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Never afraid to embrace a little edge and quirk, our designer friend Lee Waters is an expert at crafting bold homes for families who are ready to add more fun, funk, and function to their lives. Below she shares with us her tips for choosing pillows when you want a room that's stylish and chic but also very livable and family-friendly. 

Photo credit: Khand Tenney Photography

Photo credit: Gordon Gregory Photo

5 TIPS FOR CHOOSING PILLOWS WHEN YOU WANT A CHIC KID-PROOF ROOM

1. Get a patterned pillow fabric. Marks can be camouflaged when they invariably appear, as they do.

2. Get your pillow fabric on both sides instead of having a solid-backed option. Then should something irreparable happen, you can flip!

3. Kid-friendly materials, could be performance, like Crypton or Sunbrella, or fabrics with synthetic fibers like polyester. Another great option is high quality velvets with a soil-resistant finish and a high durability rating.

4. If you have linen blend fabrics, spray covers with ScotchGuard to help liquids bead up and protect against stains.

5. Don't be afraid to invest in some beautiful pillow covers because you're teaching your kids to live with beautiful things, it will add joy to your life every time you see them, and if mom's happy, everyone's happy.
   
   

LEE'S PILLOW PICKS 

Leopard Velvet | Plum Luxe Velvet | Sinhala Linen Jewel

 Adras Ikat Blue and Green|  Jade Green Velvet | Chiang Mai Alabaster

Vanderbilt Velvet Black | Orange Linen | Jungle Jet

LOVE LEE'S STYLE? Make sure to follow her on Instagram and learn more about her interior design services by visiting her website. Lee also teaches an on-demand design course called Take Back Your Home for anyone ready to stop being a #mommymartyr at home.

Photo credit: Gordon Gregory Photo

Today I'm excited to bring you a new installment of our Designer Spotlight Series, this time featuring one of our long-time customers, Grant K. Gibson.

Grant is know for his classic, beautifully livable spaces and has been featured in an impressive number of publications including Architectural Digest, The New York Times, House Beautiful, Traditional Home, and Better Homes and Gardens. Last year, Elle Decor included him in their A-List of the Best Designers in the World. Grant and his team are based in San Francisco, and love creating unique and personal interiors for clients around the country. 

Q: What’s a typical day like for you?

A: ☕️ Coffee before anything!  Then I usually like to check in with my office and see what's happening for the day. 

Typically my day is filled with client meetings and sourcing for projects. I'm lucky if I have time to pick up some sushi to go and eat it in my car for lunch. Not too glamorous, I know, but it's the truth.  

I am very much a homebody, so when I get home, I love to turn on music and cook to unwind and find something to watch on Netflix.

I do like to schedule myself to work from home at least a few days a week, which is where I find myself the most productive.  Maybe TMI, but working in your PJ's all day kind of feels like a guilty pleasure.

Q: Are there any daily rituals or routines that you feel have really served you?

A: No cell phone or devices are allowed in the bedroom. I can unwind entirely and not be tempted to reach to check what's happening in the world, my email or Instagram.

I also set daily limits and turn my phone off at around 6 pm. I have a landline, so if someone really needed to reach me in the middle of the night, they could.

Q: Are you a morning or night person? 

A: That's a good question. Neither? I'm better midday and mid-afternoon!

Q: What helps you stay organized? 

A: I have the best office assistants and designers. They completely keep things for all of our clients and work on project management. Couldn’t do my job without them. 

Q: What's a design mistake you see people commonly make?

A: Rugs that are not the correct scale in a room drive me wild. They can make a room seem smaller than it is. All of the legs of chairs and the sofa should be all on the rug. If you want to use a vintage rug, but it is small in size, use a natural fiber or neutral rug as a backdrop and then layer the smaller rug on top.

Q: What color do you never tire of?

A: Blue. I love it in every shade. 

Q: What's something that clients are usually resistant to initially but then end up loving?

A: Wallpaper. I can’t tell you how many times clients have been nervous about wallpaper. Then the day it goes up, I get emails and calls about how much they love it and what other rooms can we wallpaper next.

Q: What are your go-to pillow sizes?

A: I like 20x20, 22 x 22 and 24x24 pillows. Sometimes I think people are afraid of making a pillow too big. Don’t be. I think it looks funny if they are too small. 

Q: No home is complete without...

A: ...an animal! I have a dog (an adorable westie named Wesley) and something doesn’t feel right if he isn’t around. It completes the interior. 

Q: What keeps you sane?

A: Travel. I love to travel to find inspiration. Nothing else quite does it.

