“It’s a subliminal feeling. When I walk into a room, correct scale and proportion always give me a sense of serenity,” says designer Sally Sirkin Lewis. Her contemporary interiors, grounded with classic details, reflect this eye for symmetry. “A modern house doesn’t have to be all steel and glass,” she says. “Palladian architecture continues to inspire me. It has clean, uncluttered lines and wonderful balance. And there’s an absence of vulgar opulence.” Lewis’s judicious use of color is evident in all her work.

“I’ve been described as the ‘beige lady,’ but I love color. I’ve never designed an all-beige room. When I work with art collections, I use linen tones, ivory and accents of black and brown—any color that fits the envelope of a room.” The designer is equally creative in her use of furnishings. “I try to interject one or two styles of furniture into every space,” she says, “be it 18th-century French, Swedish, Russian or Ming.” She is bringing this aesthetic to projects in Moscow and Chicago, and she recently opened a new J. Robert Scott showroom in Chicago and remodeled another in New York. And what does she think is the biggest misconception about her profession? “Many people think using a design professional means they’ll lose their identity, but that isn’t the case. I don’t like trends. I design for the long term. I’m as consistent as the day is long. Clients can come to me 20 years later and know what they’re getting.”

Sally Sirkin Lewis

310-690-4475

www.jrobertscotom