In the current issue of Just Out, home décor celebs Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams (pictured left to right) discuss how comfort is more critical now than ever before.

The designers, busy promoting their latest how-to book, The Comfortable Home: How to Invest in Your Nest and Live Well For Less, were recently in Portland to mark the re-opening of their “signature” store on West Burnside with a party that featured the sound stylings of Lady Bunny. The event benefited Q Center; various raffles that night brought in over $1,000 cash, in addition to 10 percent of purchases from February 11-25.

Below, a few of their responses that didn’t make the page. Also, be sure to check back here tomorrow for Gold’s thoughts on the 2008 book he edited, Crisis: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social, and Religious Pain and Trauma of Growing Up Gay in America.

JO: What’s been the response to the new book so far? What have people connected with most?
Mitchell Gold: Bob and I have been on a 25-city book tour and have gotten the chance to speak with people all over the country. So many of them said that they come into our stores and love our look and want to know how to get it. The book tells them how, step by step, focusing especially on how to get started and how to get organized, and then moving through each room of the house. Many have been able to use the photos not only for inspiration but to recreate the looks in their homes.

JO: A lot of your tips seem to be along the lines of basic common sense approaches to the home, and the eye. Why do you think that’s so necessary now, to have to break it down so simply?
Bob Williams: One question many people ask us is “where do I start?” They’re frozen because they can’t get past their “fear of decorating.” They feel because they’re not interior designers, they won’t know what to pick. Our goal is to help them get over their fear by keeping it simple. …

We suggest taking the focus off decorating by going through each room in your house and making a list of how you and your family will use the space. This is something only you would know, and once you have it, it tells you what furnishings you need for your rooms. We also want people to understand there are key elements in a room that help insure comfort—great seating, storage, and lighting; soft colors; a few appealing accessories—and get a sense of what that looks like. And as for finding your “style,” this is something you can turn into an enjoyable activity by collecting images and color swatches of things you like over time.

More after the jump…
JO: What are your favorite features in the book?
MG: The floor plans—we give ideas for arranging furniture in every room of the house. We had some floor plans in our first decorating book, and a number of readers asked us for more. And also getting to show people how we use our design style in our own home; the book includes a chapter on our New York apartment, on the 58th floor, with windows on three sides. I always wanted a place with a view in New York and we looked for a long time till we found the right one, but it was worth it. I love the way the décor complements the feeling of being in the clouds and doesn’t distract from the view.

JO: Any particular tips for folks living in a region like the Pacific Northwest, so dominated by the grays of winter, and frequent rains?
BW: Color is key to our looks. We love to use soft neutrals and then brighten them up with a few pops of color. I think this would work very well in creating a warm, sunny-feeling space while still keeping it soothing and calm. We might paint just one wall of a room a rich color. Or we might keep the scheme mainly neutral and then introduce, say, pillows, a lamp, and a few accessories in a bright color—and place them strategically around the room so your eye moves comfortably from one pop to the next. Right now we’re liking pops of color like raspberry, orange, apple green, or sky blue. But just use one of those colors in the room at a time! Actually that’s what’s great about this way of decorating: If you get tired of your accent color, it’s easy and affordable to change out just those accessories and give your room a whole new look.

JO: What about trends for spring?
MG: We’re not much on trends, as an important way to invest in your home is to choose pieces that are timeless, whether traditional or modern. However, one way to get an updated feel is with the fabric of a classic piece of upholstery. With our Spring Collection, for instance, we’re introducing a great material that I hadn’t ever anticipated using: vinyl. In fact, this particular vinyl has such a soft hand, and the colors—metallic gray and bronze—are so special that we decided it needed a fancier name and have been having fun introducing it as vinelle (vi-NELL). We put it on our new swivel chairs—which are great in a media or family room because you can turn them toward the TV and then back to the conversation area to talk with family and friends.