photo by Kirsten Francis
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would you live? Block Island, Rhode Island or Mitzpe Ramon, Israel. They are polar opposites of each other but I feel indescribably happy when I visit both.
What are three words to describe your style?
Welcoming
Layered
Personal
Tell us about your childhood bedroom? The walls were painted tangerine orange, the curtains were pink velvet with pink and orange beaded finials, and the piece de resistance was my four poster canopy bed with a white eyelet, pom pom trimmed fabric. It was perfect.
What’s the first investment piece you ever bought for your house? A pair of English roll arm chairs upholstered in a pea green fabric that matches the color of the tile on our fireplace.
In the history of design, if you could hire any designer other than yourself, who would it be? Rita Konig, I feel like she would just get me
No room is complete without a stripe.
People think of me as confident, but I am really figuring it all out as I go!
Things you omit from
A flower arrangement: anything tropical
An hors d’oeuvre platter: stinky cheese
A bar cabinet: sweet wine
A song for
Dinner at home: So Easy (To Fall in Love) by Olivia Dean
Working at your desk: The entire Jazz in the Background playlist on Spotify
Going for a run: Come Down by Anderson.Paak
Biggest Vice? Chocolate covered pretzels
If you were on an Ambien high and internet shopping, what would you buy? A flight to France and a stay at La Cavalerie in the foothills of the Luberon. A friend recently posted photos from here and it instantly went on my travel bucket list. https://domainedelacavalerie.com/stay
Do your clothes reflect your design sensibility, if so, how? Yes, I like to mix statement pieces with basics in both my wardrobe and the rooms I design. I’ll pair a patterned vintage coat from the Real Real or Etsy over a Gap t-shirt and jeans. Similarly, I will snag an armchair at auction, reupholster it in something fabulous, and then pair it with an off the shelf coffee table or lamps from somewhere more basic/affordable.
Who is your star crush? John Mayer
What is the thing you would never do on a project, but don’t detest when you see others do it? Leave all of the walls white. It goes against all of my instincts, but I do love when I see someone pull it off in a way that still feels warm and layered.
What design book do you find yourself going back to again and again? All of Gil Schafer’s books, but particularly his latest one Home At Last.
For posterity, what would you like your work to be known for? Designing spaces that make people happy and mixing pattern and color in a way that feels approachable and comfortable.
photo by Kirsten Francis
A Few Favorites:
Movie: The Holiday
Book: The Nightingale
Scent: Anything with tuberose because it smells like my mom
The fabric you always come back to: Claremont’s Tree of Life
Dream project: A house on Block Island or a boutique hotel somewhere by the sea.
Meal: Pasta with my husband’s homemade pesto
Drink: Seltzer
Hotel: We generally stay at Airbnbs when we travel. We love to have a kitchen and separate rooms for the kids!
Travel Destination: India
Artist: I love Mary Breneman’s landscapes
A cause near and dear to me: all of the organizations in Israel working hard to rebuild communities and support families after October 7
Thing to collect obsessively: Ceramics
Era in the history of design: I like the magic that happens when you pull things together from different eras.
Museum: The Met
Benjamin Moore Paint Color: Silver Sage
Favorite person to follow on Instagram: @ThisOakHouse, her product recommendations are SO good
Dogs, Cats, or No Pets? Dogs
