Fab Friday: Michael Boodro

Robin Baron: Welcome, Michael! Tell us what you love most about your job as Editor in Chief of Elle Décor . Michael Boodro: What I love most is working with an amazing and talented staff on a daily basis. I meet so many creative people who just make it easy to get things done. Working on the magazine is fun, of course, because you get to see and create new and exciting products! RB: How did you get started in interior design? What’s you story? MB: When I was in college, I wanted to be an architect. But then I realized that I couldn’t think in three dimensions. I have huge respect for what architects and designers do…it’s something that I’m not capable of doing, but it’s something that I’m capable of appreciating! So I got into this in a sort of roundabout way. I worked in the art world for awhile, at museums, and at a number of different magazines…but my passion for architectural design never faded, so I ended up here doing what I love!

RB: In your opinion, is Elle influencing Elle Décor’s content? MB: No, not at all! Though we’re a fashion magazine of the home, Elle is not influencing our content. T hat doesn’t mean I don’t look at Elle, Vogue, or Harper’s Bazaar…I think they are a great tool to get inspired, but we don’t look to them in terms of our content. If you ask me if fashion influences interior design, though, then the answer is: absolutely! I think there is a huge crossover – j ust look at how many fashion designers have home lines now, and vice versa. RB: What’s the one interior design trend you can’t get enough of? MB: There are actually two that I’m totally loving! I think we’re seeing lots of rich color coming back to the spotlight, which is very exciting, like teals, greens, blues and golds. The other big trend that is not going away is really decorative wall coverings….fabrics on walls, textured wall papers, hand-painted wallpapers, or coverings that have crystals imbedded. Both of these trends I can’t get enough of!

RB: How would you describe your personal décor? MB: It’s funny – my apartment in the city is very subdued. It has lots of pale colors and an overall French 1940’s feel, whereas my country house, a beautiful white house with a big garden, is full of bright colors and flea market finds. It’s very diverse…it kind of doesn’t make sense 🙂 RB: What’s your favorite source of inspiration? MB: Definitely museums and art galleries! I’m a vivacious reader and a vivacious viewer, but the one consistent thing that I’d like to do on the weekends (if I’m not gardening in the country!) is going to museums and galleries…I find that very inspiring! RB: What’s next for Michael Boodro? MB: I don’t know how to answer that! After Elle Décor…I think I’d like to travel more! I find travel also very inspiring, both abroad and in the United States! There are lots of places within the US that I’ve never been and that I’m longing to go to, and also lots of places in the Far East that I’d like to visit. RB: Last but not least, what does fabulous mean to you? MB: Fabulous means something that is surprising; something that makes you stop and look twice; something that you want to reach out and touch (…or a piece of gossip that’s so juicy you can’t wait to repeat it!). No, but really…what’s fabulous to me is something that makes you look again. Something that’s beyond the normal that you see routinely! People often ask us: “what are you looking for?” – and the answer is always “something we have never seen before!” And that’s fabulous!