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As one of the most recognizable names in design, we'd love to hear how your career in the world of interiors began? - My mother was an interior designer, and some of my earliest memories are going to antique stores, flea markets, estate sales and auctions with her. I loved every minute of it. I learned early on that beautiful things don't have to be expensive or precious, and that every object has a story. I spent time working for a jewelry and furniture designer in Paris and later at an auction house in Chicago. Both were incredible learning experiences, but I also figured out pretty quickly that I wasn't particularly good at working for someone else. I wanted to do things my own way. I started my design firm in Chicago when I was 24. I didn't have some grand plan for what it would become. I just knew what I loved, trusted my instincts, and hoped other people would trust me with their homes. Thirty years later, I still get excited about finding something unexpected and creating meaningful interiors for people.
Congrats on celebrating 31 years of your design firm! What does this milestone mean to you and how are you marking the moment with your team? – We are celebrating 31 years this month. It's a little surreal, to be honest. When I started the firm at 24, I wasn't thinking about 30 years down the road. I was just thrilled that someone was willing to hire me. What I'm most proud of though is the team we’ve built and the relationships. Lauren Buxbaum Gordon, my longtime partner at the design firm, has been such an important part of that story, and I'm incredibly grateful for the team we've built together. Thirty plus years is certainly worth celebrating, but I'm also really excited about everything we haven't done yet.
What's your favorite part about the New York interior design community? - The talent in New York is extraordinary. You have designers, architects, artists, antique dealers and craftspeople, all bringing their own, unique point of view. There's always someone doing something that makes you look at things in a new way, and I love that. I’m also so curious about the many stories and experiences that New York holds. You can walk into two apartments in the same building, and they can feel like entirely different worlds. I've always believed that a home should tell the story of the people who live there, and nowhere is that more evident than here. We’re doing a show on my upcoming YouTube channel that is about just that. I'm endlessly curious about how people live, what they collect, what they choose to surround themselves with, and why.
We love that after moving ten times over the past decade, NYC always draws you back. What is it about the city that keeps you here? -I've lived in a lot of places, and I've loved something about all of them, but there's just nowhere quite like it. I can walk around the West Village for an hour and come home with ten new ideas. It’s a city that is always moving, always evolving. That is interesting to me. I love that our children get to grow up here, in a city where they're exposed to so many different people, cultures and ways of seeing the world. New York will always be home.
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Tell us what it's been like working on collections across wall coverings, tiles and rugs this year. What is the main source of inspiration you return to when designing new pieces? - I've always believed that good design should be accessible, and one of the things I love about creating collections is the opportunity to bring my point of view to things people use and live with every day. Each collaboration starts somewhere different. With Babyletto, I was thinking as much like a dad as I was a designer. I wanted to create pieces that felt beautiful and timeless but could also live beyond the nursery. My upcoming collection with Graham & Brown was inspired by my love of historical European patterns and motifs. And with The Tile Shop, it really comes back to my appreciation for materials, craftsmanship and details that make a space feel considered. I also have new collections with RugsUSA, Living Spaces, and a stationery line launching soon. It’s been an incredibly creative year. I've never believed you need to spend a fortune to have a beautiful home. You just need to know what you love and be intentional about everything you let in the door.
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