India and Morocco are my favorite destinations. I have been taking small groups of people to both the last years and combining my two great passions, design and travel. Each trip is limited to a small group for an intimate, boutique travel experience, including insider design sources, great food and plenty of laughs. You can see more on my travel page. Why not sign up for the trip of a lifetime?

Q: What’s your favorite part about being a designer?

A: Being able to work with clients to make their dreams come true. 

1. Go-to paint color: Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore

2. Luxury candle: Cire Trudon - Ernesto

3. Flower: Peonies 

4. No-regrets home splurge: Artwork

5. Guilty pleasure: SoulCycle, Travel, White Wine - I am totally embarrassed to say, I like Sauvignon Blanc from Trader Joes

6. Pillows:

• Beatrice Bouquet Indigo - This reminds me so much of all of the custom block printing in India. 
• Cabana Stripe - I love chunky black and white stripes!
  
• Coral Greek Key - Greek key anything.

7. Houseplant: Fiddle leaf fig

8. Travel destination: India and Morocco. 

9. Restaurant or Cafe:  My favorite place beside a cafe in Paris is a place called Chase’s Daily in Belfast, Maine. It's a family-owned business with casual farm to table vegetarian meals with produce from their farm. I go as much as I can when I visit Maine in the summer. 

10. Place to shop for vintage pieces: Chairish, Etsy, 1stdibs

11. Everyday outfit: This is my uniform: dark jeans, a white dress shirt with a black sweater, vest, and New Balance sneakers. I like to feel comfortable. 

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Grant serves high-end residential and commercial clients throughout the San Francisco area, as well as the East Coast from Maine, New York, Virginia to Florida.  To learn more about Grant and his team, visit his website and Instagram profile: 

Website: grantkgibson.com

Instagram: @grantkgibson

GRANT INSPIRED PICKS

  

   

Today in our Designer Spotlight Series I'm excited to feature Meredith Heron - a Toronto based designer who went from working in the paint department at Home Depot, to hosting HGTV shows and establishing her own luxury interior design company. Meredith has a distinct trend-setting style, eye for color and strong point of view that sets her apart. Grab a glass of wine and get ready for some inspiration! 

Q: How would you describe your design aesthetic?

A:  It took me 15 years to be able to describe my own aesthetic without having to reference other designers who inspired me. My work features on the strong feminine. I am a modern maximalist but first and foremost I see myself as a professional story teller. I tell the stories of my clients using their home as my medium. These stories are rich and deeply personal - it’s how we ensure that each of our projects is distinct in style and execution.

Q: How did you get into design?

A: I was a school teacher when I finished university at the age of 23. I was poor so I got a part-time job at Home Depot making paint. I knew I had an eye for colour but I was surprised to discover that i didn’t need to use formulas to make paint, I just knew how to mix the different pigments. People began to call the store to find out when the redhead was going to be in next.

I received a notice in the mail about a continuing education program a local college that was offering in design so I decided to take the colour theory class and see if this was of interest. The program co-ordinator took me aside after the third week and said - you need to work on your exit strategy and leave teaching behind and pursue design full time.

I continued to teach, work at Home Depot and started to take clients on the side while I finished school (3.5 yrs in the evening). Just shy of my 30th birthday, I quit teaching and haven’t looked back since. Within six months of leaving teaching, I landed my first design show on HGTV - Love by Design (Date with Design in the US).

I went on to host two more shows, Design Match and Restaurant Makeover. Restaurant Makeover was the #1 show on the Food Network and lasted for 5 seasons. It continues to air in 121 countries around the world. Ironically, it was social media that really got my work noticed though….

Q: What’s your design philosophy?

A:  More is more. Design is storytelling at its finest. Like any good biographer you are only as good as the research and information you obtain regarding your subject. If you are able to create trust, your subject will open up to you and this will yield the richest results.

Q: What’s a typical day like for you?

A: Drive or bike my son to school in the morning. We are a full time staff of six at my office including my husband who is my business partner. We have set office hours of 9-5.

I take an hour out of my day Monday, Wednesday and Friday to go and work out with my trainer - strong feminine requires I have muscles and take time for me and my health to ensure that it’s not just my opinions and point of view that are rooted in strength. In the summer months our trainer comes to our office on Fridays to train our staff.

Hiring staff has meant learning to hire my weaknesses in order to enable me to focus exclusively on my zone of genius. I spend most of my day sourcing, designing and developing the big picture for each project so that the vision can be easily communicated to my team and to the clients to make implementation happen!

I’ve been working on the creation of our new rug collection - completely designed by me. It’s been a tremendous amount of work and learning. It’s for sure like birthing another baby. 

Q: Are you a morning or night person?

A:  Neither. I’m optimal between 10-8pm

Q: What helps you stay organized?

