Interior Design Credentials Plus Art & Fashion Inspirations
Clients are often drawn to Dane because of his keen eye for color and inherent sense of style, yet they may not realize that his classical training in fine arts and design has shaped and honed his sophisticated viewpoint. Dane graduated from the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University armed with two degrees. He continued his education, moving to Europe to study the history of decorative arts at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London, and then to Paris where he attended the Institut d’Etudes Supérieures des Arts.
“A deep understanding of the history of architecture, fine art, and the decorative arts allows me to have an appreciation for tradition, with a nod to the past and an eye to the future,” Dane says.
Although there are very good interior designers who are self-taught, the training and practice that happens through a design education cannot be understated. Pablo Picasso said, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Dane marries the mechanics and precision of interior design with the art and flair of the painter and printmaker that he is. Although he no longer spends as much time using those skills, they contribute to every project he undertakes through his understanding of color, texture, scale, balance, form, light, composition, and color.
“I think of myself as an artist first--interior design is my medium. It’s like painting in 3D for the purpose of creating installations that excite all the senses,” Dane reflects.
Original art by Dane Austin
PIVOTING FROM ANOTHER CAREER
There are successful pivots into the interior design practice from other artistic disciplines like graphic design, architecture, fashion, and fine arts. In fact, Dane had once imagined himself in the fashion industry, where he began his career, but quickly realized that interior design was his destiny.
“Interiors were always my passion, but I learned about quality, fabrics, and tailored details while in the fashion world,” says Dane.
The connection between fashion and interiors goes back a long way, with fashion designers inspiring interior designers and vice versa. Not to mention that many fashion designers have often crossed into the interiors realm by designing fabrics and furnishings for the home like Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta, Vera Wang, Kate Spade, Missoni, and now Christian Siriano (a longtime friend of Dane’s). Even on the runway, you can often see the interplay between fashion and interiors.
Hayato Arai, a co-founder of the cult streetwear brand Miles, launched Hayato — a brand of clothing with stitching details inspired by classic mid-century furniture. There are knee patches crisscrossed with the caning pattern of Thonet chairs and curved seams meant to recall Vitra’s living tower (which we were once tasked with incorporating into a living space), designed by Verner Panton in 1969. Hayato’s initial run of Thonet-inspired carpenter pants sold out on his website in three minutes, according to an article in Women’s Wear Daily.
“Furniture is designed to match human proportions. The height of chairs, the edge of tables — everything is made for the human lifestyle. Clothes also have to fit the body and lifestyle. I thought these two should work well together if I merged them together,” said Arai.
Carpenter pants with stitching inspired by midcentury modern design
ART AS INSPIRATION
Like many of his clients and colleagues, Dane is an adventurer who loves to travel, enjoys visiting museums and galleries, and touring historic houses. He recently revisited The Elms in Newport, and is heading to Europe with the Leaders of Design Council for half of November. Dane never tires of the inspiration that comes from viewing fine art, whether it’s an example from one of the masters like Botticelli or Titian, or a modern painter like Italian street artist Zed1.
“I think of designing a home as curating one’s life. We utilize your collection of pieces to be thoughtfully displayed in ways that show each in their best light. We then supplement and add to those pieces so they truly shine,” says Dane.
Clients appreciate Dane’s knowledge of art history and contemporary art. Sometimes clients have pieces they love and want to showcase in a room. Other clients seek Dane’s advice when acquiring art. Dane offers the advice he follows himself, “Buy what you love and the best you can afford, and you’ll never have regrets.”
Lady Gaga’s shoes, designed by Thom Solo, displayed in a client’s home juxtaposed with modern art.