Interior Designer Corey Damen Jenkins Offers His Best Traditional Design Tips

Believe it or not, vibrant color and global touches can work beautifully with traditional decor. Author of the gorgeous book Design Remix: A New Spin on Traditional Rooms, HGTV star and interior designer Corey Damen Jenkins shares his genius trad-redux design tips.

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May 20, 2021

By: Felicia Feaster

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Photo By: Design Remix

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Design Remix Book

New traditionalist designer Corey Damen Jenkins' new book is Design Remix: A New Spin on Traditional Rooms. In this lavishly illustrated book, the Detroit-born and New York City-based interior designer and star of HGTV's Showhouse Showdown offers plenty of design inspiration for bringing a global mix, color and eclectic elements into traditional rooms to give them a fresh look. Why is Corey so drawn to tradition? "I connect to traditionalism because it is timeless and classic. We live in a world where people don’t want to re-do their home every few years as trends come in and out of style so quickly. Whether it is traditional with more of a modern, contemporary edge or with more of a neo-classic maximalist edge, it is something that remains evergreen, which is especially important right now."

An Interior Designer Who Rocks Tradition

"People want to live well and focus on having great experiences in life," says Corey of what he sees as his new traditionalist design mantra. "You don’t want to be constantly tasked with redoing your home because the choices you made were of the moment, then fell out of favor as trends shifted. You don’t have that problem as much with traditionalism, as long as it is kept fresh, vibrant and modern." One design trend that Corey has seen enough of? Barn doors. "They are very clumsy. I think it’s best if they don’t stand the test of time," says Corey.

Learn More: Corey Damen Jenkins

Make Sure Your Wallpaper Pattern Works Before Applying to a Ceiling

Corey is a big fan of wallpaper on ceilings which he often refers to as "the fifth wall." But he does have some wallpaper words to the wise: "Make sure you have an understanding of what the wallpaper's repeat is and that the scope and pattern work," he says. "Not everything is meant to go on the ceiling. Sometimes people don’t check to see how the full pattern will run on a ceiling. It needs to be directional in a way that works well for an entire expanse of the ceiling and not just a small swatch." Corey says he kept the room balanced by combining that graphic pattern on the ceiling with a sedate, deep sea blue paint on the walls.

Before You Design, Make a Plan

Want to achieve a dramatic look like this? Corey created a rich pattern play of wallpapers and curtains in this guest room whose 15-foot ceiling allowed him to make what he calls "bold choices."

"It’s all about scale," says Corey, about pulling off multiple patterns and colors. "Lay out your patterns in such a way so that there is appropriate scale differentiation. The same applies to color. You can’t have too much of a good thing, so be sure to carefully plan: lay things out, sketch them and measure before you execute and start spending money."

Classic Colors Honor Tradition With a Twist

Corey used cobalt blue vinyl wallpaper in this room used by both parents and kids, to make it easy to clean and in keeping with the room's fun, youthful vibe.

"The color scheme here is driven by jewel tones," says Corey. "The saffron, emerald green, sunshine yellow, turquoise and amber are all classic, heralded jewel-tones that denoted royalty in the times of the Egyptians and the Greeks and the Romans. As long as you stick to a classic color scheme, your room will always feel classic. They keep a room from becoming too trendy or edgy."

Take a Risk for Good Design Payoff

A Moroccan patterned tile on this kitchen island brings energy to a room that might otherwise feel fairly staid, says Corey.

"In the case of this room, the tile plays like fashion," says Corey who says in Design Remix that fashion is a major driver of his design choices.

"Without the tile this kitchen would be quite ordinary," says Corey. "We had to have that one moment, that one visual element that sets the space apart from what is considered bland, boring and expected, to take it to the realm of the wow. If you take the tile out of this room, the room is still okay, but the tile and its placement make this room a show-stopper. This room needed that unexpected, fashion-driven, risk-taking choice. Good design is always driven by risk, just like fashion."

