What: Pared-down interiors featuring streamlined furnishings and a largely neutral palette, topped off with statement-making light fixtures. “I compare lighting to a great pair of shoes,” says Rome. “Everything else can be simple.” To keep rooms “clean and uncluttered,” Rome whittles down accessories and decorative objects to a bare minimum.
When: Rome launched her eponymous company in 2013, a year after she fired the contractor constructing her family’s waterfront home in Sag Harbor—leaving her to finish the job. “It was the worst and the best thing that could have happened,” recalls the decorator, who took advantage of the opportunity to learn firsthand about the building process and how to source materials. “The experience gave me the confidence to follow my dream of starting an interior design business.”
Why: “My husband always says to me, ‘You’re so lucky you love what you do.’ And for the first time in my life, I really do. I hope that never changes.”
