Here, we ask designers to take a selfie and give us an inside look at their life.
Names: Travis Grimm.
Occupation: Interior Designer
Instagram: @travisgm
Hometown: Marietta, Georgia.
Studio Location: New York, New York.
Describe what you make: I create homes that feel harmonious and give the individuals who live there a true sense of place. I work across all types of residences, new and old, but the goal is always the same. The home should feel personal to its owners and reflect how they actually live, with a strong foundation that allows it to evolve with them over time.
The most important thing you’ve designed to date: I’ve been fortunate to work on such a wide range of homes, from new builds to historic residences, and each one has been meaningful to me in its own way. However, one project that will always be particularly special was my former apartment at The Carlyle Hotel in New York. I’ve always admired the history and character of the building, so having the opportunity to make a home there and design it for myself was incredibly gratifying. I wanted to respect the architecture and history of what was already there while creating something that felt like me and reflected the way I lived at the time. It brought together so much of what I love about design, especially history, architecture, and creating a home that feels as though it truly belongs to its surroundings.
Describe the problem your work solves: Whether I’m working with a historic home or something completely new, I look at the house and its surroundings as a whole rather than just the home’s decoration. Growing up with a father and grandfather as builders taught me to understand how a home is put together and to notice things like proportion, flow and how one room relates to the next. When those things feel right, everything else falls into place much more naturally.
Share the project you are working on now: Right now, I’m working on a newly built ground up estate and vineyard in Napa Valley, a home in Pacific Palisades, a historic residence on the Upper East Side, a contemporary compound on a lake in the Catskills, and a few more. They’re all completely different, which I love, and each one gives me the opportunity to think about the home in a different way. I think that variety keeps me inspired and the work ever changing.
A new or forthcoming project we should know about: TGI is currently in the process of expanding its work to a few new locations and I could not be more excited to bring my point of view to some of these new amazing locations with fantastic clients. Stay tuned…
What you absolutely have to have in your studio: A good playlist, fridge stocked with Diet Coke, and fresh flowers at all times.
What you do when you’re not working: I try to spend as much time outdoors as I can. I love hiking and being by the water, usually with my Brittany Spaniel, Millie, by my side. I also love cooking, and making a Sunday night meal completely from scratch is one of my favorite ways to slow down at the end of the week.
Sources of creative envy (dead or alive): I’m drawn to very different periods and disciplines. I love the brutalism and sculptural quality of Giacometti, but I’m equally interested in the restraint and polish of the Biedermeier period. There is something about the tension of these deign periods that creates a home that feels lived in and not to perfect, that I find incredibly compelling; especially when those ideas are reconsidered for how we live today. Paul Williams and Emory Roth are also enduring influences for me because their work had such a strong sense of proportion and place without sacrificing livability.
The distraction you want to eliminate: The Sunday scaries. Sunday is far too good a day to spend thinking about Monday.
Concrete or marble? Marble. The imperfections are the point.
High-Rise Or Townhouse? Townhouse, for the craftsmanship and rich history.
Remember or Forget? Remember, when it’s worth remembering.
Aliens or Ghosts? Aliens. More room for imagination.
Dark Or Light? Dark, especially in a rich aubergine.
