By Allison Mitchell By Allison Mitchell | April 9, 2024 | Home & Real Estate, People, Lifestyle, Feature, Features, Style, Home & Real Estate, Featured, Trends, Women of Influence Latest, real estate, Community, People Feature, Home & Real Estate Feature, Interviews, Apple News, Home Feature, The Latest,
While Orange County interior designer Raili Clasen may have fallen into her profession by necessity, the creative has risen to the top of her field with her beach-chic aesthetic and friendly approach. As she readies to release her first book, Surf Style at Home (Gibbs Smith), on April 9, the local sounds off.
Interior designer Raili Clasen; PHOTO BY VAL BAUER
How did your love of interior design begin? I didn’t realize I even liked interior design until I was forced to take over from a designer we hired in 2016, who quickly moved to Europe once the project started. Once I finished our home, which we were renovating, the house was published and put on the Newport Harbor Home Tour. I thought, ‘Well, that was fun. I wonder if anyone would want me to help them with their homes?’ The answer was ‘yes,’ and that was how my love for interior design began.
How would you describe your design aesthetic? My design style is certainly influenced by my upbringing at the beach, as well as my long career in the surf industry working for Raisins Swimwear, Quiksilver, Roxy and Paul Frank. The creatives in those industries take design to new levels—fun, cool and non-serious, but very approachable.
Congratulations on the launch of your book! What inspired you to write this book? I was approached several times by publishers and was a total scaredy cat. When I got the call from publisher Gibbs Smith, I hesitated. Then, I called my friend Max Humphrey, who had written two books. He said, ‘Stop being scared and get to work.’
Surf Style at Home debuts on April 9; PHOTO BY KARYN MILLET
What do you hope readers will take away from the book? I hope readers actually read the book. There are so many fun ways to bring surf style into your home that are easy, inexpensive, and add a little zest.
Design trends in 2024—what’s in? Oh boy, trends... Wood. There’s lots of natural wood taking over for boring drywall.
When it comes to O.C. living, what is the hottest neighborhood right now and why? Balboa Peninsula. We are remodeling a teeny tiny home in the canal section of the Peninsula. The area is filled with permanent residents, not renters, and you can walk to the beach, bay, Lido and The Cannery.
Who inspires you? Designers and architects who walk to the beat of their own drum, including Barbara Bestor and Leanne Ford, to name a couple.
What’s next for you? I love designing boutique hotels. We are starting work on the Pine Knot Hotel, right in our backyard of Newport Beach. Other projects include furniture lines, a showroom for The Expert and some super fun collaborations.
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