Iconic Home: Interiors, Advice, and Stories From 50 Amazing Black Designers

The sofa will go over there – Sitting slightly away from the edge of a rug, flanked by two chairs at an angle to the fireplace, it’ll be the focal point of the room. Add the right paint and that plushy blanket you bought on vacation last year, and you’ll never want to leave.

Making your home a welcoming retreat is always a goal. In “Iconic Home: Interiors, Advice, and Stories From 50 Amazing Black Designers,” by Black Interior Designers Inc. (BID) and June Reese, BID creative director, you’ll welcome some fresh ideas.

Growing up in Texas, June Reese wished for a way to make her passion for art into a career. Few opportunities existed, “not many career paths,” but she saw design school as a way to her dreams. Still, it was hard and she thought about picking a different career until she met designer Kimberly Ward, founder of the Black Interior Designers Network, and everything fell together.

Reese began to meet and collaborate with other Black designers, fifty of whom she profiles in this book.

Designer Leah Alexander says scale and size are of the utmost importance when decorating a room. “Take it easy with throw pillows,” Alvin Wayne counsels. For Elaine Griffin, “Color reigns supreme…” Arianne Bellizaire decides the color of a room after she notes “any historical and geographical parameters that are integral to the design.” And when it comes to color, “paint samples are a homeowner’s best friend,” Christopher Charles declares.

What you hang on a wall makes a statement. Danielle Colding recommends “dynamic art!” Layer the room, several designers say here. Some advocate having a focal point, while others say that’s unimportant. Use painter’s tape when you start furniture placement. Mix texture, but remember functionality. For Catasha Singleton, accessories should be the “very best” part of any room.

“Have an open mind,” Justina Blakeney advises. While Byron Risdon says, “Don’t overthink it,” Amhad Freeman says, “Don’t over do it.” Delia Kenza wants you to “Have fun.” She adds, “Don’t be afraid to try, and make sure the space tells a story.”

Designer Linda Hayslett explains that for many decades, the assumption has been that Black homeowners didn’t have taste, sophistication, or a need for interior design. Absolutely, “Iconic Home” proves the opposite.

The stand-out feature of this book is its abundance of gorgeous pictures. Author and compiler June Reese includes many elegant examples of her subjects’ work in full-color images that will satisfy anyone looking for ideas, wishing for their own special room, or merely hoping to satisfy home voyeurism.

When you’re done with the photos, turn back to the beginning and start reading about design as a career and the legacies these designers hope to leave. It’s here that you’ll find plenty of hints when deciding what to add or subtract from your space. You’ll also find tips to make any room in your home a place you’ll want to be.

This is the kind of book for dreaming, the kind in which you’ll find something different every time you open it. Get “Iconic Home” and take it to the sofa over there.