I really can’t say it better than Steve Jobs…

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes … the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things … they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

image via.

I’m switching time zones and going to the opposite coast for this next installment of Conversations with Friends. Meet LA-based designer Susanna Kost. According to mutual friends, Susanna fled the midwest many years ago after a particularly dreary winter. There are tall tales of sixty sunshine-less days that fueled her decision to Go West. Susanna says that she was simply correcting a geographical error and that she’d always been attracted to California sunshine and more. As an interior designer, she loves the sense of freedom, adventure and drama on the Los Angeles design scene. I had the good luck to catch Susanna just as the La Cienega Design Quarter annual design fête wrapped up. Won’t you come eavesdrop….

LISA: In a nutshell, what is LA design? Pretend I’m from Mars. How would you get me up to speed fast?

SUSANNA: Maybe this will be the screenplay I keep threatening to write – a team of Martian interior designers descends on LA … I have an opening! Well seriously, LA design: it’s fearless. Design precepts that are maybe taken for granted elsewhere, not here. We love color. Clients are open to shaking things up. As a designer, I love the latitude.

LISA: I know you are an accomplished shopper. What’s your latest, greatest find storewise? Do you have a new favorite?

SUSANNA: Such a timely question, Lisa. I love La Cienega Boulevard. The annual Legends of La Cienega just ended. I’m still recovering from 48-hours of shows, seminars and special events. La Cienega is a design destination in LA and two of my favorite shops are Dragonette – vintage Hollywood furniture and amazing jewelry – and my good friend Paul Marra’s shop.

LISA: If you were not an interior designer, you’d be …

SUSANNA: I’d orbit somehow in fashion, flowers or food. Perhaps all three together!

LISA: In my bones, I’m a monochromatic girl (but I love nice stretch into new tonalities). I love your feeling for color. It’s always spot on. Can you describe how a palette emerges?

SUSANNA: I wait for color to come to me and it always does, although never in quite the same way. For example, in a recent project I specified a sixteen-foot concave marble wall – with a fireplace for good measure. Nature gets full credit, of course, but the marble is mustardy-gold with splashes of opalescence onyx. That became the color leitmotif for the entire room. It’s gorgeous.

LISA: Just between us (and my readers) … you and I are both Midwesterners by birth. And we both left! But taking the long view, how has your Midwest provenance influenced your work?

SUSANNA: There’s a wonderful practicality about the Midwest, which I love unless it becomes stifling, of course. Upholstery must always be comfortable. Is that asking too much? I love beautiful things, but not too precious for life. Good lighting is a must. This kind of heartland common sense revved up with some west coast glamour can lead to some inspired designs.

LISA: If you could change one thing in your own house instantly, what would it be? (P.S. Budget and other pesky realities do not apply!)

SUSANNA: My kitchen. Please take it a way and bring me a new one.

LISA: You don’t need to name names, but what client project do you think is most reflective of your own personal aesthetic? In other words, what client home could you move into tomorrow?

SUSANNA: I love my home and covet no other. Even with a remedial kitchen. It’s my heart.

LISA: What is your most prized possession?

SUSANNA: I hate to name drop, but since you asked, I have a fainting couch – a Recamier to be precise – from Gene Kelly’s estate and a set of four Syrian side chairs from Kalef Alaton’s estate. I know I will never tire of these pieces.

LISA: What was your latest Pinterest pin? (P.S. I’m a follower!)

SUSANNA: Wallpapered ceilings – the fifth wall – my latest pin-fatuation. I like rooms that surprise.

LISA: It’s my signature fantasy question. You are imbued with limited-time magical powers. You can transport yourself to any time and any place for one hour. Where will I find you?

SUSANNA: The champagne is on ice. 31 Rue Cambon, Coco Chanel’s Paris apartment. She and I share the same August birthday, which I discovered as a child. I’ve always felt a kinship. It would be fab hour of bubbly and fabric chatter.

images via.

For my many blog readers NOT residing in the state of North Carolina … what can I say? So sorry! It’s unlikely you can hop a plane or hitch a ride to the after-Market sample sale  in High Point later this month that we are hosting. Crack open your piggy banks. It’s cash ONLY but the markdowns are mammoth!  Some friends and I  are cleaning out our warehouses and we have everything from furniture to lots of accessories! The sale is in the TEXTURE showroom and they have plenty of special deals as well. Tell your friends, put on your digging around attire and come have fun with us!

My mother would love this cobbled together elegance – from mismatched tables and chairs to jelly jars full of flowers. (Just don’t serve pizza in a box!) To mix holiday themes, think of this as a Mother’s Day valentine to my own inimitable, stylish mom many miles away. To my one-true mom and all the nuturers in my life, a happy day to you!

If you’re looking for a way to up the look of your interior design and a fab weekend project, head for the stairs. Like fireplaces, moldings, trims, doors and windows, stairways are a fabulous architectural feature and demand attention. It’s okay to tread lightly, as I did in a recent project for clients in Minneapolis. I specified a faux runner to graphically define and open up the space. As you’ll see in the second snapshot below, LSI designer Mary introduced a tone-on-tone  geometric sisal. It’s nearly wall to wall and works beautifully, especially with an inspired paint palette on the walls. Kathryn, also on my team, took a bolder approach to the stairs to shake up her traditional bungalow: black ovals on a cream base repeat as one ascends (or descends). It’s perfect and practical – Kathryn has a toddler prone to dirty sneakers and the occasional spill.

