By Eleanora Morrison
Within seconds of walking into San Antonio interior designer Whitney Schones’s home, it is evident that she does not play the decor game safely, in the most endearing of ways. Her bright and loving personality translates through the magical interiors she designs, and the most refreshing element of her work is her overflowing creativity and wild sense of imagination.
Her work boasts a uniquely eclectic aesthetic, encouraging clients to venture outside of their comfort zones by mixing patterns, splashing pops of color with paint and furniture, hanging bold lighting fixtures, and wallpapering rooms to make them lighter and brighter. One can’t help but feel joyous in a home or office styled by Schones and her team.
With a growing demand of San Antonio clients who have caught onto her tastefully daring designs, Schones’s work is beginning to leave its patterned mark. Inspired by her grandmother’s love of interiors as a little girl, Schones shares her background, her personal preferences, and her top tips and tricks for curating a life well-styled.
EM: What drew you into interior design and what is your background in the industry?
WS: It all started when I would sew pillows with my grandmother and insist on attending all of my mother’s meetings with her interior designer. I couldn’t get enough. I didn’t get my degree in design, however, because I was afraid it was just a phase. When I bought my first house, I fixed it up and friends kept asking me to help with theirs. Once I took my first official client, it snowballed from there.
EM: How would you describe your personal aesthetic when it comes to preference in home styling?
WS: Eclectic.
EM: How do you work with your clients to curate their personal worlds to be authentic to them?
WS: I help my clients build the road map to their dream spaces, which is the most fun part of my job. It makes it more interesting and also more challenging. The best part of the process for me is when I am given a pile of pictures that a client has collected, and incorporate their inspirations along the way. Pictures really do speak a thousand words. Clients don’t usually understand why they like a picture of an interior, but it is always clear to me what their preferences are.
EM: When you work with clients, what is it that you find is the biggest misconception when it comes to styling an interior?
WS: That it happens overnight. Usually a project doesn’t have a clear vision until after two, or even three meetings. If I hurry along, I might create something that a client won’t be happy with long-term. Slow and steady always wins the race.
Whitney’s Favorite Sites To Shop Interiors, For The Save Or The Splurge:
Edited from an interview by Eleanora Morrison.