Some people have the presence others can only wish for. When Tommy Smythe walks into a room, it is clear he has a stature that requires noticing. The manner in which he enters a space is full of grace and confidence, without the fog of arrogance and pretentiousness. As he sits on an elegant chair at Ribbehege & Azevedo, an antique showroom in Toronto’s Castlefield Design District, he crosses his legs and resets the frame of his glasses on his nose. He is focussed and ready to discuss the finer details of the artform of interior design.

He begins immediately by announcing that anyone could do what he does. I laugh. He’s not joking. He shifts his position and straightens his back. He continues to explain that any eye can be educated. With will and commitment, the eye can be trained to seek out unique pieces or perfect furnishings. At that thought, his eye is caught by a beautiful mirror. He sees they are a pair and immediately comments on the rarity of that. ‘I must have seen 400,000 mirrors, actually make that 4 million...’ he observes, ‘...that’s how I know it’s rare to see a pair like that in the same room.’ The countless years of browsing stores like these has taught his eye to discover these unique items forthwith.

This aside does not assist his theory of how this can be done by anyone. The mirrors are stunning, but to me they are simply mirrors. I have probably seen thousands of mirrors in my lifetime, but to be able to pick out a rare one, I cannot. Tommy quickly points out that if I had looked at those mirrors with a different eye then maybe I would be able to. Seeing mirrors or other pieces of furniture or decor is not enough—the eye must look, focus, and study.

At that point, Tommy stands up and starts to wander around the store. His jittery feet suggest that sitting down is holding back his instincts. He starts by studying the mirrors and then diverts his eye to other pieces nearby. His eyes shift and dart about the room, displaying the digestion of millions of pieces of data. His head flicks and jolts to analyze the room’s offerings, he spots something and he’s gone. Watching him move about the store is fascinating; like watching a child’s first experience of nature. The influx of information is almost too much to handle, and the excitement is uncontrollable. He talks as he glides between pieces, but it’s clear his mind is elsewhere. His eye is in control now.

‘We need to interrogate!’ Tommy exclaims. ‘We need to look beyond the object and interrogate it!’ He points out that this word is too often used in its negative form, and, therefore, we have neglected to use it. His intonation is hinting at more than the piece of silver he is holding in his hand. Our lack of interrogation is a symptom of the human condition: we tend to believe in what we see without asking questions and studying its purpose, history, or legitimacy. This is where the discussion clearly takes a detour—a fascinating one—like taking the picturesque route on a road trip.

As we continue our tour of the store, it becomes more and more apparent the way in which Tommy sees interior design is similar to how he sees life. This allusion to interrogation requires more attention, and as it’s discussed further we fall on some analogies for the way in which we all live our lives. The lack of analysis on the information available to us is something that is affecting our policies, laws, and economy. Perhaps it’s our acceptance of how things are, and our apathy towards integrity that is shaping our futures in a way that is irreversible. This is certainly how Tommy feels with regards to how we design and decorate our homes.

Value is a subjective concept and one that is difficult to discern in objectivity. The worth of an object, an animal, or a human can only be decided on each individual case, and by those who are valuing. However, we give a monetary value to objects, such as a chair. Let’s use a chair as an example. Its function is the same, to seat something, yet there are thousands of different designs to choose from. Here’s where the subjectivity is established. To some, function is King, and, therefore, the beauty of an object is irrelevant, and vice versa for others. Value is derived from how one views the chair. However, there are some factors that will always affect value. The material of which it is made and the way in which it is made are conducive to an object’s given monetary value. These ingredients are the cornerstones of interior design, and design in general.

Tommy has been called extravagant and ostentatious when planning and buying for a design project, but he sees this as an unfair assumption. As said above, value is in the eye of the beholder, and when beginning a new project, Tommy spends long periods of time getting to know his client, understanding their perceived values and how these can be translated to the space in which he is designing. ‘It’s about the story! When I visit a client’s home I try to determine what their current decor or furniture says about them. I try to understand what attachment they have with the items in their home.’ This is the key to interior design in Tommy’s eyes. Each piece, each object must have a significance, it must help tell the story of the dwellers within the home. ‘If I can find the perfect piece of furniture that describes the homeowners, and defines what they want in their house, then monetary value is arbitrary.’ He explains this doesn’t mean having a bottomless budget, but money can’t be the ultimate determiner of design.  

As previously mentioned, the monetary value of an item is often dictated by the craft and material used to create it, and it’s this that starts the story. Often products manufactured en masse share the same story and identity—they do not have a unique history. As Tommy continues to step around objects to get a closer view of something that requires attention, we are surrounded by objects that have an ipseity. This individuality is the beginning of the story, the beginning of an identity that will exist for years to come. These stories are what make our homes ours, from the photos on the wall to the cushions on our sofas. It is the feeling or memory they encapsulate that resonates, rather than the design element that they offer.

Spaces must reflect our stories, our personality: otherwise they are not ours. This premise leads Tommy’s design process. He tells a story of one of his clients that describes the importance of our domain. The client was a powerful figure; whose work and decisions impacted thousands, if not millions of people. Needless to say, the job was a high-pressured one. Therefore, when Tommy was faced with the task of designing the interior of the client’s home, he had to take this into consideration. The home had to be a haven; a place where work was forgotten, a sanctuary. This is not achieved without understanding the homeowner; what makes them happy, content, relaxed, and so forth. These personality traits need to be translated into furniture, artwork, materials, and everything else that is required to create a home. A home that did not create such peace could have impacted that client’s work, and, therefore, many others. It’s here that Tommy understands the importance of his work, and why he has to get it right.

Perfection is paramount in design and it cannot be jeopardized by impatience or deadlines. Of course, this outlook is unrealistic in practical terms, but rushing these things is where mistakes and compromises are made. ‘The only times I feel as if I haven’t completed a project to the best of my abilities, is when I have been rushed,’ Tommy describes, as he holds a large glass vase in front of him. ‘I am aware of the needs for deadlines, but they are not tantamount to good design. Sometimes I have waited three years to find the perfect item, and there was one project the perfect item did not exist and so we had to get it commissioned.’ It’s this sense of devoted patience that also transcends design into life.

The world is running at a speed that is unsustainable and considering that velocity, we are bound to make mistakes and, therefore, compromise our futures. The need for instant gratification, the desire for immediate recognition cannot be maintained and soon enough we will be required to slow down. Consumerism is engulfing our societies to such an extent that we need to look at purchases as being ones that we need, not want. This sense of needing has to be revisited. The term is used too flippantly and is making a mockery of our existence.

This all comes from our lack of interrogation, and is the product of our untrained eyes. We can’t all be interior designers and many of us don’t have the dedication or time to put the years of work into the craft as Tommy has, but we can all educate our eyes to see the importance of story. The significance of a product’s journey is paramount to society’s future, and we have to be the ones to seek it out. If we can understand what our homes need to create a space that reflects our sense of self, and if we can wait to find the perfect item, one that will be part of that home for years to come and one that can be passed down to future generations, then perhaps we can change the focus on mass production and alter our futures for the better.

The store is full of stories, and the soundtrack of Tommy discussing the history of a piece with the dealer paints the perfect picture of our past and future. It’s up to us to affect the present.