All hail the queen of American decorating! Im thrilled to share this little interview with American super star Kelly Wearstler, Designer, and Authour. I am always inspired by her strength in style and her brand that she has carefully built. I first discovered Kelly through her books and finally in April this year when we visited LA I finally made it to Her flagship store on Melrose. It is signature Kelly in every way and i was excited to see this with my own eyes. The store is beautiful inside out out and her lovely staff were very helpful sharing theirs and a few of Kellys favourite places for us to shop, eat, drink or visit, I can tell you it was the best list and everything we checked out on the list was great!. I can’t wait to head back to LA soon to visit Kelly until then I hope you enjoy this insight into her world…
where do you live?
Los Angeles. I’m a designer, which includes interiors, architecture, furniture, decorative home, fine china, jewelry and lifestyle. My design studio and flagship boutique are here. I’m 100 percent involved with all of my projects. I choose every hinge, every stone, each lightbulb.
how would you describe the look of your home?
Raw and refined. I love to mix something vintage with something contemporary, something high with something low, texture with color. That tension between opposing elements is my signature.
what is your favourite thing in your home?
Frank, my vintage teddy bear. He was my grandmother’s, then my mother’s and now mine. He’s my lucky charm and most precious possession. His eyes fell off when I was little and were replaced with the buttons from my grandfather’s 1930s Navy coat.
what do you collect?
Books – visually compelling vintage and contemporary titles. My library at home has more than 2,000, about art, fashion, design, photography. When I find an especially amazing one, I buy a second copy and put it in my flagship boutique and on my website, kellywearstler.com. It’s a behind-the-scenes, shoppable glimpse into my personal collection.
what are you loving right now?
Menswear for fall. A vintage tie effortlessly adds a bright pop of color to a monochrome look. The juxtaposition between masculine and feminine is fantastic, it’s so alluring and sexy. I finish the look with layers and layers of my jewelry – at least three cuffs per arm. I’m also loving Instagram! It’s the best visual platform. I share what inspires me and current projects that I’m working on. You can follow me @kellywearstler.
coffee tea or?
Coffee. I get a double dry nonfat macchiato at Urth Caffé when I have time. I also juice and sip on alkaline water with lemon and cayenne pepper throughout the day.
what is on your shopping list?
Right now I’m doing back-to-school clothes shopping for my boys, Oliver and Elliott. We go to Burton, Fred Segal, H&M, Billabong, Nike and some local surf shops.
Fresh fruit and vegetables from Farmers Market Fairy are always on my list– it’s like having a personal shopper for all of the local farmers markets. Linda sends me a list every week of the best new organic produce, buys what I’d like and delivers it to the house. She’s the best. She also posts amazing recipes on her website, farmersmarketfairy.com.
favourite thing to do on the weekend?
My husband, boys and I go to Malibu to have amazing family time on the weekends. We have lots of sleepovers at the house, play on the beach and there are always lots of hockey. My boys love surfing and I walk my rescue pups, Rigby and Willie, on the beach. Surf culture is so inspiring. I’ve designed decorative surfboards, trays, jewelry and home décor accessories that were all inspired by it.
favourite street to shop in?
Melrose here in Los Angeles. It’s home to a favorite local shop, Maxfield, and to my flagship boutique. It’s the best place to find elevated design and fashion.
favourite day of the week?
It’s too hard to choose! Each day brings something new. I have about 30 meetings every day. I love meeting with my clients – they are all such informed, dynamic, creative people. The projects where the clients are the most involved are always the most rewarding.
favorite place to shop?
I really love Just One Eye here in Los Angeles. It has such an eclectic mix of fashion, art, furniture and collectibles. Going there is a completely immersive experience. It’s an adventure. Plus it’s in the old Howard Hughes building in Hollywood – such an important piece of architectural history. The art deco design is just incredible.
favourite place to eat?
Fico has the best pizza in LA. We go there once a week as a family. The La Campana on thin whole-wheat crust is just amazing.
what is your signature dish?
Challah French toast – I make it for my boys every once in a while. I’m not a bake-sale type mom so it is truly special when we do get to sit down and enjoy it together.
what is your signature drink?
Fresh juice from Erewhon – beet, lemon, apple, spinach, ginger, kale and E3Live. I drink one every day.
favourite holiday destination?
Aspen. We always go for two weeks for Christmas. It’s so magical and beautiful. It just feels like Christmas. We snowboard, snow ski, watch movies and just have great family time.
favourite quote?
“Love color. Take risks. Stay curious.”
what are you reading?
I’m always on the hunt for new inspiring design books. The most visually stunning pages can easily inspire an interior design project or a new home décor accessory. I also love to read magazines on my iPad. I can’t miss Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle Décor, Architectural Digest, Food & Wine, Monocle.
what are you listening to?
“Californication” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and anything on KCRW, the local NPR affiliate in Southern California.
what are you working on right now?
I always have multiple projects going on at once. I’m launching a lighting collection next year and working on a new hotel brand that’s set to open in San Francisco in 2015 and then in downtown Los Angeles. I’m also designing new furniture, home décor, tabletop and jewelry collections for my namesake luxury lifestyle brand.
what/who are you inspired by?
So many things. Color, pattern, prints, museums, art, travel, my children. I want my designs to tell a story using color, scale and texture. Inspiration is everywhere. I always carry my camera and a sketchbook to document what inspires me.
what makes you happy?
Learning new things, constantly discovering. It’s important to stay curious. Taking risks is the only way to change and evolve.
For more details check out Kelly Wearstler and also her awesome Blog
Photo Credit Mark Edward Harris