Fashion icon Giorgio Armani once said, “Elegance is not standing out; it’s being remembered.” That’s the same philosophy that inspires designer Lorraine Wong when she’s working with her clients, no matter the budget or scale of the project.

Lorraine, who is based in our Tustin, California, Design Center, believes that what makes her work elegant and memorable is a thoughtful melding of classic style and modern touches. “While I do like clean, contemporary spaces,” she says, “the classics never look dated, no matter the color, the print—or the year.” The secret behind the design is mixing it up.

Lorraine’s interior design portfolio is brimming with examples of everyday elegance: refined rooms tempered with surprising details and washes of bold color. Subtle touches (“I love clear glass, straight lines, and shiny objects,” she says) can make even the most formal home feel inviting. To make a very traditional bedroom appear less so, she has suggested clear glass bedside lamps and a lithograph from our Modern Masters collection. For a tearoom furnished in neoclassical style, she chose clean-lined, contemporary drapes and a metal drum-style coffee table with a silver-tone finish. She’s especially fond of mirrored surfaces and anything that reflects light. To create elegant home decor while keeping a room livable, Lorraine recommends deep colors, plants, “and rugs, definitely rugs.” Our Jacquard Damask Rug in turquoise is one of her favorites. The hand-loomed, 100 percent silk beauty is so versatile, she uses it whenever she can. “It’s soft and rich looking, with a lovely design,” she says. “The best part is it makes everything pop.”

Sheer drapes provide a simple, modern backdrop for our neoclassical style Fairfax chairs and our polished Tracery Table in this tearoom Lorraine designed with her colleague Goff Christian.

To achieve everyday elegance, Lorraine likes subtle mix-ups, like pairing Margaux side chairs with Dorsey armchairs, or a distressed console with the Zoe Nickel Chandelier.

Color is a common denominator here; contemporary artwork tempers the formality of our Dynasty Square Coffee Table.

Deep blue walls help accentuate the rich colors in St. Tropez, a lithograph in our Modern Masters series.

For even more inspiration, view Lorraine Wong’s design portfolio.