Carte Blanche

THE ICONOCLAST:
Floss Barber of Floss Barber, Inc.
1420 Locust Street, Suite 310, 215-557-0700, flossbarber.com

Signature look: This veteran designer championed high-end Zen, green design, and the art of feng shui long before those bandwagons reached capacity. She’s been on Interior Design magazine’s list of giants since 1998, and helms a 15-person firm that shares an office with Harman Deutsch Architects. She describes her look as “refined modernism with an element of surprise.”

Most haute house to date: A current project on the Main Line that will have a Montana-like feel, with natural green slate and cedar-paneled walls. The furniture mixes Southwestern style with comfortable upholstered pieces and a 16th-century red tooled-leather console. All of the home’s windows open to endless views of the sloping green lawns.

Dream project: “I would design a home completely off the utilities grid, with solar panels and a concealed propane backup system. The entire home would have ­wi-fi access and computer control for sound, lighting, temperature and security. There’d be ecologically safe fireplaces in the kitchen, master bedroom and living room. Skylights and large windows would maximize the natural light. Part of the house would be built into the earth. The architecture would be straw bale or adobe brick, and would have a hacienda or Japanese Zen design philosophy. Floors would be Saltillo tile with area carpets, the walls would be polished plaster, and the lighting would be soft. I’d furnish it with a combination of Nakashima and Italian designer pieces.”