When I enter an apartment for the first time, I usually have some sort of reaction to it. For this particular space, I drew a blank. It was empty; all that was left by its last occupants were a few cardboard boxes. I did not experience any immediate visual interest. However, the energy of the owners gave me the punch I needed to transform the space. What I tried to create was an escape for them and their young family.

One of the most invigorating steps in the process of decorating is after the presentation, when we travel to Europe to gather pieces. It feels like running a marathon, and every other day we arrive in a new city to explore. There are certain galleries and institutions that I know well, but best of all is when we stumble across an unexpected warehouse of antiques or the workshop of an emerging artist. That gives me the chance to learn about a historic period in design or to discover a new way of looking at things.