Carter Averbeck
photo by andrea rugg
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would you live? This is a tough one. I’d say on the outskirts of Barcelona Spain.
What are three words to describe your style?
1. Bold 2. Unexpected 3. Mutable
Tell us about your childhood bedroom?
We moved often enough that I never got to enjoy my bedroom for long, but the biggest thrill was always being a part of the design process with my parents. I think this is where I got my notion for never being afraid of change.
What’s the first investment piece you ever bought for your house? (a sentence or two would be great here) In my 20s, there was an art auction featuring several Salvador Dali paintings. I was determined to own work from a famous artist. I won the bid on the smallest piece up for auction and it has been sitting proudly in a place of importance at my home ever since.
In the history of design, if you could hire any designer other than yourself, who would it be? I like those who push me to think expansively: it would have been exciting to hire Zaha Hadid. Her fearless sense of the avant garde mixed with fluidity is mind boggling. If I could have lived in her brain, even for a moment, I’d be delighted and overwhelmed at the same time!
No room is complete without: Original Art
People think of me as a bon vivant, but I am really an introvert
Things you omit from:
A flower arrangement: roses ( too cliché )
An hors d’oeuvre platter: anything to do with mushrooms is a NO
A bar cabinet: Everclear (no-one needs to have their throat on fire)
A song for:
Dinner at home: Un Simple Histoire by Thievery Corp.
Working at your desk: Bravebird by Amel Larrieux
Going for a run: Beautiful Life by Ace Of Base
Biggest Vice? Salty snacks, I might be able to start my own salt mine if this interior design thing doesn’t work out!!
If you were on an Ambien high and internet shopping, what would you buy? More than likely it’s something “beyond rare” on 1st Dibs! (btw, it’s happened before!)
Do your clothes reflect your design sensibility, if so, how? Absolutely! My clothes are as diverse as my ever changing design journey. Eclectic individualist and proud of it!
Who is your star crush? Nyle Dimarco....I just can’t seem to quit him!!
What is the thing you would never do on a project, but don’t detest when you see others do it? Symmetry
If there were a fire, and you could only keep one design book, what would it be? Do you know how many design books I have?? I guess, I’d grab “The Artist’s Handbook of Ancient Materials & Techniques” (it’s out of print and having it as a reference for my historical restorations is invaluable)
For posterity, what would you like your work to be known for? For it’s broad range of styles and the ability to tell the stories of clients as individuals. I’m not a brand forward designer but more of a mutable one. I don’t foster a “look” and wait for others to dip into my universe. Rather, I am one that delights in the ability to pull out the quirky underside of each person I meet and celebrate it in the form of interior design. Design shouldn’t speak of me, it should speak of you.
photo by andrea rugg
A Few Favorites:
Movie: N/A (I know you’re not going to believe this, but it’s true: I do not own a TV, nor do I go to movies. There are other things in life to keep me occupied)
Book: The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck
Scent: Musky, Spicy, Opium scents
The fabric you always come back to: Harlequin’s Amazilia ombré velvets.
Dream project: Honestly? Anyone with an adventurous soul and the budget to do it. It’s definitely more about the people, not just the project in and of itself.
Meal: Langostino & Gruyere Macaroni and Cheese (insert laughter here)
Drink: Hemingway’s Death In The Afternoon (Absinthe + Champagne)
Hotel: Casa Antonieta - Oaxaca Mexico (Boutique without the pretense)
Travel Destination: Norway
Artist: Carravagio
A cause near and dear to me: Homelessness. Everyone deserves shelter. I work with several organizations dealing with homelessness.
Thing to collect obsessively: Summerso Glass
Era in the history of design: Art Nouveau, as it is a joyful expression of nature and sorely under-appreciated by the public.
Museum: Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Paint Color that always looks great: Van Dyke Brown
Favorite person to follow on Instagram: Kelly Wearstler
Dogs, Cats, or No Pets? Dogs, always dogs!
