How do you make a house feel like home? Expert designer Heidi Callier knows exactly how to spin that perfect mix to create warm, inviting spaces wrapped in rich colors, nubby textiles, and collected vintage animated by print and pattern. Home is about rooms you want to tuck into and comfortable spaces that lean on materials that will last. Get to know the Seattle-based designer and how she’s advising clients to embrace what they love and go deep on color.

How would you describe your signature aesthetic and design philosophy?

It's not traditional but it's not modern — It feels like a melding of those styles. It's definitely eclectic but in a very subdued way. Nothing super fussy.

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How do you layer a variety of materials into your projects?

My favorite part of any project is to figure out what the mix of textiles is going to be. It starts there. If we're going to do a printed sofa — what does that mean for the fabric on the chairs? Then the furniture style generally follows after the fabrics are figured out.

I use a lot of pattern and print, so it's all about mixing the scale of pieces. With solids, I like to mix in texture, stuff that's got some nubbiness to it or a velvet or mohair. I like to layer things.

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What architectural styles inspire you?

We're working on a few Tudor houses right now and I love those. We're working on a Colonial in Seattle. Those are inspiring me.

But no matter what the architectural style is, I love to mix it up with the interior. Maybe the furnishings have a bit more of a traditional touch, but then also some modern pieces mixed in, even throwing in some mid-century pieces.

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What colors and color combinations are you loving right now?

I'm super into navy blue, mustard, and soft, minty green from Farrow and Ball.

Tell us about your consultations on The Expert.

It's so nice to take one hour of your day and connect with somebody about their home. Generally with these consultations, the answers come pretty easily to us. They're design dilemmas that we can solve on the spot since we have so much experience with floor plans, layouts, textiles or whatever it is that they need help with.

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How do you make the most out of a budget? Where to save/splurge?

We definitely spend money on upholstery, because those are generally pieces you're going to have for many, many years. I do tons of vintage, so that can be a great place to save. Outside of kitchens, there's always a mix of high, medium, low items. We splurge on the pieces that are going to be around for a long time but maybe the side table is where you save.

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What should you always buy vintage?

I love vintage lighting — I feel like at least in one or two places in your house you should have vintage, whether it's overhead or sconces. That can add so much to a room.

Any interior design faux pas or pet peeves you have?

There's nothing more boring to me than a room that you could just go online and buy every single piece at that same shop. I want some things in the room to be a little bit weird or original or different.

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What’re recommending most to your clients right now?

I love floral wallpapers. There are some mural papers from de Gournay and Pierre Frey that are really pretty. I'm trying to get those into so many projects. Then I love patterned fabrics in general. I'm always recommending a patterned sofa or some sort of floral or plaid armchair in all of my projects.

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