Ryan Korban is a twentysomething interior designer in New York who designs both residential and commercial spaces and who has recently been featured in a number of design blogs, including The Selby. It seems he has a knack for creating warmth with a touch of glam through layers, textures and deep, moody colors. Add to that a dash of shine through a lamp or two, a carefully placed teapot, a sculptural flower resting on a stack of books and a sexy side table with a horn base and you have Ryan’s signature look — nothing is overly styled or stuffy, things are somewhat sloppy in a very good way and his vibe is without fuss and quite cozy.

I’ll admit, I’m not a big leather sofa fan, nor do I care for faux fur rugs, horn tables or shiny ornate table lamps, but Ryan has a way of putting things together that I’m not naturally drawn that makes me pause and think, “Okay, maybe“. I think that this is a sign of a good designer that we often overlook and do not discuss to often on design blogs. We’re often so fixated on finding designers who share our aesthetic — but when you notice an eyebrow being raised as you stumble across work you’d not characterize as your sensibility then that’s something to pause and think about. Hmmm.

I compare this to a good makeup artist or hair stylist. Sometimes we get stuck on a look, some may even say in a rut. Fringe with blond highlights, blunt cut with caramel highlights, curly hair, straight hair, the “Jennifer” hair cut. Or how about makeup — smokey eyes for going out, a nude and pale palette with a touch of pink lip gloss by day. Let’s say your stylist thinks that with your coloring and personality, you should experiment a little and go with auburn highlights instead and lose the fringe because it does not complement your face shape. And the makeup artist suggests peacock green eyes for night with faux lashes and by day a bit more color – a soft gray eye with a just-bitten red matte lip. You may shrug, thinking it’s, “Oh no — not me” but perhaps you try this new look out and you can’t believe your eyes — stunning! Pros who work with color, proportion, texture, etc. all day tend to have a broader vision. They also deal with many personalities and income levels so they have a lot of experience that we sometimes forget to take into consideration.

And so I ask… shouldn’t anyone you hire in a creative field give you a bit of an Aha! moment and share something that you may NOT have considered before? That is a part of interior design that makes hiring the right one worth the investment. A fresh, new custom-tailored perspective can be quite an eye opener.

(images: top, ryan korban. bottom, the selby who profiled him here.)