Slifer Designs Falls for Alexa Hampton

We were so lucky to spend the afternoon with Alexa Hampton last month. The fabulous, funny and obviously talented designer visited our Cherry Creek store where she gave witty and inspiring design advice. 

Alexa Hampton chats with a guest at the Slifer Cherry Creek store.

More than 100 friends, clients, media veterans and designers in the know gathered at Slifer Designs to get tips and learn about the woman behind Mark Hampton LLC. The renowned designer was the first and only regularly appearing female cast member on PBS’ This Old House, and from 2002 to the present is one of Architectural Digest’s top 100 of the world’s best interior designers and architects.

Not just an enjoyable afternoon, Alexa left us with five design tips—also chronicled in her newest book, Alexa Hampton, The Language of Interior Design. The first tip? Contrast. Just like your mama always said, opposites attract in love. The same is true in design, without contrast you have a boring, flat room. When putting a room together, Alexa suggests using light and dark, tall and short, round and straight.

If you want even more of Alexa's design insights, purchase the book at both Slifer stores.

The next suggestion? Layers of contrast, whether it be materials, textures, patterns or colors, items from Europe placed next to a Native American artifact; a 19th century piece of art above a contemporary side table. Play with fabrics, designs, colors and patterns to create the house that’ll make you a homebody.
 
Don’t forget proportion—a talent that can take time to develop. However, Alexa feels proportion is more objective and concrete than other design elements. So if you’re struggling in other areas, you can teach yourself proportion.

Colors and textures add luxurious warmth to this pink bedroom.

Obviously, design relies on color. As Alexa states, “Color helps bring a room to life.” Whether you want romantic, vibrant, calming, neutral or traditional, color helps incorporate your vision to your home. Before you jump in to a splashy color, she cautions to plan and put the color on paper before executing—and being stuck with a room you thought might be cozy but turned out to be dark and dull.
 
If you’ve planned and prepped and brought your home to life with attention to design, you should have balance: “balance is the end result of everything that’s come before: graceful proportions, the artful use of color, a judicious mix of materials and textures, energetic contrasts—in short, the sum that is greater than its many parts.”

Home is a lovely green living room.

You can incorporate her tips into your home with the help of Hickory Chair Furniture, particularly the Alexa Hampton line—a staple and stand out in homes for a century, with classic and comfortable designs. Slifer has carried Hickory furniture for years, and loves its quality and traditional designs.

Since we spend much of our lives sitting, chairs should keep our derriere comfortable, and look good empty. Hickory’s furniture is hand crafted in the United States and is as functional as it is stylish. Make no mistake, though, Hickory is much more than chairs. The company in conjunction with Alexa provides furnishings for bedrooms to dining rooms and every room in between. 

How much fun is it to work with a company that actually listens to you, the customer? If you want antique knobs on your dresser, consider it done. If you found the perfect fabric while in the ‘marché’ in the south of France and want it on the chairs in your den—easy as 1, 2, 3.

Beth Slifer, founder of Slifer Designs, mingles—and gives a little design advice—at the Alexa Hampton gathering.

Hickory is custom. Slifer is timeless. Alexa Hampton is stylish. Together, we can create your home.