A: I have an eidetic memory which is also photographic. I am ridiculously organized in that regard because I can see all my notes and I usually know where they are on my desk, unless someone touches the piles on my desk. Few venture to ever do that. My team all are super organized so I mostly let them tell me what needs doing next …. I have a very relaxed management style clearly. 

Q: Are there any daily rituals or routines that you feel have really served you?

A: I’m not really a routine person, but that glass of wine at the end of the day might be called a ritual… that and taking off my bra. That never fails to cause an ahhhhhhhhhh 

Q: What keeps you sane?

A:  Sanity is overrated. Working with my spouse keeps my feet firmly rooted on the ground. He’s a nurturer and cooks and takes care of the day to day, which enables me to dream and be the creative that I am.  Laughter is a great release and when those are not doing it for me, wine and gin are my go-to's.

Q: What do you usually start with when designing a room? 

A: I look for a mood that we want to convey and then Iook to fabrics to set the vibe. We then look at architectural elements to really make a statement, lighting has to be exceptional. I know that I have my own rug collection and that I should probably start with a rug, but I tend to leave the rug designing until I’ve figured out the fabrics and often I wait until the room is installed because I like the challenge of having the rug unite the overall room.

Q: How do you come up with the color palette for a room?

A: Sometimes it is the client who has said I love “purple” that starts us down a path. Other times I look at what I haven’t done but want to do and go about collecting inspiration pictures that speak to the mood and vibe we want. Then I look to fabrics to fill that out…  

Q: What do you do when you have a creative block?

A:  I step away and I go look at something else. Often I will scroll through Pinterest for fashion inspiration or look on Instagram or revisit my stash of inspiration files to see if there is something I’m missing.

We recently were awarded a new commission to design this amazing beachfront property in Florida. The clients don’t want colour. I was stumped. I often start with colourful pattern as inspiration and this was just not happening. I ended up seeing a photo on Instagram that triggered a chain reaction that started in my forehead and travelled all the way down my body - it was the use of bronze and gold that just broke the dam and the ideas flooded in. I am so excited because I can now see the finished house in my head. I always see the finished project in my head before I can articulate it out to the client and it bugs me when this doesn’t happen immediately. This one took almost a month to find its way out.

Q: What's a design mistake you see people commonly make? 

A: Where do I start?? I hate how uniform design becomes - the Instagram trend model of decorating makes my eyes roll out of my head and down the street. Everyone copying everyone else, some better, some considerably worse. There isn’t a lot of originality from what I see in decorating and people are actively racing to the bottom. Trying to recreate a boring neutral version of a big box store…. Less copying, more traveling. Travel informs so much of what I do and has been a huge part in helping my aesthetic become so personal and distinct. 

Q: What's your favorite type of room to design and why? 

A: We do exceptional bathrooms, not going to lie - our bathrooms are just works of art. I love it all…. I used to find dining rooms really hard but boy are our dining rooms something to behold now. I work really really hard to not follow convention or trends. You’ll not see a spec of shiplap in our projects. I set trends, I don’t follow them.

Q: Are there any design "rules" you like to break?

A: I always try and add a little bit of ugly to every room to avoid it feeling matchy matchy or out of a catalogue. We will actively mismatch a paint colour to a fabric or we’ll find something that really doesn’t fit a theme and include that because that’s what life is about - colouring way outside the box!

Q: What's something that clients are usually resistant to initially but then end up loving?

A: It’s going to cost significantly more than that….

Q: What's a color you never tire of?

A:  oyster shell

Q: What's on your nightstand?

A: I have an iPhone/Apple watch charging station

Q: What's one of your dream home must-haves?

A:  Heated toilet seats (seriously once you get a Japanese toilet, anything else is barbaric)

Q: What's your go-to pillow size?

A: 20x20

Q: No home is complete without...

A: animal print

Q: What’s your favorite part about being a designer?

A:  Being a designer is the most natural state of being Meredith there is. I get a physical lift when I slide into the zone. I routinely walk around the office or my house exclaiming what a (pardon my French) “fucking” genius I am, not because I’m arrogant or full of myself, but because I’m so proud to have solved a problem or put together something so unique that it takes my breath away. I’m sure really good cooks do the same when they’ve created something that just rocks their socks. I love that - I love when clients walk into a space and say “I fucking love this” - basically if I can make them swear I’ve done my job.