And, more inspiration follows. It seems obvious, but stairs are great connectors. I mean more than just facilitating upstairs/downstairs transit. A smart staircase can connect a design plan and create synergy throughout the whole space. Start with the runner. Just a few examples here: flaunt a bold peacock pattern, introduce a striped rainbow of color, or keep it simple and geometric. Don’t forget the banister! And, be sure an inspired paint palette is part of the plan.

Elevating your stairway might just be the perfect weekend design project (with lots of planning in advance). Remember, getting there is half the fun. Sympathies to our readers living in single-level ranch homes. But no worries: stay tuned for a blog on the art of the loooong hallway coming soon!

Do you know the difference between a present and a gift? Are they exact synonyms? Hummm, not quite. Presents are won or earned. They are coveted and reward-like. I think gifts are of slightly higher order. Gifts are bestowed and given freely rather than due. Gifts, I believe,  are tangible tokens of love.

Something to think about as Mother’s Day nears. Personally, I’m shopping for special gifts for the moms on my list. And, large or small, expensive or hand-made, the very best gifts are wrapped with creativity and care … like this little firestarter below to inspire weekend shopping. For now, it’s a wrap!

One of the reasons I love the change of seasons (except for the transition to winter, of course) is that it’s a reason to reinvent. As if I needed a reason! Okay, it’s a rationale for reinvention. Spring just may be the ultimate example. After all, symbolically spring is all about new beginnings.  As I look out my window, I see great bursts of the yellow-green of spring, plus riots of color. It makes me want to be outside. And bring the outdoors in doors. This is a time of year when we start erasing boundaries – always a good thing.

This year I’m seeing so many parallels between emerging trends for home and ready to wear. Furniture IS fashion for the home, as I’ve said before, so perhaps no big surprises. Pattern – from zigzags, stripes and geometrics – are everywhere from rugs to palazzo pants. Layered looks continue to inspire, but rather than layers of textiles to inspire warmth, it’s draped necklaces and bangles – preferably in brass and tarnished goldtones. Pantone seems to have called it with Emerald as the color of the year; it’s certainly the color of the season, inspired by nature. And improved with a dash of bling.

Here’s to the merry, merry month of May!

exterieur unknown, vintage chains, pants, ring, shoes

The fabulous Spring Furniture Market ended yesterday. I am so ready for the weekend. But there was just one not-so-itty-bitty piece of Market business to wrap up: a personal purchase for my new dream home extérieur. Normally, I shop for clients at Market, but I could not resist this super-swanky lounge chair from Texture. I love the super-sized look, but have to confess that transporting it from the Texture showroom to my backyard was quite the LSI cross-fit challenge. Enter design heavy-weights Mary and Kathryn. As the three of us rassled the lounge chair (camera in hand), it struck us that these snaps beautifully illustrate the difference between what people THINK  it’s like to be a interior and what it’s REALLY like. Frankly, I’m living the dream and wouldn’t have it any other way.

What do shagreen, Palm Beach, precious jewels, geometry and Lillian August have in common? These are just a few of my favorite finds, themes and people at what’s shaping up to be My Favorite Market. Caveat: I am a designer and shopper by trade and I’ve attended the High Point Furniture Market many times. I speak with some authority. High Point is killing it!

Make way for glam. The prevailing organic and reclaimed trends of the last few markets are giving way to glamour and a little bit of luxe. Where thirsty driftwood once ruled, faux shagreen and lush painted finishes are making happy inroads. In lots of colors too – from minty greens and greiges to more dramatic jewel-tones. Imagine an emerald cocktail tray table set on a gold geometric base. Or bookcase nooks painted in ruby red. Or a very traditional equestrian statue shellacked in sapphire blue.

I love lattice. Coupled with the bold colors, it’s a throwback, of course, to Palm Beach circa 1960s through the early 1980s. Delightful time travel. But it all feels new for today. Lattice may be part of a larger trend tied to geometry – rugs and textiles are all about repetitive pattern and color play.

Design is personal. It was pure pleasure to work with designer John Black on the Compendium presentation at Vanguard. Another Market delight has been connecting with Lillian August. I have admired her from afar and had a chance to meet with this style leader, entrepreneur and design icon in person at her beautiful showroom. Is anyone better with color than Ms. August? 

There are still three more days until Market ends on Thursday. But the jury is not out. Spring 2013 is My Favorite Market.

I never go backwards. Maybe I just don’t have that gear. As many of you know, I began my career as a photo stylist and that was a bit of a short hop-skip-and-jump to the world of showroom design. So, when I was offered an opportunity to design the High Point Market showroom space for John Black’s new uncollected collection Compendium for Vanguard furniture, I paused. For a heartbeat. And then I said YES!

I love John Black’s aesthetic. I knew the experience would be wonderful and totally NEW. John and the Vanguard team gave us great ideas and inspiration and wonderful creative leeway. Piece by piece, fabric by fabric, the Lisa Sherry Interieurs team painstakingly specified every finish and fabric in the space. Space planning was fun. And challenging. We created visual pops and surprises throughout the space to please the eye AND make it fun and easy to shop. Every accessory was specified – and often created – with exacting care. Compendium is John Black’s brainchild, of course. He was involved every step of the way. All the way around – John’s team, my team, the Vanguard team – it was a wonderful collaboration.

Now, all that remains is for everyone to come see Compendium at Vanguard. Vanguard’s Andy Bray has graciously permitted me to offer a sneak peek of the space. It’s a Lisa Sherry Interieurs Market exclusive. My snapshots are indeed just snapshots, so please come see it in person. I’d love to know what you think….