Sandra Saltzman
By JENNIFER MARTIN
In a career is as expansive as the globe itself, Sandra Saltzman has learned one fundamental truth as an interior designer – there is no such thing as a “right” or “wrong” style. There is only the taste and refinement of the client, which both evolve over time.
Saltzman, a lifelong student of art, culture and civilizations, might recommend Phoenician antiquities or Seves porcelain. She might speak of delicate wisteria vines hand-painted on fine Limoges, or a black walnut Louis XIV buffet, or the explosive jewel tones of expressionist Robert Motherwell. She might juxtapose several styles to create a delightful and completely unique effect, or she might utilize a scheme of simplicity in form and function. She blends her aesthetic expertise with the sensitivity and capability to handle all various budgetary considerations that apply to any project.
“It all depends upon the client’s taste and sensibilities,” she said. “The joy of design lies in the process of articulating a client’s vision into a tangible product.”
When clients work with Saltzman, they find her intuition, sensitivity and sense of focus exceptional. She knows that every client brings to the table a unique set of circumstances, specifications, concepts, ideas and excitement. “Every aspect of life is an influence,” she said. “I love to hear about my clients’ friends walking into a room and saying, ‘This is the embodiment of you. Who was your designer?’ For me, it’s the highest achievement to encapsulate the personality of the client perfectly.”
Saltzman has an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject she commands. Whether it’s furniture, objects d’art, fine paintings, textiles, finishes or any other element of a room, she calls on an immense catalog of possibilities that exist within her own mind. “I’m doing research all the time,” she said. “I rely strongly on historical reference. Based on my world travels and the many rich experiences I’ve been fortunate to have, I have been able to generate a mental inventory of sorts to assist me in my design endeavors, visually and aesthetically.”
She attributes her strong artistic capabilities to her parents, both New Yorkers. Her father, a photographer, and her mother, whose background lay in professional opera and Broadway, both strongly encouraged her education in the arts. She spent her childhood absorbing the renowned Regency architecture of Savannah, Georgia. Her family was a friend of the local antique dealer Jim Williams, portrayed by Kevin Spacey in the screen version of John Berendt’s novel “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” Saltzman still has her mother’s antiques from his collection.
“He was just an extraordinary character,” she said. “I used to go to his antique gallery and be amazed at the things he had…ancient books, Islamic scrollwork, old illustrated prints of the Bible, a petite writing desk from the 1700s that had ornaments painted by the Fragonard studio. His collection was just exquisite.”
Saltzman studied archaeology and anthropology in college, switching later to art history and business. It was in her early adulthood that she naturally gravitated toward interior design. “I had this extraordinary, strong understanding of scale and perspective, and extreme conceptualization powers,” she said. “I could look at an architectural plan or drawing and know exactly what it was going to look like when it was completed.”
Saltzman’s client base outside of Chicago’s Gold Coast and North Shore is nationwide and extends abroad to Greece, Switzerland, Austria, France, England, Hong Kong, Australia , Singapore and Mexico. These are some of the locales where she’s brought her creativity to bear. No matter where she goes, her clients appreciate her sensitivity. “Even though I’m from a totally different nationalistic and cultural base, my mind is very open and receptive to their needs…to satisfying and fulfilling their dreams,” she said. Many clients have stayed with her for decades as they’ve moved through numerous residences around the world.
Her work can range from an entire mansion to a personal study. In fact, it’s often the smaller projects that Saltzman likes because they demand more creativity. Once, Saltzman had a client who was seeking a retreat, a place of escape within her own home. Saltzman worked with her to design a turret room at the top of her house, a place in the treetops that invited light and sky.
“We set it up as a little salon and did a mixture of whimsical patterns in the textiles—mostly botanical prints, leaves, little birds and animals,” she said. “Everything was embellished with wonderful trimmings; it was very cushy and plush, yet also cheerful and inviting. When you got up there, you just smiled. Nature has an extraordinary color palette.”
Saltzman’s business has grown mainly through word-of-mouth and reputation. “I’ve also had wonderful support personnel—the drapery work rooms, the architects, the millwork people—they’re the best. I’m still working with the same firms I started with, and that’s unusual in this business.”
Saltzman wouldn’t trade her calling for any other career in the world. Few people, like her, have the privilege of meeting people from so many walks of life including dignitaries and royalty. Keying into her clients’ tastes and pinpointing a style that reflects their personalities at that moment in time causes her to reflect, “I like all of my projects because each one brings its own special challenges and rewards. I really feel that my success comes because I’m able to encapsulate the client and go beyond any one style or period. I’m receptive to anything that’s good.”