Last year, we interviewed several designers as part of the 6th edition of The Guild Sourcebook of Residential Art. Here is one of those interviews.

“I really have a passion for what I do,” interior designer Kendall Marcelle admits, “and I have a lot of fun doing it.” That enthusiasm and commitment to excellence shine through in the attention she lavishes on each artful detail of the spaces she creates.

Her firm, Kendall Marchelle Design Associates, founded in Florida in the early 1990s, focuses on high-end residential projects. Marcelle’s versatility allows her to design in either traditional of contemporary idioms, but regardless of the style, she always encourages her clients to explore original art. “I love to use art,” she admits. “It adds a lot of personality.”

To homeowners who are wary of collecting, Marcelle counsels, “Don’t be afraid of it. Try it! Start in a small way, with a local artist, or even at a local craft show.” An avid collector herself, she notes that “art is a lot more attainable than people think. I’ve found original art in everything from flea markets to very expensive galleries.”

Choosing the right art pieces for a private home is an opportunity for collaboration. “There’s a lot of emotion in art,” Marcelle notes, “and that’s why unless I’ve worked with a client a lot and really know their tastes, I don’t like to necessarily go out and just buy. I usually like them to be involved.”

“We concentrate so much on furniture, which important for confort and style, but in the end it is the art, fine rugs, accessories, and sculpture that really speak to you,” she notes. “The sofa and chairs become background.” Drawing on wisdom steeped in experience, Marcelle concludes, “Buy art for the art of living with it.”