Meredith Inspired Picks

1. Go-to paint color: Full Moon from Benjamin Moore

2. Luxury candle: Kimpton Hotel’s signature scent

3. Flower: lilies - must be scented. They make me so incredibly happy.

4. Design book: ABCDCS by David Collins

5. Guilty pleasure:  Montalcino/Brunello red wine

6. Favorite Arianna Belle pillows: Bukhara Ikat Emerald, Le Zebre Black, Baudard Linen

7. Artist: Ellsworth Kelly

8. Travel destination: Italy

9. Restaurant:  La Buchetta in Florence

10. Everyday outfit: something leopard, blazer, fur stole in the winter (it’s cold in Canada!) 

11. House plant: the fake kind

12. Place to shop for vintage pieces: Palm Springs - shoulder season - end of September, beginning of October.

13. Apps: Pixelmator, Instagram, Weather app, Vivino - the best wine app there is!

14. Style Icon: Giovanna Battaglia, Taylor Tomasi Hill

15. Set design: Catherine Martin

16. Design tip: You don’t have enough layers, there's always room for more and for heaven’s sake add in another pattern or twelve!

17. No-regrets home splurge: Japanese toilet

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Meredith serves residential clients throughout North America including Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Mexico. To learn more about Meredith, visit her website and social media profiles: 

Website: www.meredithheron.com

Social: @meredithheron and @meredithheroncollection

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Today I'm excited to bring you a new installment of our Designer Spotlight Series. We're featuring Jenn Feldman, a former beauty and fashion publicist, who was inspired to launch her interior design business after her talents were recognized by Nate Berkus. Read on for a fun Q&A with her - she tells us about how she got on a big TV show, her favorite place to shop for vintage pieces, the two biggest design mistakes she sees people commonly make and much more!

Q: How would you describe your design style?

A: Traditional with a modern twist. High meets low, the created meets the found. A mix of style and layers to create a space that feels like home.

Q: How did you get into design?

A: Totally backwards! I got on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2007 for decorating my townhouse in Beverly Hills. I was chosen by Nate Berkus in a design contest and after the show aired, my phone started ringing - it was crazy! After a successful 10 years in PR, I finally realized this was my time, and my calling. It was always my passion, I just had to realize it was also my career path. In 2009 I opened Jenn Feldman Designs and the rest is history.

Q: What’s your design philosophy?

A: Anything you do is everything you do ... details matter. Style is your own set of rules, whether it's the way you dress or the way you live - if it doesn't work for you then it just doesn't work. Be confident in your choices and put yourself in a room with people that are smarter than you. You will always come out ahead!
 

Q: What’s a typical day like for you?

A:  I've never had the same day twice! My mornings are filled with coffee and kids. After that it's off to the races. Clients, calls, curating, connecting, coordinating. If I'm lucky, we get a bite to eat in the middle of it, and then we juggle again through the afternoon. The days are crazy! But I wouldn't change a thing.

Q: Are there any daily rituals or routines that you feel have really served you?

A: I love my notepad and starting the day with a clean list. It's old school and I'm sure it would be more efficient to track it on the computer, but there's something very gratifying about crossing off what you've accomplished and flipping to a clean page every day. It's what my first boss taught me 20+ years ago in NYC and it's stuck with me ever since! 

Q: What do you usually start with when designing a room?

A: The feeling. How does the client want to feel in the space, and how can we help create that feeling for them?

Q: What do you do when you have a creative block?

A:  Pinterest! Art books! I go searching for visual inspiration ... there's always a different angle to see something. You just have to unlock it.

Q: What's a design mistake you see people commonly make?

A: LIGHTING ... and scale. The most common mistake, and the most impactful thing to fix, is lighting. The right bulbs, the right lamp shades and the right layers of light can change everything. And the wrong size furniture makes everything hard. My one piece of advice is let the professionals lay out the space. Spatial planning is key to everything we do.

Q: What's your go-to pillow size?

A:  22" x 22". The bigger the better!

Q: What's something that clients are usually resistant to initially but then end up loving?

A: Dark paint colors! It's always a long, scary conversation - then it's their favorite space in the house!

Q: Are there any design "rules" you like to break?

A: Mixing metals. It's like jewelry! As long as there is a balance and rhythm, there's no reason a mix cannot exist.

Q: What's a color you never tire of?

A: Does leopard count as a color?!  

Leopard Velvet pillow

Q: What keeps you sane?

A: Coffee?

Q: Are you a morning or night person?

A: Night! Call me anytime after 10 pm, we'll chat.

Q: What's on your nightstand?

A: Fresh peonies, photos of my boys, and an amazing vintage lamp.

Q: What's one of your dream home must-haves?

A:  A walk-in pantry.

Q: What’s your favorite part about being a designer?

A: Being trusted in my clients homes to care for them and their families, and create spaces that allow them to live better and feel better every day.

I love the creativity that allows me to continue to be challenged, and the ability to run and grow a business of scale, with women that I adore.

Q: No home is complete without...

A:  The people you love. 

