days of more ornamental window treatments. I think so many homes are missing the fun part, the icing on the cake, because they feel certain styles have gone away. I feel it is a disservice to your project to think beautiful fabrics won’t always make your space feel more inviting and comfortable. There are wonderful options that can be automated and used to both control our Florida sun and provide character.
Most memorable project:
I recently got to work on a project on Siesta Key, and the client was very into antiques and layered style. We chose so many fun fabrics for upholstery and pillows. In fact, the owner was so bold that I literally had to put away my own tastes and study maximalism to keep up. We incorporated new and old, colors and textures, murals and fabrics, and really turned out a home I can be very proud of saying I was involved in. My favorite part was working with Iksel decorative arts and designing a custom mural, in a unique colorway for the dining room.
Personal design style:
My personal style is very eclectic. I love music and art, so I have records and books and framed art everywhere in my home. Having sewn and upholstered for years, I also have a big appreciation for textiles, and I fall in love with the tactility before the color, so I have lots of velvets and furs, layers of pillows, and sheer drapery to diffuse the light. Altogether I feel it creates a style I would call Haut Boheme: very eclectic but also tasteful and very luxurious.
To work with one of our talented interior designers like Quentin, visit us in Naples, Boca Raton, or Sarasota Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm or Sunday 12pm- 5pm.
