Photo: Zeke Ruelas
Brian Patrick Flynnis a favorite of Chip andJoanna Gaines, but theMind for Designhost on their Magnolia Network never planned on a career infrontof the camera. “I wanted to be a director,” says Flynn, 46.
Robert Peterson
Flynn adds that his style has evolved over the years.
“When I first started working as an interior designer, especially being self-taught, all of my experience with sourcing and materials was basically through flea markets and thrift stores,” says Flynn. “It’s all I had the money for. And it’s all anybody wanted to trust a 29-year-old guy without a portfolio to do.”
Flynn continues, “As the budgets got bigger and I started to do higher profile gigs. What’s happened is the more experience I’ve had, the more I know about materials. So, my early work, a lot of it is fun, and playful, and packed with color and pattern, but I didn’t necessarily have the money for interior architecture or beautiful windows. Now I design almost everything.”
Flynn also has some advice for people who want to make a design change in their space, but don’t know where to start.
“A lot of people get paralyzed when it comes to actually spending money and making decisions that are permanent,” he says. “The first thing that I always tell people is first, play with paint that you’d never think you’d be comfortable with. Because [it’s less costly or permanent than] upholstery or architecture or putting in a fireplace or a light fixture, where once it goes up, it stays up, and you have to hire a professional to change it out. With paint, you can do it yourself. It doesn’t cost much. And on top of that, you can test your limits!”
Mind for Designis currently available to watch on Magnolia Network and discovery+.
source: people.com