1. Flower: Peonies or anemones. But always monobotanical!

2. Favorite Arianna Belle pillows: Leopard Velvet, Olive Green, Painted Check Ink

3. Restaurant: Le Souflee in Paris

4. Houseplant: fiddle leaf fig

5. No-regrets home splurge: brass kitchen faucet

6. Luxury candle: Diptyque Baies

7. Go-to paint color: Benjamin Moore Simply White

8. Travel destination: London

9. Artists: Josef Albers, Matthew Brandt, Anna Ulman

10. Place to shop for vintage pieces: The Mart Collective in Venice

11. Style Icon: Iris Apfel

12. Everyday outfit: Denim jacket, Current Elliot gray tee, black jeans and golden goose sneakers!

13. App I can't live without: Waze

14. Guilty pleasure:  jelly beans

15. Design tip: Measure it twice!

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Jenn is based out of Los Angles and serves clients all across the United States. To learn more about her and her full-service interior design studio Jenn Feldman Designs, visit her website and social media profiles: 

Website: www.jennfeldmandesigns.com

Instagram: @jennfeldmandesigns

Twitter: @jennfdesigns

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Jenn Inspired Picks

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Continuing our series in which spotlight some of our very talented designer customers, this week we are featuring Lucie Ayres of 22 Interiors. Born in the Czech Republic and currently residing and working in Los Angeles, Lucie's work has both European and Californian influences. Read on for a Q&A with her and a look at some of the beautiful interiors she has created.

Q: How would you describe your design sense?

A: Soulful European meets playful Californian​

Q: How did you get into design?

A: I was born into design.​ I started as a 7 year old girl rearranging furniture in my room constantly. My father was a carpenter and made furniture. My mother has a residential development firm. It's in my blood clearly!

Q: What’s your design philosophy?

A: Design to create an experience that feels good.

Q: What’s your favorite part about being a designer?

A: Using both creative and analytic parts of my brain.​

Q: What helps you stay organized?

A: ​Systems.​ ​I love Asana (project and task management), Boomerang for Gmail (scheduled sending and email reminders), and IvyMark (software for interior designers) - could NOT survive without any of those.

Q: What keeps you sane?

A: Systems (see above)

Q: How do you come up with the color palette for a room?

A: ​​The client's feedback on colors, the light of a room, the purpose of that room, and the mood I want to evoke.​

Q: What's your go-to pillow size?

A: 22 x 22

Q: What are the apps you can't live without?

A: Boomerang for Gmail, Instagram, and Pinterest

Q: Are you a morning or night person?

A: Morning all the way

Q: What's a color you never tire of?

A: Navy blue

Q: What's on your nightstand?

A: The Happiness Hypothesis, a Kindle, and the Arne Jacobsen clock

1. Flower: Dahlia & Peony 

2. Favorite Arianna Belle pillows: Any of the Solid Velvet Pillows - they're my go to's - love them (shown above: Flame and Purple), Le Zebre Black and Leopard

3. No-regrets home splurge: High quality bedding - I love Coyuchi bedding - it's divine, and of course Sferra is classic and crisp and never disappoints.

4. Go-to paint: Anything by Drikolor

5. Luxury Candle: Armatura by Fornasetti

6. Artist: Shana Frase

7. Coffee Table books: James Turrell: A Retrospective by Michael Govan and Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty by Andrew Bolton

8. Style Icon: Kelly Wearstler and Cleopatra

9. Everyday Outfit: White T-shirt & Jeans 

10. Place to Shop for Vintage Pieces: Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena

11. Guilty pleasure: High quality bedding (see #3 above)

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To learn more about Lucie Ayres, visit her website and social media profiles: 

Website: www.22interiors.com

Facebook: 22 INTERIORS

Instagram: @22interiors

photography by: Amy Barlam

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In her recently released book, Dream Design Live, award-winning interior decorator Paloma Contreras gives us an insight into her design process. 

She reveals that when working on a new project, early on, she'll select an anchor fabric to be the impetus for the overall vision of the room.

The anchor fabric is typically a fabric that she is very inspired by and whose colors and pattern serve as a springboard for subsequently selecting complementary fabrics, trims, rugs, window treatments, and other pieces.

Since she typically uses solid fabrics on larger pieces of furniture, the anchor fabric is usually reserved for smaller pieces such as pillows.  Small doses of a fabulous fabric goes a long way towards adding personality and making a statement in the room.

We were so honored that Paloma chose to feature our pillows in her book (pg 77!) and list us in the recommended Resources section. Below are her picks for which of our pillows she'd use as anchors and which other pillows she'd combine them with:

Pillow Combinations That Start With an Anchor Fabric

SHOP ALL OF PALOMA'S PICKS >>

Continuing our series in which we spotlight some of our favorite interior designer customers, today we are featuring Shannon Claire Smith. This DC based designer creates interiors that are feminine with a bit of edginess and a dash of modernity and oddity. Read on for a Q&A with her - she tells us about her daily rituals, what helps her stay organized, what design mistakes she sees people commonly make, her favorite place to shop for vintage pieces and more.

