In Bed With: Taylor Simon
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We spent a sunny summer morning in the home of New York City-based interior designer Taylor Simon. Taylor dishes out her best styling tips for how to create a cozy, inviting environment and the most important pieces of furniture in her home. Whether hunting for pieces for her vintage home goods store Shop Intayriors or working on a design project for a client, Taylor shares with us the rituals she can rely on to return to herself.
Is there a time period that is most influential to your work as an interior designer?
Mid century and art deco are my two favorite design eras. I love teak wood and modern shapes that you see a lot in mid-century pieces, but they really come to life when you contrast them with an art deco detail with a bit more ornate shapes. Never stick with only one design era because that can cause your space to feel flat and one dimensional. It’s all about the mix of modern and traditional!
What do you think is most often overlooked when designing a space?
Over the past few years, super curated and perfect spaces have flooded our Instagram and Pinterest feeds. In real life, people forget that when you design a space, you also need to live in it! Signs of life are super important to making your space feel comfortable and cozy. Your home shouldn’t feel like a showroom. This includes scattered books, burnt candles, and layered textiles like pillows and throw blankets.
How do you invite a sense of calm into your home through design?
Lighting is one of the most important elements in interior design. You can pick the most expensive and fancy furniture out there, but if the lighting is bad, the design won’t work. Cozy and warm lighting, ideally three different elements per room, is what brings immediate calm to my home.
What’s one piece of furniture you think is worth investing in?
Your bed is something I highly recommend investing in. Your rest affects so much of your life outside of the home, and making sure you have a great piece that allows for a great night's sleep is so important.
How has your relationship with rest changed over time?
I prioritize my rest over most things these days. In order to stay on top of my business, source for clients, and think creatively about my shop, I really need a lot of sleep for my brain to function properly.
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
I have to make my bed as soon as I get up in order to mentally start my day, make a coffee, and play some relaxing music.
If you had an extra hour in the day, what would you spend that time doing?
Probably doing an eBay deep dive to find more goods for Shop Intayriors!
How do you reset and unwind after an overwhelming day?
My comfort routine after a long day is to go on a long walk with my husband. We walk around McCarren Park pretty much every evening and it’s an immediate relaxation and reminder that there’s an outside world! Another ritual that gets my mind to start slowing down is I love to make a pot of decaf coffee or chamomile tea to wind down. Sometimes I’ll put a scoop of ice cream over the coffee for an affogato while watching Gilmore Girls. Immediate joy.
Shop Taylor's Picks
Taylor needed a mattress upgrade that felt plush and allowed her to stay as cool as possible. The Bedford gave her just the right balance of support and cushion that she enjoys. For someone who sleeps in different positions, The Down Pillow supported Taylor's head and neck whichever position she found herself in.