Know Your Color Limits (or Affinity)

Corey turned this spacious bathroom into a celebration of color (and the '70s flashback hue of avocado green) and self-care by creating a library in the space. "Paint color is a great way to make the bathroom come alive, but whether to implement that in a room depends on the person. If they want to be awakened with a jolt of color when they first walk in, a vibrant color works wonders. If an individual wants the room to slowly come to life, a more subtle color palette might be better. Wallpaper used judiciously in the right application can be a great way to make an impact in the bathroom. As seen with the library around the tub, having things that you love within arm’s reach is a nice addition. Whether it be with books, a bath tray for your iPad, a good sound system for your playlist, aromatic instruments like candles and diffusers, create a good bathing experience. Life is short - you shouldn’t have to go to a hotel to feel pampered. It’s just a matter of what you put in your bathroom in terms of design, decoration and accessories."

Refresh Your Space With New Color and Pattern

Design refreshes to your home can take many directions, from inserting bold solid colors to playing with materials.

"These refreshes don’t always have to be a solid color. They can be patterned fabric, leather, patent leather, a texture, a faux leather or an ostrich, there are plenty of different options out there," says Corey. "The main concern is having a plan. We encourage people to hire a designer because when we lay everything out in a studio, we can see these relationships. It’s like writing music: these pieces should sing to each other. They have to be laid out in a way that makes sense. Color blocking is one way to do it, but not the only way."

Vive la Passementerie!

"Passementerie is another fancy term for trim. You often find it on windows, window treatments, pillows, along the bottom of sofas, etc. It can be bullion, tassels, or even fringe. They give flourishes which takes a design to a maximalist level. There’s nothing wrong with not having it, but including it certainly takes designs to the realm of the wow. It’s also governed and influenced by fashion. So anyone that appreciates tassels, trim, or fringe on a poncho, purse or skirt will understand the appeal. It is an element you use on the fashion runway, I just like to use them for interior design, which is fashion for the home."

Corey Damen Jenkins took the idea of a classic study and completely turned it around in this room he created for the Kips Bay Decorator Show House as an homage to the suffragist movement in another expression of how this designer rocks tradition. “Historically, home libraries and dens have been referred to as the ‘Gentleman’s Study’" says Corey. "But what if a woman is the primary user of the formal library?”

From: Corey Damen Jenkins

Glamorous Living Room With Tufted White Sofa

Corey says this room is notable for the detail of the black and white inset trim on the wall. "This gives the walls a tailored quality, which I contrasted with pieces such as the ornate 1920s coffee table," he writes in Design Remix.

From: Corey Damen Jenkins

Create Variety to Balance Scale

Corey used a honeyed hue on the ceiling, and sage and kelly green accents to balance out the twenty-foot high ceilings in this room. Floor-to-ceiling curtains and an Old World-style chandelier add more impact and enunciate the grand proportions of this room.

An Art Deco-Inspired Living Room Reimagines the Classics

Want to reimagine a space without a lot of effort? Corey has some pointers. "Where you can, go for a great contemporary pattern or modern color palette. Bring in some great abstract art to put on the walls to offset the more traditional shapes and some art deco influences," he advises. "Be eclectically exuberant: incorporate other cultures and foreign influences into a room. Use items and styles that are not necessarily American traditional, but speak to other cultures and global nuances. Things like that are what keep spaces interesting and prevent them from becoming dated." That philosophy is on perfect display in this glam living room featuring bold orange and art deco elments.

From: Corey Damen Jenkins

Interior Designer Corey Damen Jenkins Offers His Best Traditional Design Tips

Related To:

Shop This Look

Design Remix Book

An Interior Designer Who Rocks Tradition

Make Sure Your Wallpaper Pattern Works Before Applying to a Ceiling

Before You Design, Make a Plan

Classic Colors Honor Tradition With a Twist

Take a Risk for Good Design Payoff

Know Your Color Limits (or Affinity)

Refresh Your Space With New Color and Pattern

Vive la Passementerie!

Glamorous Living Room With Tufted White Sofa

Create Variety to Balance Scale

An Art Deco-Inspired Living Room Reimagines the Classics

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