Q: How did you get into design?

A: I capitalized on a life-long passion of decorating and re-arranging things by starting a blog in 2010. I blogged about decorating my first home, and it grew and grew, and then I realized I could turn it into a career.

Q: What’s your design philosophy?

A: I love creating beautiful spaces - I believe that surrounding yourself with beautiful things makes you feel more beautiful, and more like yourself.

I always suggest that clients include one odd or weird thing in their room, which I include in my design. It's fun to have a conversation starter piece, or something that keeps a space from feeling too precious.

Q: Do you have any daily rituals or routines that you feel have really served you?

A: As a business owner, it's really easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day craziness of trying to be everywhere and everyone at once. One of the most valuable things that I've done to ensure that I don't lose my mind is to set Mondays and Fridays aside for a specific purpose.

Mondays are my administrative days - I work on my editorial calendar, invoicing, and administrative tasks, basically everything that needs to be done on the back end. It ensures that I start the week off really prepared to tackle the actual in-person work, and it makes the Sunday Scaries a little easier because it's a much softer entrance into the work week.

I leave Fridays free of meetings and installs so that I have a day to accomplish all of the things that I inevitably didn't finish during the week. It makes it much easier to disconnect for the weekend, which is so important!

Q: What do you do when you have a creative block?

A: Go to a museum or a walk outside. Living in DC, I'm really lucky to have beautiful architecture and art just outside my doorstep!

Q: What helps you stay organized?

A: I could not live without Google Drive and Trello! Both help me stay on task and organized, and I can access either when I'm on site or out of office.

Q: What keeps you sane?

A: Wine and Netflix

Q: What are your go-to pillow sizes?

A: I am a sucker for Euro pillows and shams - a bed doesn't look complete without them.

Q: What's your favorite type of room to design and why?

A: In DC, I'm really lucky to be able to work on lots of different kinds of projects - offices, townhouses, single family homes, condos, and studio apartments. I have a soft spot for small space design - it's like a fun puzzle :) 

Q: Color I never tire of...

A: Pink, it's not just for millennials or girls!

Q: What's a design mistake you see people commonly make?

A: Scale! People don't pay enough attention to scale. You may have a pretty photo or a mirror or a chair but none of these things are going to look good in your space unless they are the right size.

Q: What's your ideal Sunday (or day-off)?

A: Catching up on the piles and piles of shelter and fashion magazines that I am addicted to purchasing but never seem to have enough time to read.

Q: Are you a morning or night person?

A: 1000% a night person, but I would be interested in changing that in the future.

Q: On my nightstand...

A: My iPhone (unfortunately), the latest book I don't make enough time to read (currently The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri), a glass of water, and a fan pointed directly at my face.

Q: My dream home must have...

A: Lots and lots of natural light

1. No-regrets home splurge: My apartment itself - zero regrets for purchasing a small space in an expensive city!

2. Favorite Arianna Belle pillows: Solid White with Grosgrain Ribbon Border and Pale Pink Linen with Greek Key Border

3. Place to shop for vintage pieces: Slate Interiors in Charlotte, NC, and Chairish (online)

4. Go-to paint color: "Baby Seal Black" by Benjamin Moore

5. Coffee Table books: Places to Go, People to See by Kate Spade

6. Travel destination: Paris, always and forever

7. Style Icon: Brigitte Bardot and Lauren Hutton

8. Artist: Matisse

9. Guilty pleasure: Peanut Butter M&M's 

10. Sofa Style: I have a soft spot for a traditional skirted or fringed English roll arm or worn out dark leather Chesterfield

11. Luxury Candle: At the moment, "Nudesse" by Overose Paris, and "Kush" by Boy Smells

12. Set Design: Any Wes Anderson film

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To learn more about Shannon Claire Smith, visit her website and Instagram profile: 

Website: shannonclaireinteriors.com

Instagram: @shannonclaire

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Continuing our series in which we spotlight some of our favorite interior designer customers, today we are featuring Kate and Amanda, a Toronto-based duo. The women are long time friends with a shared passion for design, who decided to become business partners. Read on for a Q&A with them and a look at some of the stylish interiors that have resulted from their collaborative efforts.

Q: How would you describe your design sense/style/aesthetic?

A: Warm, clean, neutral and family oriented.

Q: How did you get into design?

A: We loved design and both had done several renovations of our own. We fell into it after that.

