When you were a child, what did you dream of becoming?
I knew from my earliest years, I would pursue a lifestyle devoted to aesthetics. I grew up in the South, surrounded by interesting art, antiques, well-appointed interiors, beautiful gardens and women who “dressed”.
As a child, I spent summers at my grandfather’s architectural firm, learning to draft and arranging tile and stained glass samples. My grandparents designed and built a beautiful Southern home which included a garden for my grandmother’s prize-winning roses and camellias. Feeling peace and contentment in my surroundings there was a reassurance I embraced early on. It fostered a natural inclination to develop the skills to help others turn their environments into a clear reflection of their own choices.
How would you describe your personal style, both in design and clothing?
My own style has evolved directly from growing up during the 60s and 70s. As traditional as Southern culture is, many of our family friends were artists and designers, and my exposure to unconventional interiors and artsy personal style caught my attention instantly. It was a time when women wore gloves to cocktail parties, which quickly gave way to miniskirts, patent leather boots and paper dresses. In a similar way, my own style in both interiors and wardrobe, is anchored by traditional tenants, but punctuated with vibrant colors and unexpected happenstances. In design, I champion preserving historic structures over new construction. Naturally, I design interiors with heirlooms, vintage pieces and interesting “found” treasures. Ihave a talent for utilizing furnishings one already owns in new and inventive ways. I have an innate skill for building color stories in both interiors and fashion. I feel an interior and a wardrobe should be a natural outcropping of one’s own story. It’s an opportunity to nurture howyou are within yourself into a portrait of your lifestyle. I think of my own style as a relaxed but intentional assemblage, with a few guiderails to keep cheeky collecting from dipping into chaos…
How do you balance functionality with aesthetics in your work?
My background is in architectural space planning and construction, so function has always been a driver in my design process. I spent the first 15 years of my interior design career in Los Angeles designing commercial spaces- restaurants, film industry spaces, restaurants and corporate offices. This was key to establishing the relational skill set between function and aesthetics. Commercial spaces have safety codes and practical applications to business workflows that must be followed. Massaging a floorplan into an aesthetically pleasing design is the creative and sensory aspect. It’s how my left and right brain work together.
Your garden is such a beautiful reflection of your style—how do you approach designing outdoor spaces differently from indoor spaces?
The design approach to a garden is not a lot different from interiors, although outdoor spaces are a lot harder to control! As with an interior, you first establish how you want a garden space to feel. You may also wish to enjoy it from a specific vantage point or long view. It’s the practical parameters that can differ- sunlight, water, (rain, bugs!), accessibility, seasonal shifts, maintenance. I think of each space around our own property as outdoor “rooms” and work to shift them into that end use. It’s always a work in progress because nature will change things on a whim.
Do your clothing choices and design projects influence each other? If so, how?
I’ve had clients ask me more than once if the color palette I was wearing during a presentation
was meant to influence their final design decision. It likely was meant to do exactly that…
What draws you to vintage pieces, and how do you incorporate them into yourstyle?
Vintage pieces represent romance, craftmanship and chapters of my life. Quality materials, worn-in, color-drenched fabrics, patterns and textures, both in clothing and interiors are what resonate with me. I’ve collected vintage clothing and furniture since I was a young teenager. My everyday wardrobe spans the 1920s-1990s. There’s not a day that passes when I’m not wearing something vintage. Over time, I’ve inherited unique wardrobe pieces, antiques, interesting artwork, and funny collectibles which hold a great deal of meaning to me. Incorporating those items into my own style has built a rich foundation to carry my life forward. The language of interesting things feeds my soul. I find vintage objects, be it clothing or furnishings, have a “quiet knowing” which suits me perfectly.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to develop their own sense of design and personal style?
Cultivate, strengthen, and listen to your inner voice.
Who is a woman, from the past or present, that you admire or find inspiring?
I truly find every woman who walks the face of this earth inspiring. Women are beautiful, multifaceted, complex, so many things…
I have to say my mother and grandmother both demonstrated how to evolve gracefully through their nine decades of life. They were strong, glamourous, fiercely independent women who forged their own way to express creativity and beauty in their world. My grandmother was among the early graduates of the New York School of Interior Decoration in the 1930s and one of the first women to practice interior design professionally. My mother, an accomplished, professional chef and designer herself, was forever at the forefront of the culinary and decorative arts. It was she who quickly dropped her cocktail gloves in favor of paper dresses and later, a chef’s hat…
I also find my daughter admirable. Her commitment to kindness, self-reliance and a centered connection to her inner self is a light in today’s world.
You can find Jane on Instagram at @designcourtesan and @lunar.meadows.
