Lasting Lessons 2020 Taught Us About Our Living Spaces

The past year has seen families of all sizes using their homes in ways they never would have anticipated. And it looks increasingly likely that, for many, 2020’s expanded options for living and working could be permanent. How, then, do we make residences that are efficient, flexible, and nurturing enough for people to share happily while engaging in the diverse activities of their daily routines? Join a panel of prominent interior designers from Boston and beyond for a wide-ranging discussion of what they and their clients have been discovering.
​
Panelists:
* Paula Hamel Daher, principal, Daher Interior Design, Boston
* Nicole Hogarty, principal, Nicole Hogarty Designs, Boston
* Matthew Patrick Smyth, principal, Matthew Patrick Smyth Interior Design, New York, N.Y.

Moderator:
Kyle Hoepner, design journalist and consultant
​
About the speakers:
Always imaginative and ever-passionate about the process of achieving beautiful, functional home interiors, Paula Hamel Daher couples classical training in design with an analytical mindset to lead her award-winning firm. Since 1995, Daher Interior Design has accommodated the most discerning residential and commercial clients, delivering exceptional interior spaces. Paula’s solid strategic foundation and frequent international travels combine to provide boundless inspiration for her work as the firm’s principal creative director.

Nicole Hogarty approaches all projects with supreme attention to detail and the belief that luxury need not be pretentious. “The balance between beauty and function is the foundation for all of my designs,” she says. “All projects offer different challenges and require varied aesthetics. But, in order for a design to be successful, that balance must be achieved.” Nicole has the imagination and know-how to renew a space in a way that is both elegant and practical. Through her striving for a unique take on the usual, she helps unlock opportunities for beauty in a home.

Matthew Patrick Smyth believes in providing interiors that reflect the client’s needs and interests through a unique, carefully considered blend of style with comfort. Recent projects include residences in Palm Beach, Nantucket, Aspen, New York, London, Paris, and Geneva. His work has been widely published, and he has also branched out into product design with two carpet collections for Patterson Flynn Martin, lines of fabrics and wallcoverings for F. Schumacher, and designs for Savoir Beds of London. The Monacelli Press published Matthew’s second book, Through a Designer’s Eye: Focus on Interiors, in the fall of 2020. His first book, Living Traditions: Interiors by Matthew Patrick Smyth (also from The Monacelli Press), is now in its second printing.

Moderator Kyle Hoepner is a freelance writer, speaker, photo stylist, and editorial strategist based in Boston. He has had a distinctly hands-on relationship with design and the world of publishing for more than three decades, including eleven years spent as editor-in-chief of New England Home, a luxury shelter title covering the northeastern corner of the U.S. More recently, Kyle has taken on projects for a variety of publications and other clients such as including Architectural Digest’s AD PRO, ASPIRE Design and Home, the Raiz Project (a collective of Brazilian furniture designers), and Boston Design Week.