Q: What’s a typical day like for you?

A: I pick Kate up and we debrief on all things personal and business related while we drink our protein shake. We tackle emails, source online or in store, we generally have a client meeting at some point in the day.  Followed by a salad somewhere close by. We are fueled by coffee and sour candy (we know this isn't good but can't seem to give it up) until we have to pick up our kids from school. We generally talk or text about work thereafter.

Q: What's on your nightstand?

A: Kate - books and a diffuser.

Amanda - Aesop hand cream and a remote.

Q: What helps you stay organized?

A: Tomiko our Project Manager. She is the best thing that ever happened to us and we would be a mess without her!

Q: What's a color you never tire of?

A: Is white a color?

Q: No home is complete without...

A: A great sofa. 

Q: What are your go-to pillow sizes?

A: 20 x 20 and a lumbar.

Q: What keeps you sane?

A: Each other. A huge part of our success is our partnership and how much we rely on one another to make the best decisions possible for our clients.

Q: What are some of your dream home must-haves?

A: Lots of windows, natural light and a view of the water.

1. Flower: peony, tulip, hydrangea, & ranunculus

2. No-regrets home splurge: an amazing kitchen or the Restoration Hardware Cloud Sofa

3. Artist: Amy Judd 

4. Go-to paint color: Oxford White Benjamin Moore

5. Favorite Arianna Belle pillows: Beatrice Bouquet Indigo, Channels Ebony and Ivory, Solid White with Grosgrain Ribbon Border

6. Luxury Candle: Coqui Coqui Coco

7. Guilty pleasure: Sour Jujubes & wine

8. Artist: Cy Twombly

9. Everyday outfit: boots, sweater, & jeans

10. Favorite Design tip: less is more

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To learn more about Kate + Amanda, visit their website and Instagram profile: 

Website: kateandamandadesign.com

Social Media: @kateandamandadesign

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Continuing our series in which we spotlight some of our favorite interior designers, today we are featuring Lindsay Pennington, a Kentucky native with a background in law, who now serves residential clients in Los Angeles and New York. Read on for a Q&A with her and a look at some of the elegantly eclectic spaces she has created.

Q: What’s your design philosophy?

A: I seek to create highly personal, layered, and inviting rooms for my clients to live and work in. While there are some touchstones to many of my designs--liberal use of color and pattern, and an emphasis on the expressiveness of artwork, books, and accessories--because none of my clients are the same, I strive to take their personalities and think about how they are going to use their homes, and translate that into a material space that reflects them, makes them comfortable, and facilitates their ease of use at the end of a busy day. What's most important to me is delivering to them a home that feels and looks like them, not me.

Q: What’s a typical day like for you?

A: I'm sure most designers can relate--although I try to plan my days, something always comes up, and it's this unexpectedness and spontaneity in my career that keeps things exciting.

I always start with lots of Peet's French Roast coffee (made at home), help my sons get ready for school, drop them off, and then take my three dogs to the park for some exercise and zen time.

Because Los Angeles is such a big city, geographically, I have my office at home where I keep all of my sample libraries and client files.

At least three days a week, I'm driving to clients' homes for in-person meetings, because it's so important to maintain face-to-face contact and keep the lines of communication open. There are so many things that we can learn about each other just by spending time together, and this helps me put myself in their shoes when sourcing items or making decisions with builders, architects, and sub-contractors.

When I'm not driving, much of my time is spent doing the necessary follow-up on purchase orders and deliveries--the back office paperwork we all would like to avoid but simply have to do.

Finally, for installations and photo shoots, I run around like a crazy person for days, sourcing those last minute accessories to make everything come together and feel richer and more lived-in.

Q: Are you a morning or night person?

A: Morning! I'm still astonished when people text or call me after 9 pm, as though they might be able to reach me.

Q: What do you do when you have a creative block?

A: I have a massive collection of interior design, architecture, and gardening books, and I love to sit down with them in a quiet place when I feel I need some inspiration. Each time I look at photos of rooms or buildings I admire, I take in something different, and usually the solution to a creative problem will arise. Creativity is not something that can be forced, so I also allow myself to take a walk, or talk to my children about their days at school, and giving myself that break can free up mental space for inspiration to appear.  

Q: What keeps you sane?

A: Coffee, SoulCycle, a hot bath, and a good book.  

Q: What helps you stay organized?

A: If there were a magic wand for organization, I'd love to use it. In the meantime, I take a lot of notes and photos, and try to document most decisions in emails between me and the clients and other principals involved. Texting is easy but it can get out of control very quickly!

Q: Whats apps can you not live without?

A: Instagram, Waze, and FlyDelta.

Q: No home is complete without...

