Traditional Home

from the editor

What would you do if you could design fearlessly? No constraints, no outer voices challenging your inner vision. Just the ability to reflect with an open mind and act on the first impulses you have. I’m a big believer in first instincts being the best, and we’re living that out in our house these days. My husband and I envisioned aubergine dining room walls and candlelit sconces as the backdrop for the revival of our beloved dinner parties featuring flights of inky-purple wine. I was nervous, but we did it! We’re also watching our son and his girlfriend build a house. Our frequent text threads, iPhone shots, and video chats make this momma’s heart swell. (They actually want my opinion!) Professional pressure aside, my most sincere advice to these two has…

movers & makers

LEATHER BETTER Style often results from team effort. In the case of Pergamena, a Hudson Valley boutique tannery, the team spans generations. Karl Meyer and his sons, Jesse (left) and Stephen, continue the family’s 450-year heritage of fine leatherwork that began in Germany. A new collaboration now brings the leathers to Capricorn Hides, where they’re etched, engraved, and printed by artisans for decorative use. capricornhides.com ELIZABETH LAKE TEXTILES Elizabeth Lake believes that if you are going to do needlework, it should be in beautiful appliqué form. The Texas-born and Sydney, Australia-based designer has beautifully shaken the world of entertaining and tablescaping. Her collection of table linens stitches pieces of fabric to form flowers, strawberries, and other happy moments from nature, as well as game motifs such as dice and golf. Here, her “Matisse”…

rising stars of design 2021

Hillary Taylor Checkerboard floors, skirted tables, classic forms, and plenty of pretty. Salt Lake City-based Hillary Taylor’s designs are dripping with quintessential traditional style. We love her look—and how she fills rooms not just with lasting pieces, but also with meaning for the people who call these spaces home. hillarytaylorinteriors.com Nicole White A native of Jamaica, Nicole White draws inspiration from the bold colors and textures of the Caribbean. Her designs gorgeously fuse the classic with the contemporary. Known for her renovation projects, the South Florida designer is a master at bringing wonderful new energy to formerly dated interiors. nwdinteriors.com “I MAKE BOLD CHOICES WITH PATTERN, TEXTURE, AND COLOR BECAUSE I SEE DESIGN AS ‘WHAT IF?’ AND ‘WHY NOT?’”—designer Nicole White Emilie Munroe “Make your home the perfect backdrop for the life lived inside” is Emilie…

cozy factor

When a young family bought an old house just off The Battery in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, they longed for a formal living room that felt … well, a little less formal. “They wanted a space where they could hang out together and relax,” designer Angie Hranowsky says. “That’s what led me to choose brown for the walls. Deep, rich colors envelop a room and make it cozy and inviting.” Red undertones in draperies ensure the sumptuous fabric doesn’t vanish into the walls as it continues Hranowsky’s cozy cocoon. Woven shades behind the draperies make the windows appear taller and infuse a layer of organic texture that jibes with a soft jute rug. Pattern play on upholstered furniture and pillows adds to the room’s visual texture. Gentle swirls on the sofa juxtapose angular…

opposites attract

CR Laine “Darby” chair in green-and-white Eileen Fern. Thibaut “Livorette” wallpaper in Pearl. Modern History “Triple Classical Console.” Frontgate “Ancient Emerald” vase. Amanda Carol Central Park II painting in 1960s French frame, Cascade Noir painting in 1860 French Victorian frame. Barry Lantz Orange Aid yellow-and-orange painting. Lee Industries 1011-01 chair in Everly Mocha fabric. Jonathan Charles “Barcelona” drinks table. York Wallcoverings “Heritage Damask” wallpaper in Mushroom. Mottahedeh “Blue Canton” bough vase. Roma Osowo through Liz Lidgett Gallery Returning mixed media. Meghan Blum Interiors Patterned pillows. Barry Lantz Imagine black-and-white unframed acrylic. Ebanista “Pierre II” hand-carved bench in antique black finish with a hair-on-hide covering. Matouk “August” ombré cashmere throw in Dune. Arte “Carreaux” windowpane plaid wallcovering in rust. Too much of the same thing can be boring. In interiors, visual tension—the assembly…

amazing grace

“LIKE ENTERTAINING, EVERYTHING ON A BOAT HAS ORDER.”—designer Danielle Rollins Boat life comes with order and protocol. The same can be said of entertaining. So when designer Danielle Rollins plans to host gatherings in Palm Beach, Florida, where she now operates her design firm, her invitations regularly lure friends and family to the yacht named Grace that she shares with her partner, Tom D’Agostino. For a dinner and evening cruise along the harbor, they welcomed aboard a group of friends. “The nautical lifestyle is a neat and tidy one that I’ve always been drawn to,” Danielle says. “High-gloss varnishes on the wood and beautifully coiled ropes: Everything is orderly and has a place. There’s a proper way of living and entertaining.” For this gathering, Danielle wanted an environment that had intention but was…