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How to Decorate

Ep. 341: Storytelling in Decorating with David Netto

How to Decorate

Caroline McDonald

Arts, Business, Design

4.4838 Ratings

🗓️ 26 December 2023

⏱️ 55 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

We welcome Los Angeles based interior designer and writer David Netto this week. David’s work has been featured in Vogue, Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, and many more. David is on the AD100 list, and has also written about the history of architecture and ensign for the Wall Street Journal and New York Times Style Magazine and is now a contributing editor for Town and Country. In our conversation, we talk with David about his inspiration for design, and his gorgeous new self-titled book. David shares more about how he creates a furniture plan, his love of the dramatic in design, and he shares a few practical tips for creating elegance in your home.   What You’ll Hear On This Episode: David’s father owned the historic fabric house, Cowtan & Tout.  From an early age, David had an appetite and appreciation for theater in decor, and combining the modern with antique.  How and why a slightly unfinished look can be elegant.  Using chairs like chess pieces in design.  A few of David’s other versatile tools to make rooms like artsy, dramatic and bohemian.  How a cooking star influenced David’s self-titled book.  Storytelling is the foundation of good decorating.  How David starts creating a furniture plan.  Afraid of a beautiful chocolate brown wall? Don’t be!  What David looks for when choosing fabric or upholstery.  East vs. West coast design.  The importance of having a team of greatly skilled people who can play up to your own strengths.  Also Mentioned:  Ballard Designs David Netto Design  David Netto IG  David Netto monograph   Decorating Dilemma:  Thank you for writing in, Rachel! First, David is going to dream. In a world where construction is possible, we would cut that window straight ahead down to the floor and turn it into a French window that has a railing. In reality though, David would demolish the bookcases on the left and right, and retain them just at the end.  He would invest in four clipped bookcase lights (there’s a store in London that he loves for this) and some nice paint. Also, David would paint the floor with high gloss paint! Something to keep in mind and put on your list, if you agree!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to How to Decorate from Ballard Designs, a podcast all about the trials and triumphs of decorating and redecorating your home.

0:08.9

Each week will help you unleash your inner decorator.

0:11.6

I'm Caroline, and I'm on the marketing team.

0:14.0

And I'm Taryn and I'm a product designer.

0:16.0

And I'm Liz.

0:16.8

I head up the Ballard creative team.

0:18.4

We're your host.

0:19.9

Join the expert team at Ballard Designs for tips, tricks, and tales from interior

0:23.5

designers, stylists, and other talents in the design world.

0:26.1

Plus, we'll answer our listener question at the end of each show.

0:29.0

So don't forget to send them to podcast of Ballarddesigns.net.

0:32.1

Yes, we love answering them.

0:33.8

Now on with the show.

0:36.5

All right, our guest today is Los Angeles-based interior designer and writer David Netto.

0:41.4

He's on the 80100 list.

0:42.9

His work has been featured in Vogue, El Decor, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, House and Garden, Town and Country, veranda, and more.

0:50.4

He's also written about the history of architecture and design for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times Style Magazine, and is now a contributing editor for town and country.

0:58.5

But today, we are talking about his new self-titled book published with Fondon Press.

1:03.5

David, welcome to the show.

1:05.6

Well, it's so nice to be with you.

1:07.3

Thank you for that thorough resume preparation you must have done. Oh, it was actually

1:14.5

a summary. I feel like I could have gone on, but, but I have to take of the listeners. I'm sure it's

...

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