Since 2001, Donna Hall, Principal of Donna Mondi Interior Design, has been successfully creating interiors with a delicate fusion of European classicism and American modernism. In her most recent Chicago project, Donna’s inspiration is the sultry charm of the roaring twenties in Chicago, taking advantage of the unique architecture of the space. “The overall inspiration came from the era of the 1920s in Chicago,” commented Donna. “I always take cues from the architecture of a space and then twist it in a modern way.”
Donna’s interiors are composed of bold elements layered with textures and patterns, but with a cohesive feeling that runs throughout the design. One of her noted design signatures is to play with the ceiling design or the ‘fifth wall’, as seen in the dining room of this project. Donna covered the ceiling in an ethereal Maya Romanoff wallcovering while painting the surrounding walls in a glossy black lacquer to reflect light throughout the oval-shaped room. The split living room also features a dynamic plaster ceiling, added to complement and downplay the striking portrait that immediately grabs your attention.
Layered technique
The master bedroom flashes tones of gold and white, as apparent in the lively, vintage-vibe wallpaper. To add some symmetry and balance to this playful space, Donna created matching scenes on either side of the fireplace featuring two custom KOKET Divine armoires. The iridescent peacock feather armoires were custom-made into chests, then Donna topped them with hung Art Deco mirrors, to adorn either side of the fireplace for luxurious his and hers spaces.
“I like to infuse interiors with elements from different periods and styles to create timeless, unpredictable surroundings,” comments Donna. “By merging traditional and contemporary styles, the end result is interiors with layered textures, avant-garde elements and cutting-edge styling.”
The Divine armoire is a brand favourite, not just for its exotic and appealing design, but for the message it conveys with its erotic presence. The alluring armoire is the perfect embodiment of KOKET as a brand, from its opulent, natural iridescent peacock feathers to the flirty gold ribbon handle, evocative of girlish innocence.
Donna’s favourite design trend currently is incorporating bold pops of colour, seen throughout this interior design project specifically in the girl’s bedroom. The colours mingling in the dramatic rabbit print wallpaper are mimicked in accessories around the room such as the fuchsia bedding and flowers.