Interior designer Jayme Armour has been designing for over a decade, creating well-appointed and stylish spaces that are both richly diverse and entirely livable. She gives us insight into her design aesthetic and creating a home with long-lasting appeal.
From where do you draw your aesthetic appeal? The coastline in Northern Florida where I was raised is an endless source of inspiration for me. The colors of the water, sands and sunsets can always be found in my work. The contrast of the scrub oaks with the palmetto bushes that often grow side-by-side remind me that along with texture you need structure.
When did you begin designing, and how has your style evolved over time? When I began designing twelve years ago, I was really about tailored spaces that relied mostly on solid colors with heavy doses of texture . Over time, I have developed a deep love for pattern fabrics for the character and warmth they provide to a space. The rooms I design have become much more layered and curated. My older spaces were wonderful backdrops and my current spaces are interesting stories.
Your space is diversely rich and yet entirely calm, how do you marry the two to create a comfortable atmosphere? Edit, edit, edit. It’s easy to fall for every beautiful thing you see, but balance is key to creating harmony in layered interiors. Too much of a good thing can feel frantic instead of calming.
When designing a space for a client, what’s the most important aspect to consider? I always talk with client’s about their daily routine and how they use a given space. We sometimes work at our kitchen tables and watch TV in our bedrooms so understanding day-to-day life is crucial to a well-designed space.
How can we create long-lasting, stylish spaces that remain livable? It’s very important to fight the urge to buy everything in one place or in one particular aesthetic. Blending periods and styles will give you a more personal home which will stand the test of time.
How do you suggest refining your own personal aesthetic when it comes to décor? Refining a personal aesthetic requires a little soul-searching. You have to dig deep and think about the things that make you, you. Copying someone else’s style leads to constant re-decorating.
How can we invite our evolving tastes and life experiences into our homes without becoming overrun with ‘stuff?’ Purchase only things that truly speak to you. If you should reach a point where you realize your space seems more cluttered than collected, ask a trusted friend, the one with the ‘couldn’t tell a lie if I had to’ gene, to help you cull and get back on track.
Is there one particular room you feel is harder to style than others, and why? Dining rooms can be especially tricky to style. Objects you might use to decorate a coffee table will seem diminutive and out of place on a buffet or dining table. I lean toward purposeful, large vessels that can hold flowers or fruit to add flourish.
What’s your best advice for creating a space we love to inhabit? There’s a saying I refer to often, ‘cry once’. Be careful about buying pieces to ‘make do’… these pieces tend to stick around long past their welcome and are usually somewhat of investment in and of themselves. Save a little longer and be happy forever.
For more information, visit Jayme Armour Interiors.
Images by Sarah Dorio.
