Photography by Megan Mumford
When Linda Gerace-Skinner and her husband, Andrew Skinner, moved back to the area from Minnesota in 2019, they purchased a 1,200-square-foot home off Beekman Street with the intention of flipping it and selling it. Nearly seven years later, they still live there—except it’s now 3,000 square feet with an in-law apartment for Linda’s mom. This winter, we checked in with the creative force behind Interior Designs Atelier to find out what it’s like designing a home for the most particular of clients: yourself.
I’ve heard of chefs who don’t like to cook at home…Does that thinking apply to you as an interior designer?
When it comes to designing my own home, I’m very much like the shoemaker who never makes their own shoes. While I would love for my home to be fully designed, the process is surprisingly difficult for me.
And yet anyone else would probably consider this house fully designed. How did you go about both the design and the expansion?
Like any good designer, I began by taking inventory of the pieces I truly love and layering in a few additional elements to complement them. Because this was my first time building onto an existing home, there were a few elements I knew I wanted to incorporate from the start: a brick backsplash in the kitchen, Dutch doors, and a generously sized mudroom. Beyond that, the focus was on adapting my existing furnishings to suit the new scale of the home and ensuring the spaces functioned seamlessly for our lifestyle.
How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style doesn’t change much. I lean very English and classic. I’m drawn to greens, pinks, plums, and warm cognac tones, and those hues continue to anchor my spaces. When I commit to something, I’m all in. I’m willing to invest whatever it takes and intend to keep it forever. I may reupholster or subtly restyle pieces over time, but that’s about as far as it goes.
There’s the saying “Go big or go home.” Judging by your taste in art, I’d say your motto is “Go big in your home.”
I absolutely love large-scale art and statement lighting. I recently purchased an English country mural and framed it as though it were a large piece of art. It’s one of those elements that truly anchors the space and feels more like an immersive artwork than a wall covering.
Do you have any overarching interior design philosophies?
I believe a home should reflect the owner’s personality, and mine certainly does, even if it may never feel finished. While I’m drawn to light-filled spaces, I also crave moodier rooms, such as our bedroom [pictured here], that allow me to truly unwind. Our home is our haven. And although it may never be fully complete, it reflects our style and supports the way we live. My husband and I are very happy here.
