Photography by Tom Sands
Alex Reid
In a small room at the Marlton Hotel in Greenwich Village, Alex Reid sits on his bed with a glass of red wine. There’s nowhere else to sit. “This room is a shoebox, but I love it,” says Reid. The 28-year-old marketing and special projects manager for the online furniture site One Kings Lane grew up in West County and says he prefers a well-designed space to a large one any day. Reid pulls inspiration from the hotel’s baroque molding and contemporary artwork. “If I stayed at the Sheraton, I’d probably jump,” he quips. It’s a good thing he doesn’t mind a small space—he just moved permanently to New York from California. It’s a transition that’s challenged him as a designer and has turned his perspective upside down. The one thing that remains consistent is Reid’s inability to ignore the everyday inspiration around him. “The world of design is changing,” he says. “You can’t close your eyes—even for a second.”
What inspires you? One of my biggest influences is my grandmother, who had the best taste and such a sophisticated eye. As a child, I was constantly rearranging my room after school. Instead of doing my homework, I would redo my furniture. I studied art history, which taught me such a vast breadth of knowledge. Once you can reference what artists of the past have done, it trains your eye to be a curator of sorts. I’ve also learned through my experiences. Interior design—the way you live and your surroundings—is art. I’ve always taken an artistic approach to life.
Why is design such a big part of your life? Even since I was a kid, I was very cognizant of how a person’s environments can and do affect their life. I decided early on that I want to do something bigger with my work. I want to help people who might not know how to do everyday things like maximize the lighting in their living room or the proper way to make their bed. Those are things that can help make a better life through a chic environment. That’s what I love to do.
How has St. Louis influenced your style? It’s instilled this traditional backbone. It’s such an idyllic place to grow up. There’s great history and architecture, and I feel like I’ve taken that with me everywhere. I always wanted to learn from different places and explore, but when I design, I still return to my roots. I like to juxtapose the styles I’ve encountered throughout my life. It could be as simple as a traditional sofa set in front of a piece of abstract art. Today, you have to combine elements of different design aesthetics. Otherwise, you’re just living in the past.
Why do you focus on vintage? I feel that you have to take what’s great about the past and bring it with you into the future. I had such great things handed down to me from my grandparents. One of my best possessions is a bomber jacket with a shearling collar from my grandpa. I got the waistband redone, and now I’m seeing it in J. Crew and other stores. It’s a nod to the past. It’s something that’s mine, and I have a great story to go along with it. That’s how the furnishings in your home should feel, too.
What’s St. Louis missing? More contemporary designs woven into its aesthetic. It feels very buttoned up and traditional a lot of the time. I think people would benefit from mixing that classic, traditional influence with hints of contemporary. That’s what living in the current day is all about, taking different eras and putting them together. It shows more character and gives a home more life. People don’t live in a single decade. They collect ideas over the course of a lifetime.
What’s the best design advice you ever got? Don’t be afraid to mismatch things. If you have a girded roll-arm armchair, juxtapose that with a wing-back, button-tufted club chair. They’re from different eras, but that’s why they work. A room needs to be collected and inspired by you. No one wants to step inside a catalog. You should make your house look different from what you see at Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware.
Alex’s Six Tips for Updating Your Home
Frame Your Walls: Take your framed artwork—a lithograph, an old family photo, or even a small mirror—and group them in rows by similar colors and sizes to create a gallery wall. They’re inexpensive, engaging insights into your taste, and they’re guaranteed conversation starters.
Make Repurposed Pillows: Take old fur coats and turn them into small pillows or even a throw. It will look luxurious laid at the foot of your bed. It’s a fun way to inject your own story and taste into your decor.
Use Your China: Don’t just store away your fine flatware. Make every day beautiful by using everything you have. Eat on it. Get it dirty. Hosting a dinner party? Instead of a typical salad plate, use a piece of china placed on top of your everyday white plates.
Find New Artwork: Original artwork can be really expensive. There are a lot of young, underappreciated artists on websites such as Etsy that create beautiful work. You can then take them to a framer, and suddenly you have this rich, one-of-a-kind piece of art.
Leave the Tarnish: Use your silver in unexpected ways. But don’t polish it first; let it tarnish. An orchid arrangement inside a silver Champagne bucket is unexpected, yet chic. The tarnish shows character and gives it a vintage feel. It’s more interesting than your everyday, squeaky-clean silverware.
Go Vintage: Even the most traditional space can benefit from a few vintage pieces. But don’t waste your time going to stores. My favorite sites to hunt for vintage pieces are Etsy, One Kings Lane, and eBay.
