Trending 2024: Sisterhood, Style, and the Hottest in Miami Interior Design
As I write this, I’m sitting with my gorgeous, wonderful, glittery sister-in-law, Carenina Corr, on her patio looking out at sailboats in Sunset Harbour- tequila sodas w/ lime in hand. Carenina (or Sasha to her friends) lives with my oldest brother, Michael, on the Venetian Islands in Miami. Sasha is a born and raised Miami girl & her equally wonderful family live just a few blocks away. Why am I telling you this? Well, because Sasha happens to be an interior designer with the best taste and eye for creating spaces. AND she is going to share some of her knowledge with lucky us.
Here is what I had to ask & Sasha had to say…
Color of the year?
Brown. Deep Brown.
What do you see as the biggest trends in 2024?
For walls, wallpaper or even paint with a lot of texture- plaster or venetian plaster is really in. Anything that you can rub your hand on and feel it. There are really cool things out there now— rope wallpaper, even fabric wallpaper that you can match your pillows to the walls.
For flooring, it used to be ‘let’s make the whole house one floor’. It does make the space feel bigger, but it does not make the space more luxe. You can have the same flooring, but make it in a different pattern. For example, the kitchen could be herringbone and then do planks in the other room. It’s all the same material, but the pattern adds natural transitions. That is an insider trick to make your home more luxe. Think texture, honed, limestone.
For the kitchen, more drawers, less cabinets. Think about adding a working or spice kitchen (range, sink, all of your appliances), where you will do all the cooking.
For lighting, for recessed lights, people are adding directional lights instead of the recessed. Think directional, spotlights.
For everywhere, dramatic, well-crafted millwork is really hot. Wainscoting, crown-molding make a home feel grand. Go for it!
What do you see as the biggest focus areas of the home right now?
The biggest things people are focusing on right now are how to make the spaces in their house function & flow. They’re understanding maybe we can divide this great space and add a pantry or add a small office. With Pinterest and Instagram now, people are taking it into their own hands and understanding that they truly can have a better house and transform it right now.
Do you like matching elements in a room (wallpaper to pillows to couch, etc.)?
the home bar - a focal point for guests & entertaining
It depends. If you have a small room- a little knook or a theater- that is really cool. Personally, for a living room for me it’s a little much. Same goes with furniture- you try to not use the same things in the same room. Try to avoid buying more than two pieces from the same vendor.
What is your favorite room in a house to design?
The bar. Absolutely. Everyone wants to impress their guests. People should focus on their bar.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
So many things! Definitely travel. Hotels. Restaurants. Clothing. Pinterest & Instagram. Good design coffee table books. Travel is #1- you learn so much. Paris is my favorite- I love Victorian interiors. Post-Victorian style with hints of modernism is me. It’s not a Miami style unfortunately, should I bring it?
from the movie Under the Tuscan Sun
Do you have a favorite house in a movie?
It’s not totally remodeled like I would like, but the vibe of the house in Under the Tuscan Sun. It’s a beautiful, welcoming, inviting, homey-house. I love the colors- the richness of the colors. I love how there is many rooms and how it is just surrounded by green and all the foliage.
What do you think people undervalue in the design process?
Interior designers ha - from more of the standpoint of space planing and things you don’t think about with interior designers. The things we focus on is [1] attention to detail (both inside and outside), [2] space planning (function of the rooms), [3] FFE (floor, fixtures, & electrical). Furniture is the easy part.
What are some timeless things in interior design?
real wood, custom cabinets
Real wood for cabinets & using real millworkers to make them. Good cabinetry, good dining room tables. Butler pantries left for a little while, but are coming back. Sitting rooms in master bedrooms. A door in your kitchen to go outside. Craftmenship, quality.
On the flip side, what is a good area in your house to save money on?
Save on closets. Save on window treatments. Everyone is into getting their house high-tech, but skip on those if you are trying to cut budget- maybe just do master & guest room. Depends on the person, but bedroom is easy to save on. Landscaping- pick things native to where you live.
What should homeowner gather about their own style before approaching interior designer?
We guide that! People often don’t know their own style or moreso, what they will feel comfortable in- which is the most important thing! We want our clients to feel comfortable in their space. We guide them through that, we understand their style, how they live their lives, what stage of life they are in. We help with style and making sure the house lasts them.
Sasha is expanding her offerings as an interior designer with the launch of her own consulting services. Based in Miami & often in Indianapolis, check her out if you need any help elevating your space or making it more luxe. Cheers & happy designing!
