Bold Colour and Whimiscal Interior Design With Charlotte Lucas

Charlotte Lucas Interior designs was founded by Charlotte Lucas whose focus on color and detail in her interiors and have developed into a signature, recognizable style. Charlotte was born and raised in North Carolina and attended design school at the University of Georgia, where she was recently ranked third in the Alumni Association’s Bulldog 100, which recognizes the fastest-growing businesses owned or operated by UGA alumni each year. Her company has frequently been featured in Elle Decor, Southern Living, and Garden and Gun. Here is our interview with the amazing interior designer for the modern luxury homeowner.

CL:  Did you always know you wanted to be an interior designer? 

Charlotte: I am not sure I was aware of it, but it started at a young age. My mother was an interior designer so a lot of my childhood was spent in antique stores, fabric stores, and showrooms across the Southeast. I loved decorating my room each time we moved, which was often, and my mother always let me take the lead. This natural creativity (and love of wallpaper!) I developed ultimately led me to major in interior design at the University of Georgia, and the rest is history! 

CL: Many of your designs feature bold pops of colour and graphic detail. What is the inspiration behind your gorgeous designs? 

Charlotte: I am personally a very colorful person. You’ll never see me wearing an all black outfit, or one without a pattern or texture, so I try to bring that same aesthetic to my designs. I am very lucky to have clients who are willing to take risks and push the envelope when it comes to color, pattern and detail. I pull a lot of inspiration from fabulous female designers such as Sister Parish, Madeleine Castaing and Dorothy Draper. Additionally, I love to travel so I am always pulling inspiration from trips near and far. Inspiration can be found in the simplest forms, so I try to be receptive everywhere I go. 

CL: What is your own personal philosophy on interior design? 

Charlotte: This industry is fun and creative, so the design process should never be too stressful or hectic. I always tell my clients we are not doctors saving lives, we are designing beautiful homes to create memories in. We take our clients’ spaces and our office operations seriously, but we always make sure to keep it lighthearted and fun! 

CL: What has been your favorite design project to date and why? 

Charlotte: I’ve loved so many, but a favorite has to be this stunning home we did in Newport Beach, CA. The couple loves music and has an incredible vinyl collection, so we created a moody “music” room with a full vinyl wall. It was the first time I had worked with these treasures and I just love that we got to incorporate one of the family’s biggest passions so prominently in their home. That’s what it’s all about! 

CL: What has been the strangest request you have ever gotten for a job? 

Charlotte: A rosė bar in a client’s master bedroom closet! First time for everything but we were fully on board with this one! 

CL: Your work has been featured in tastemaker publications like Vogue, Elle, and More. Who would be an absolute dream client for you? 

Charlotte: I love being on the water, so a dream client for me would be anyone with a tropical island home or a yacht! I’m sure I’m not alone in this! 

CL: You launched your own line of wallpaper and fabrics. Tell us about your collections and what inspired you? 

Charlotte: House of Harris was co-founded in 2017 with my older sister and fellow interior designer, Liz Harris Carroll. We have come out with two different collections, Avenue I and Avenue II, which are both inspired by the places we have lived throughout our lives. The two of us have pretty different design aesthetics in general, so our goal was to create a versatile collection of visually arresting fabrics and wallpapers that can be used in all different spaces. Creating a textile line is very different from running an interior design business because we are designing for the mass market, as opposed to an individual client. House of Harris has been such a fun way to work with my sister and have a creative outlet outside of my interior design business. 

CL: Are there rules to great designs or do you create your own rules based on inspiration? 

Charlotte: All of my designs and ideas are inspired by the clients I am working with and their vision. I am always thoughtful about who I’m decorating for, how they live, and what reflects their lifestyle. I want my clients’ homes to look like the best version of themselves. So if it speaks to the client, then I say there are no rules! 

CL: What is the key to maintaining a beautiful aesthetic in the home while making it a functional living space? 

Charlotte: I have two young children, so I have had to learn the art of beautiful and functional design. Every space in a home should be inspiring, and interesting to look at, but liveable. I love mixing family antiques with modern patterns and functional furniture. With two active kids, you have to know things will get spilled on, broken, you name it! But luckily, by being in the industry, I have come to understand that everything can be recovered, refinished, repainted, or repaired… and this happens all the time! 

CL: What are the biggest design mistakes you see people making in their homes? 

Charlotte: It’s not a mistake, but many people fall into buying what’s “trendy”, or they’ll fill their home with mass-produced, universally popular furniture and decor. Don’t get me wrong, these items are often “best sellers” for a reason, but I find it so much more exciting and charming to have special pieces that have either been passed down and repurposed or have a fun backstory. I think it’s important that your home represents you and tells your unique story. 

CL: What matters most in interior Feng Shui or feeling? 

Charlotte: Both are important and play into my designs in tandem. I want my spaces to bring about feelings of joy, ease, home. Bringing the outside in via natural light or indoor plants, incorporating symmetry, and breathing new life into the space every now and then (all very Feng Shui elements) are such important practices. A room in your home should never stress you out; home should be a haven where you unwind and feel at ease. Feng shui and good vibes are paramount! 

CL: What’s one interior design pearl of wisdom you would like to share with our readers? 

Charlotte: If you love it, buy it! Don’t stress over where it will go. If it speaks to you, you’ll figure out a way to work it in.