Inside the Montecito Abode Designer Birgit Klein Calls Home

Rip & Tan: Being known for your global approach to design, are there any specific travels or periods of your life that seem to hold the most influence on your current work? 

Birgit Klein: Definitely my childhood in Europe and when I lived in London for 10 years. I soaked up so much architectural and design history whilst living here. Even now I go back to London and Europe several times a year which allows me to stay in touch with vendors and workrooms. We take our kids traveling every summer for several weeks to new places and every single time I come back with new ideas. I don’t know what we did before iPhones as my camera roll is always full of things that caught my eye during my travels.

Rip & Tan: When you’re first meeting with a client, what kind of things—from particular lifestyle needs to aesthetic preferences—make you most eager to take on the project?

Birgit Klein: Chemistry is really important with clients and that is just something that happens in the moment. I’ve been really lucky to have worked with so many wonderful and exciting people over the years. We love projects that have purpose, soul, and clients that are interested in creating a space to live, not just copying something from a social media post. As for eagerness, it’s always fun to work on something new or out of the normal scope. A mountain chalet or something in a fascinating destination is definitely something I am looking forward to working on. 

Rip & Tan: Can you walk us through the process for designing this particular space? 

Birgit Klein: As we pretty much had a blank canvas with this home, I designed the house from the inside out. I started with how I wanted the house to feel on the inside and the flow of the rooms which is so important to me. I like spaces that make sense how they connect. We designed the house so that it fully opens in the back to the outside to take advantage of the climate. I like to entertain so this indoor/outdoor living makes it possible to host larger gatherings easily.

Rip & Tan: This home does feel so refined and yet distinctly organic—what was the initial vision?

Birgit Klein: We wanted to build a home that was suitable to us as a family and how we live, so it is very personal to us. It needed to be a home where every room or piece of furniture has a purpose and needs to be comfortable, luxurious yet understated. We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful area and our doors are always open so I embraced natural materials and tones to bring the outside in. Adding lots of texture with beautiful fabrics created a home that does not feel over-designed. The reclaimed beams also help to give the home a soul and a cozy feeling.

Rip & Tan: Whether it’s a vintage find or specific finish, is there a detail in this space you consider a favorite?

Birgit Klein: The striped fabric I used in the family room was something I’d been saving for the perfect spot and it landed here. The colorful but understated stripes gave a sense of fun and intimacy to what could have otherwise been a more heavy and dark space. 

Rip & Tan: What are some of your preferred ways to incorporate texture and tactile elements in a home? 

Birgit Klein: Texture is always the most important thing when making fabric choices of course but adding tactile elements to a home is also achieved by the layering of materials throughout the space in accessories and other decorative elements. For example, I really like these Mad et Len candle tins filled with potpourri crystals that look like quartz or amethyst. Also, juxtaposing the cold metal frame of a steel window that is dressed with soft curtains that have a nice hand and drape beautifully creates a range of visual textures throughout a house.

Rip & Tan: Your portfolio boasts a mastery of understated luxury. What are some of the ways you see luxury going too far? What’s the key to achieving a sense of restraint? 

Birgit Klein: In our opinion, luxury goes too far when it becomes flashy and fruitless. But again, everyone has a different view of what that is so it can range depending on the client and the scope of the project. For example, luxury in the sense of using beautiful high quality fabrics is a wonderful thing because it’s balancing beauty and art. But if it’s too trendy or bling bling (especially when it’s cheap or knock off bling bling) it can become over the top and you know you’ve missed the mark. Restraint happens naturally by knowing when not to go too far for your own lifestyle and your own point of view. 

Rip & Tan: As someone with an expert command of neutrals, you’re also not one to shy away from color. Is a color palette something you’ll initially propose, or is it typically driven by clients? Any tips for those overwhelmed by shade choice?

Birgit Klein: My typical design style is to choose the most essential furnishings in a range of neutrals and add color in through accessories and accents: throws, pillows, vases, artwork, etc. The level of how much color is in a project is ultimately dictated by the client and their personal collection as everyone sees and feels colors differently. For me, there is a big difference between bright colors and muted colors. I lean toward earthy and muted tones versus bright and loud. 

Rip & Tan: With the ever-ongoing minimalism vs. maximalism debate, your interiors feel so balanced. Can you weigh in on the concept of creating interiors that feel complete, uncluttered, and still cozy? 

Birgit Klein: For me, it’s simply about what works for the home and the client. Minimalism works when it is chic and spare and maximalism works when it is tailored and organized. Both depend on client preference (and their personal collections), so I always try to err to their point of view and go from there. 

For the maximalist; you create balance by making sure that it is appropriate in scale and doesn’t overwhelm the room. And for the minimalist, often it is about narrowing down the home to the most essential pieces but making sure they are the absolute perfect choice. The harmonious balance comes in when things are carefully chosen and not just trying to achieve a forced look.