Breegan Jane is an experienced and accomplished interior designer, lifestyle blogger, and Los Angeles mom. Her resume boasts enterprises that span the gamut, including being the new designing face on HGTV’s recent reboot of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”
Breegan is both a residential and commercial designer who focuses on the design-build aspect of every project she endeavors, and some may call her a powerhouse in her industry.
Kyle Smigielski sat down for a special interview with Interior Designer TV-Star Breegan Jane to hear her views on interior design, success, celebrating diversity, and adapting to change.
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You’ve created quite the career for yourself…what’s your philosophy to success?
The secret is simply being forever curious and determined. I’ve learned a great deal by asking the right questions and trying to provide the solutions. That’s what makes me an entrepreneur at heart. I think the other “secret” is finding a career that I loved. This made it easier to move toward success and improve a profession I was already passionate about.
What’s currently keeping you excited?
I’m really excited that we just announced our first single-host tv show, The House My Wedding Built, coming to discovery+. I like that the show focuses on the love and relationship needs of many of my clients, which are to get married and buy a house at the same time. I also use my design eye to see the possibilities in venues and homes they often pass over. My goal is to show them there’s no one way to do it all, and that their goals are extremely achievable.
What are your favorite materials and colors to work with? Any trends you can predict dominating in 2021?
I have a strong affinity for the color teal and brass materials. Teal is going to make a strong statement this year, especially Benjamin Moore’s color of the year, Aegean Teal 2136-40. It’s gorgeous. Brass has such a timeless regality to it, especially when used with other mixed metals in a space. The wider acceptance of mixed metals will usher it into more spaces, which I think is a great thing.
It’s not a material or color, but I also think an increased focus on customizing and maximizing our home spaces will be a big trend this year. We will begin to see more companies cater to all budgets and price points, much like businesses such as Hooker Furniture already do.
You’re a design curator and also an interior designer. Any furniture favorites?
I love round dining tables. I’ve always enjoyed them. When people have the space, they typically think square tables will fit more bodies. I don’t find that to be true. You can always sneak in another chair when there is no hard edge, especially when the base is in the middle. Now that we’re all using our dining tables as multifunctioning spaces, there’s something nice about soft lines. It allows any corner to be the front or back. I love that flexibility.
Furniture is the ultimate accent in any home and it doesn’t have to be expensive; how can it be available to everyone?
Again, the best design for me happens when beauty and functionality combine and align in your space. The value of a chair, for example, is not in the cost or suggested retail price. What’s more important is that it provides a comfortable place to rest, and that it adds the preferred style and mood to a home. That can be done on any financial level. Beautiful and luxurious pieces should be available to everyone. That means being able to find products that are high quality with a price tag that won’t cause cardiac arrest. Companies are doing just that by cutting out the middleman.
Also, there are so many connection points between designers and experts like me, and the general homeowner who is not in the design space. We designers give away our tips and tricks to allow them to make good decisions no matter where they shop or what they’re shopping for. In the past, those tips were exclusive to experts. With today’s accessibility in the digital space via YouTube and social media, anyone can make good design choices and be able to shop within their budget.
What is a way the industry can play a role to be more inclusive and diverse?
The nature of design and art is to bring together culture in a visual representation. The design industry already has an advantage when it comes to celebrating diversity and inclusion. It exists to celebrate differences. So many of the items, materials, and ideas we hold dear today are only available to us because various cultures traded their own valuable goods for other groups’ cherished goods. Today, we marvel at Italian marble, Parisian tapestries, and Kenyan jewelry. Our industry already understands that highlighting our cultures collectively is always a prettier result than keeping them separate. Now we just need to master making diversity a norm inside corporate structures in the same way we spotlight our design “poster children.”
Since we are spending more time at home, are there any changes you’ve made in your space for it to be more comfortable?
Absolutely! Along with the rest of the world, I have spent the last several months practically redesigning my home in order to transform it into a more efficient space for work and virtual learning. I’ve also worked to ensure my home brings my family the joy and peace we seek. That includes our work, play, solace, and entertainment. I’m grateful that I have the creativity and ingenuity to use a side table as a desk, or to rearrange a guest room so that it functions as my “Zoom room.” We’re all using our minds and skills in new ways when it comes to the idea of “home” now that we spend our time in them 24 hours a day.
To learn more about Breegan Jane and design tips and updates visit BreeganJane.com.
