At home with
Home in downtown orlando, fl Lived there 3 years
Shanna Bender Acclaimed designer Shanna Bender, founder of Design Studio 15 in Orlando, invited LHQ into her home to share some secrets to creating a funky, functional home office.
LHQ: Thanks for showing us your home! What makes this home office a place you want to work?
SB: When designing my home office, it was important to me that the space emanate a sense of fun, creativity, tranquilly, functionality, and a healthy environment for my talented staff and wonderful clients. I think I achieved that objective by using pops of color through strategically placed art and accents, lots of windows, open work spaces, ample storage, and the incorporation of many eco-sensitive materials throughout the space.
LHQ: How would you describe the design of your home office? What inspired it? SB: The interior design is modern with an unexpected twist of pop culture. I initially sketched the design on a napkin while on a train to New York City. I kept that napkin for a couple of years, drew it up in CAD, and then started organically making the selections come to life. The interior developed from my love of pop culture, music, and art. I feel that a creative interior encourages endless design possibilities. LHQ: How does your home office help you serve your clients?
SB: I purposely designed the office with versatile open spaces to work in so we can pull fabrics and finishes, lay out plans, and conduct meetings. In addition, I think it is helpful for them to experience something I personally designed and implemented from the ground up. My clients come away with a clear sense of my attention to detail and my passion for creating fun, unique environments that are highly functional. LHQ: What is your favorite place in the space? SB: I would say my favorite place is the main room with its open space, the grand piano, and 23 wonderful windows. I designed it to invite a flood of light into the space, accenting the volume to create a feeling of openness, and the light fixture is the “wow� piece that gives the space drama.
The Pieces Mademoiselle Chair: Exit Art, exit-art.com Flooring: SoyCrete Architectural Concrete Stain, from Ecoprocote, ecoprocote.com
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luxury home quarterly
MARCH 2011
Chandelier: Lightstyle of Orlando, lightstyleoforlando.com
Custom Pillow: Trina Turk for Schumacher, fschumacher.com
Owl vase: Twos Company, twoscompany.com
Paint: SherwinWilliams, sw7072, sherwin-williams.com
Monroe print: Screen-printed reproduction on white paper, warholprints.com
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