A: A bed with clean sheets, artwork, books, colorful rugs, textiles, and dogs.  

Q: What are your go-to pillow sizes?

A: For sofas, 20 inch squares and 18 inch squares with a lumbar in the center, depending on the size of the sofa.  For beds, I love 26 inch Euro shams.

Q: What are some of your dream home must-haves?

A: A white picket fence. (Doesn't everyone?)

Q: What's a color you never tire of?

A: Black, red, and green.

Q: What’s your favorite part about being a designer?

A: My absolute favorite part about being a designer is working with clients. It's such a pleasure to help them bring their dreams and ideas for their homes to life, to make them warm, comfortable and welcoming for them and their families. I also learn so much from them: how to be a better listener, how to be a better communicator, and how to have more patience.

Q: What's on your nightstand?

A: A Ralph Lauren lamp, four books, a glass of water, and Carmex.

1. Go-to Paint Color: Benjamin Moore White Dove 

2. No-regrets home splurge: A custom, green velvet St. Thomas-style sofa

3. Design Book(s): ALL of Jeffrey Bilhuber's books

4. Guilty Pleasure: Ruffles potato chips

5. Favorite Arianna Belle pillows: Le Zebre Black, La Fiorentina Wine & Magenta, and Les Touches Black

6. Flower: Tulips and anemones

7. Artist: Cecily Brown 

8. Restaurant:  Cafe Mauro at Fred Segal

9. Luxury Candle: Diptyque Santal

10. Style Icon: Mary-Kate Olsen (even though I don't get to dress like this in real life)

11. Everyday Outfit: Jeans, a silk blouse, and either boots or sneakers

12. Set Design:  Call Me By Your Name

13. Travel Destination: Rome!

14. Favorite Design Tip: Keep it clean!

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To learn more about Lindsay, visit her website and Instagram profile: 

Website: lindsaypenningtoninc.com

Instagram: @lindsaypennington

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Continuing our series in which we spotlight some of our favorite interior designers, today we are featuring Jess Weeth, a former NCAA tennis player and fashion buyer who decided to pursue her passion for all things home. She currently runs Rehoboth Beach based Weeth Home Co which serves residential clients in the Mid-Atlantic coast. Read on for a fun Q&A with her and a look at some of the beautiful interiors she has designed.

striped blue pillow

Q: How would you describe your aesthetic?

A: I would describe my aesthetic as fresh, soulful and collected, inspired by life on the Mid-Atlantic coast.

Q: How did you get into design?

A:  From a very young age, I've always had a love of color and interiors. I used to cut out furniture from my parents' Horchow and Frontgate catalogues and rearrange the pieces to create my dream home - my little sister hated that I made her play it with me, haha!

I started my career after college in the fashion industry as a buyer; traveling the world from Hong Kong to Turkey to Paris shopping the market and working with factories to make beautiful products.

When I moved back to my small beach hometown in Delaware, my husband and I designed and renovated a fixer upper that caught the attention of friends who began to ask me to design their homes as well. After helping to transform a few spaces for others in our area, I decided to take classes and really pursue my passion.

Q: What’s your favorite part about being a designer?

A:  The beginning and the end! I love building out the initial concept boards and I still lose sleep the night before an install/reveal because I love the feeling of seeing a client fall in love with their space.

 Q: What do you do when you have a creative block?

A: I am a very tactile person, so I go back to my fabrics and materials library. I play around with the colors and patterns and textures and see if it leads me somewhere new.

 Q: What's on your nightstand?

A: Lavender hand lotion and a full glass of ice water that I usually only drink one sip of.

Q: What are some of your dream home must-haves?

A: Huge french doors that lead outside

Q: Are you a morning or night person?

A: Morning

Q: What's your go-to pillow size?

A: 22" x 22: and 12" x  21"

Our Jess Inspired Pillow Picks

1. Artist: Kevin Fitzgerald, an artist who paints impressionist landscapes of the Eastern shore  

2. Travel destination: Saint-Tropez, France (photo in collage by: Rory Wylie via French Wedding Style)

3. Favorite Arianna Belle pillows: Navy Linen with Greek Key Border - classic and bold, Leopard Linen -such a classic that brings a pop of fun to any space, and Java Java in Navy - a staple for adding textural pattern to coastal palettes. 

4. Restaurant: Little Owl, NYC

5. No-regrets home splurge: Our vintage double horse lamp

6. Style Icon: Jane Birkin

7. Flower: Protea

8. Design tip: Invest in good rugs that fit your space. It will be a purchase you never regret! 

9. Luxury candle: Capri Blue Volcano

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To learn more about Jess, visit her website and Instagram profile: 

Website: weethhomeco.com

Instagram: @jessweethinteriors

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