Minimal Effort

Written by Laura Kostolny

For the last 20 years, Dallas-based interior designer Joshua Rice has made it his business to do more with less.

Even before the litany of events that the past year threw at us, interior designers across the country were finding inspiration in the "more is more" décor that defined the 198os (conveniently, also referred to as The Greed Decade). Way back in 2019, House Beautiful coined the term "Grandmillennials" for passementerie-loving youngsters, and Architectural Digest noted a return to old-school staples like chintz, skirted tables, and needlepoint pillows. Add a worldwide pandemic, economic uncertainty, and a heated presidential election into the mix? It's little wonder that so many of us are pining for the floral fabrics of our youth.

But not all trends are for all people, even the nostalgic ones. For those who break out into a sweat at the very idea of even a single decorative pillow —let alone a fleet of karate-chopped, hand-stitched numbers-there is an alternative that never goes out of style: minimalism. And while achieving a less-is-more aesthetic may seem like it's as simple as getting rid of the family photos and Herend figurines, it's more complicated than that. Creating a well-balanced, interesting room is likely going to require a little expertise. Enter Dallas-based interior designer Joshua Rice.

All that knowledge and experience serves him well as he hunts down exceptional vintage treasures for clients. His signature approach to furnishing a space is mixing in those rare finds with contemporary pieces and one-of-a-kind commissions that he designs and collaborates on with local makers. "T'm drawn to natural materials," explains Rice. "T have an aversion to all the new synthetic stuff. I appreciate it, and I understand its merits, but it bothers me fundamentally." He favors white oak and light ash over acrylic and lacquer and layers in an abundance of interesting textiles-"anything with a natural heather to them, like boucle and mohair." He's made it his mission to create intentional spaces and educate his clients along the way.

"The term 'minimalism' can be misleading," he says. "For some, it might be associated with something that's cold, harsh, and unappealing. What I'm going for is a 'tactile" minimalism. It may not look like there's a lot going on, but every surface is interesting and makes you want to touch it."

Rice's extensive knowledge of vintage furniture and design began with childhood trips to the library. As other kids flipped through Superfudge, he was studying old issues of Furniture Forum and learning about Hans Wegner and Poul Kjaerholm. Later, he entered TCU as a business major, but the lure of the interior design program was too strong. After he completed his studies, he did a seven-year stint at Dallas-based architectural design firm Bodron + Fruit. "I was always drawn to the very clean and minimal, and my time at Bodron helped refine my aesthetic," says Rice.

Artwork is always a major consideration, but it's even more important in a minimal space. With so little by way of distraction, the scale and quality of each and every piece is impossible to disguise. Rice works with his clients-many of whom come with blue-chip collections-and helps them edit and carve out the right spot for each piece. While he's conservative with his paint picks for walls (he says he's always on the lookout for the perfect gray and white), the modern artwork hanging on them is anything but. He's fortunate enough to have clients who are open to heeding advice from both their art consultants and designer. "It's not often that somebody will come to me with some awful piece of furniture or artwork that they insist on using. In case there's something like that, I guess there's always a guest room," he notes with a laugh. "By the time we get into a project, my clients are comfortable. I'll explain why certain things work together, and they're really appreciative."

Clients also appreciate his pragmatic approach to minimalism. Rice is married and has two small children, so he knows firsthand the challenges that mountains of Legos can present to clean lines. But he's adamant that the key to uncluttered living is free-flowing communication. "I’m not unrealistic about how people live," he says. "People want to watch television. Kids are going to drag out every toy. But if you talk about what you need, then you create rooms where everything has a place a drawer or a cabinet-and it's fine. Then you create something pretty to accommodate the riffraff."

In fact, it's the open communication and the understanding he achieves with his clients that keeps Rice excited about dreaming up dramatically understated spaces all these years later. "I value these relationships, and Iove showing people a beautiful chair and explaining to them why it's worth the money," he says. "This only works for me if my clients understand what I'm trying to do. I want to create interiors that I feel morally satisfied with. Otherwise, I can't in good conscience pull it off"

Photography: Miscellaneous Pages: 10-15