Exclusive: mydeco chats to Sex and the City set designer Ondine Karady

Image credit: Ondine Karady

In hot anticipation of the second SATC movie, we caught up with set designer and walk-in wardrobe fan Ondine Karady. She tells us which character she most identifies with, what she wants this summer and why minimalism and chaotic hoarders just don’t mix…

I came on Sex and the City…  in season 4.  The Production Designer and the lead Set Decorator – my good friend Karin Weisel Holmes – were already well along with establishing the main sets by then.

I was fortunate enough to be there for the creation of some really fun sets… among them Charlotte’s fabulous Park Avenue apartment and Miranda’s Brooklyn townhouse.

The designs originated from… the characters themselves.  Charlotte’s character lives in an ivory tower so her whole set was a study in white. Similar to her wardrobe, Charlotte’s furnishings are glamorous, traditional, and classic, which is a reflection of her character’s general persona.

We on the decorating team often compared our work on Sex and the City to… running a marathon. Pacing is key. We were often working on multiple sets with multiple shooting crews, so the time spent decorating each set was often logistically difficult to keep in check. The idea was to design at a certain pace so you don’t have to sprint to finish a set.  The look and feel of these spaces were too central to the show’s appeal to be rushed, and we were under constant pressure to stay on top of the very latest trends – and, whenever possible, to set new ones.

Image credit: Ondine Karady

I would say my style is most similar to… Carrie’s. Her set has many layers of different styles, textures and time periods: a real mix of mid-century modern, traditional European and ethnic pieces. It is layered and lived in. My loft in Brooklyn has a similar eclectic feeling.

Carrie’s set was more or less established when I came on the show… but in Season 4  she broke off her engagement to Aiden and decided to redecorate as a cathartic cleansing of sorts.  Her character needed some cheering up. So we put up pink and orange marimekko curtains and painted a wall pink.

I actually built a Carrie-style walk in closet in my loft in Brooklyn… It has shelves that go all the way to the ceiling and no door. Now if I could just get my hands on her designer wardrobe!

I find my inspiration… everywhere. Just being out and about in the world. I have my trusty i-Phone to take photos of things that inspire me.

I would describe my style as… E.E.E. (pronounced “eeee”) Eccentric, eclectic elegance.

When I create a room… my design process usually starts with a question. How is this space going to be used?  Use and function is the most important starting point for truly good design.

Image credit: Ondine Karady

My favourite room has to be… the Egyptian wing of The Met. I used to go there to study and read in college. It has a modern mote that you can sit around, and a plate glass view of Central Park. It is an extremely serene environment in the middle of a very frenetic city.The Esterházy castle in Hungary is a runner up. My father is from Hungary so I’ve been there quite a bit. There is a ballroom that has these incredible frescoes of monkeys and ostriches. Need I say more?

My number one design tip is… design for how you live, and be honest with yourself in the process. If, for example, you are slovenly like me, don’t create a minimalist interior. It will never stay that way. A carefully layered interior can disguise your dysfunction and be beautiful to boot.

I’m loathe to say “never” when doing up a room… but have you ever seen that chair from the 80s that looks like a stiletto shoe? I once went on an interview with a client that had this stiletto shoe chair and I just could not bring myself to take on the project.

I’ve always wanted… to mosaic a pool with an Emilio Pucci inspired pattern.  I’ve put it on my summer to do list!