Heidi Klum, Nigel Barker and Cat Cora showcased their Shutterfly-designed rooms at a private exhibition on June 19 in the Flatiron District. The three celebrity hosts used Shutterfly products, from blackboards to blankets, to stylize and personalize a home. Haute Living stopped by to chat one-on-one about the inspiration behind the designs and get the inside scoop on savvy style.
Klum incorporated her own children’s artwork into the vibrant and relaxed kids’ room with pillows and canvas paintings. Filled with effulgent and inviting oranges, pinks, purples and reds, the space cultivated a cheerful and creative environment. “You can put your children’s art on the wall or you can make little books or mugs. I think it’s important for children to see their art on the wall,” said the mother of four, who has an entire wall of their original works at her Los Angeles home.
So how does the fashion maven and celebrated designer mix style and comfort, like she did with her Babies ‘R Us line, Truly Scrumptious? “I try to do a lot of color and happy things. I love clutter, cute things, frames everywhere, photos and their art,” she explained. Although mother knows best when it comes to designing rooms, Klum joked that her eldest, Leni, is now coming into her own as a fashionista and sasses the legendary model, saying, “You do what you do and I do what I do.”
Barker crafted his sophisticated yet effortless master bedroom with a couple of his basic guidelines: stick with a theme and find innovative ways to immortalize your memories. “Apply your photographs to things as fun little items that are novel, cute, new and also tell a story,” he suggested. Barker was particularly fond of a Central Park blanket hammered to the wall that amalgamated some texture to the space.
Our favorite piece from his room? A curved jewelry tray covered with a photograph of Barker and his wife, Cristen, on their honeymoon fifteen years ago. “It’s a tangible memory in a modern take,” he smiled. “And don’t be afraid to copy it. If you see something you like, do it yourself. Take the idea. Run with it. Everyone can do it. You don’t have to a photographer or a designer. That’s what these events are for, to inspire.”
Cora cooked up the consummate kitchen with her “clean efficiency” and personal touches. The famed chef revealed the secret ingredient to a happy kitchen: “making it a place where people want to be.” She champions the philosophy of making the kitchen inviting and charming, especially for the kids, by “really personalizing it with things that they can call theirs.” With a spinning wheel and labeled tags, she updates her four boys on the week’s meals.
The Iron Chef also knows how to judge the ideal balance of dining and décor. “I think it’s what works for you as a family. If you don’t feel good in this space, you’re trying to do something that’s not you. I think that it’s about mixing things, being organized, but also taking old and mixing it with some new,” she explained. So what will Cora cook up in her own kitchen after days on the road? “Something on the grill, like some fresh fish. Maybe some fresh fish tacos. Those would be great,” she laughed.
