Acclaimed for his understated elegance and European-inspired style, Marshall Watson creates interiors that blend quiet luxury with true comfort. Watson’s interiors are distinguished by their serene, airy quality, achieved through a refined sense of proportion and a cohesive flow created by subtle repetitions in color, pattern, material, and form.
In his second book, Defining Elegance, Watson shares new work that has been beautifully photographed from a wide range of environments, revealing how his design principles adapt to different geographies and climates. Whether a light and airy abode in Palm Beach, a seaside home on the Gulf of America, or a modern renovation of an estate in Connecticut, Watson explains how he translates each owner’s lifestyle, the house’s history, and the setting into a highly original form of elegance.
Also, for the first time, Watson invites readers into his own homes—a richly layered apartment in Manhattan and a light and airy East Hampton retreat featuring his own landscaped gardens—discussing how he achieves design harmony. Watson maintains that if a project’s architectural miscues can be resolved, then the interior design will flow naturally.
However, sometimes the architectural issues are insurmountable and require the “architecture of decoration”—in essence, to redirect the eye through furnishings. He is a master at making overscaled homes feel intimate while recognizing the need for modern living and avoiding design cliches. Watson champions homes that are uplifting as well as comfortable, graceful as well as highly functioning, coherent as well as appropriate, and creative as well as coherent. Defining Elegance is essential reading for any design afficionado.
