What time, place, or concept most inspires you?
1930s and ’40s in Paris for Jean-Michel Frank furniture, Balenciaga and Chanel dresses, and the gorgeous Luxembourg Gardens.
How would you describe your personal style?
Classical, but with a modern sensibility.
Who are your strongest professional influences?
Billy Baldwin was a genius. He understood drama, elegance and scale; also the importance of having art. Pick up any shelter magazine and you see traces of his work. For contemporary, I admire Michael S. Smith. He blends traditional, even austere design pieces in contemporary homes. His look is refined, reflective, and gracious. You see his clients’ personality, not just his imprint.
How did you know design would be your profession?
Since age 8 or 9, textiles, furniture, and architecture have fascinated me. Other kids bought comics; I wanted to look at house plans. I began drawing homes and landscapes and thinking about furniture lines. My pragmatic father thought law would be a better path. Weeks in, I knew I wasn’t cut out for law, changed majors, and followed my dream.
Name a design trend you’ve seen enough of.
The use of wild game-hunting trophy heads as wall accessories.
Name your favorite:
- Recent inexpensive purchase for the home: Bright orange plastic tumblers from IKEA; a whopping $2.
- Recent high-end purchase for the home: A media sideboard in Santos Rosewood that I designed with Keith Fritz. We named it after my father, Maurice, who adored nothing more than hanging out with all of us watching movies.
- Room in the house: The Family Room. It has to be inviting, comfortable, and well-planned to be effective. It’s a welcome challenge to capture the essence of a family in one room.
- Way to unwind at home: My guilty pleasure is TIVO.
- Design book: Houses and Gardens by Robert A. M. Stern (The Monacelli Press).
- New home design item: Blik Graphics [whatisblik.com].
- Great housewarming gift: A guest book! A friend of mine keeps hers in the foyer, and whenever someone comes for a gathering she writes down the occasion and has her guests sign.
As simply as possible, what is your design philosophy?
Homes are meant to envelop and engage. They shouldn’t be museums where you are afraid to sit down, touch an object, or speak above a whisper. Nor should everything you own be on display. Careful editing, planning, and an understanding of needs are crucial for a thoughtful home to be realized.
