Leslie Saul is the founder of Leslie Saul & Associates, which she established in 1992. With over 20 years working in the industry Leslie is an expert at providing interiors and architecture for residential, corporate and retail clients. Leslie is a true artist and brings her creative flair to each of the projects she works on. She has won local, national and also international awards and recognition for her work. So we are proud to bring you the Designer Insights of Leslie Saul.
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1) In your own words describe your unique style and creative aesthetic?
Eclectic doesn't describe my aesthetic, but it does reflect a horror of being trapped in a particular style. Form, color, lighting, materials and other products are tools to create environments that function and inspire.
2) When starting a new project, what is your creative process?
We start with a listening and envisioning process that encourages our clients to think and dream about what their space can be. We are the guides who lead them to that place.
3) Out of the creative people you have worked with, who is it that you respect and admire the most?
We have had the privilege of working with many amazing architects on large scale projects, and we always learn from that collaboration. The best architects can articulate their concepts and then be open to our ideas of how to carry that concept through the interiors. A successful project will blur the line between inside and outside. Graham Gund is a role model for his commitment to design, client service and collaborative teamwork.
4) When looking for inspiration is there a particular thing you do to get inspired?
Architecture inspires us, both new and historic. Our interior design may match or contrast with the building. Sometimes inspiration is found in unlikely places, like a farmer's market or even a trash bag in a tree.
5) What has brought you to this point in your career? And what is your advice for people looking to follow in your footsteps?
Pay attention to the world around you. If you don't see it, you can't draw it, so look carefully. Read and listen, too. Be open to new ideas and old ones too. Laugh and learn, and don't take yourself too seriously. Design isn't open heart surgery...even if it can make you breathless.