Designer is master of mixing

New York-based interior designer Thomas O'Brien disdains the quick-hit approach to decorating. Instead of tuning in to HGTV to pick up how-to tips for the latest fashions, O'Brien believes, you should choose colors, fabrics and furnishings carefully, over time.

"Tips aren't the way my grandmother put her house together," he said in a recent phone interview.

Maybe his grandmother's house is where he learned to masterfully blend 19th-century antiques with modernist pieces from the 1950s to create the fresh, sophisticated designs that have become his signature.

Carefully, over time, O'Brien has become one of the nation's best known designers. In 1992, he founded Aero, a New York design studio. His roster of celebrity clients includes Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan, and his projects have filled scores of magazines.

His current home and furniture collections include Thomas O'Brien Vintage Modern at Target stores and a new Hickory Chair line at Gabberts and International Market Square. He also has a new book, "American Modern" (Abrams, $50).

The sumptuous, photo-laden book details seven whole-house projects, ranging from a Connecticut country house to O'Brien's modernist 1930s apartment in New York City.

It doesn't offer any tips, but it does offer much to look at and learn from.

Q How are you able to make modern feel comfortable?

A I introduce patterns to warm up contemporary-style rooms. I try to let elements of the different sides of traditional and modern exist together and find balance.

Q What advice would you offer to anybody who wanted to incorporate some modern pieces into their home?

A Authenticity is important. Some modern things are just kind of fake and so new. Learn about the things you want in your home.

It's OK to respond to what you like. Homes have to be about the people in them. Include modern objects in your personal collections. Take an old chair you've had for years and reupholster it with modern fabric. That's what makes a house unique and warmer, not a carbon copy of a catalog or store.

A It's about the revival of past styles. My [Long Island] house, built in the 1830s, was really modern once. Every 70 years or so, design reinvents itself and you look back. In the 1920s, they looked back to the 1800s. It's a cycle of design that keeps continuing.

Q Where do you start when designing a room?

A A good starting point is the biggest thing in the room -- the upholstery, the sofa, the rug. Then you can build from there.

Q Who are some of your famous clients?

A That's the unanswerable question. Mr. Armani's apartment in New York was a nice project. It's been published.

A I've made cute bunk beds for dogs in a house in Texas that are just like bunk beds for kids.

Q You're a legendary collector. What are you always on the lookout for?

A I collect American glass. I've got way too many dishes. I have goblets from the 1840s to 1870s. They are oddly modern. I only like modern things that are really beautiful.

Q Your Vintage Modern line is sold at Twin Cities Target stores. What's the most popular?

A The textiles -- towels, bedding and decorative pillows. The fastest way to change a room is to change the fabrics.

A The book is about letting people have a real look inside the projects, how I put them together and my client relationships. Each chapter is devoted to an actual whole house. I don't just do decorations. It's a total thing. I also want to show how something can be fresh and modern, even if it's traditional.

Q Judging from your

book, you seem to prefer neutral color palettes. Why?

A Pale colors are very calming and people tend to like pale color palettes because they feel modern and fresh. But I do show darker rooms in the book for contrast. A darker dining room is nice when lit at night.

Q What do you want readers to take away from your book?

Lynn Underwood • 612-673-7619