There is an art to fine living. Over the course of my career, I have pursued this art in the design of homes, luxury hotels, resorts, spas, and country clubs, and in the restoration of several properties protected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. I have pursued it in the design of furnishings for Moore Councill, Jonathan Charles, Frates American Glass, Stark Carpet, and fine fabrics for LebaTex, and women’s fashion for Zandra Rhoades, Vivian Westwood, Mary McFadden, and Liz Claiborne. In all of this work, my goal has been to weave breathtaking moments of beauty into stories in space that delight the eye, inspire the imagination, and restore the spirit – the stories of fine living.
I am fascinated by the traditions and history from which these stories arise. Studying them at The School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University, I earned an MA in Art History, later completing my PhD coursework and exams in architectural history at University of Virginia. During these years, I had the good fortune to attend The Victorian Society London Summer School on a Forbes Foundation Scholarship. Studying the architecture and decorative arts of the Victorian Era, I learned that the best design reaches beyond the building and the shape and furnishing of its spaces to embrace the artwork, textiles, finishes, decorations, and even the utilitarian items of everyday life, before moving outward to the garden and the landscape, leaving no detail unconsidered in its quest to realize a cohesive vision. Thus, the best design is not the work of a single author but of a team of creative people.
As valuable as the academic study of great design is to the aspiring designer, to truly understand the art of fine living, one must study not just those who create its essential elements, but those whose lives are the expression of that art. Through a Royal Oak Foundation Fellowship, I was given this opportunity at the Attingham Summer School. Focusing on English Country Houses and Seats, we met with the owners, head gardeners, and curatorial staff of some of the finest homes in England, an experience that reinforced my belief in the necessity of a collaborative approach, and filled my imagination with a reservoir of images, ideas, techniques, and contexts.
Chasing my fascination into the world of fashion, I participated in the MA program in Historic Costumes and Textiles at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute and Textile Study Room. These programs took me on a deep exploration of the best in fashion from the last five centuries, across the full panoply of world cultures. This is where I encountered the designer who has had the greatest influence on my career, Coco Chanel, who remains the inspiration and touchstone of my design aesthetic.
Convinced of the foundational value of the traditions and history of design, I support their study through positions on the Advisory Board of the Interior Design Department of High Point University, and on the boards of the Bienenstock Furniture Library, and the International Society of Furniture Designers (ISFD). As an adjunct professor, professional mentor, and most recently as a guest lecturer at Savannah College of Art and Design, I have passed them on to the next generation of designers. Knowing the importance of returning to this foundation for the working designer, I speak at various design trade events, and serve as an advisor to the High Point Market Style Spotters. I have contributed to several books about design, and my first solo book, The Art of The Mix, is currently in the works.
As much as design is a creative endeavor, it is also a business with budgets, deadlines, and myriad real-world considerations that are critical to every successful project. An advocate for makers who consistently deliver exceptional results, I serve as brand ambassador for Tomlinson Companies and 60 Grit Studio. A proponent of entrepreneurs who create innovative approaches to our business challenges, I serve on the Advisory Board for Ronati, a leading E-Commerce site for Antiques and Collectibles.
In my design practice, my client portfolio includes the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Pinehurst Resort, Duke University, Elm Court, the Emily Thorn Vanderbilt Estate, and Hilton Hotels, as well as many of today’s most respected corporate leaders. My work has been recognized with 18 ASID-IIDA awards and the Elevate Award, as the Top Luxury Hospitality Designer. It has appeared in many publications, including Verandah, House Beautiful, Elle Décor, The Washington Post, Boutique Design, and Hospitality Design.
While personally gratifying, the awards and editorial recognition – even building a reputation as an internationally recognized designer – are not what motivates me. The driving spirit of my work is to contribute to the art of fine living. To express its traditions and history in spaces and objects, to teach its techniques and practices, to celebrate its creation in the past and present, and to carry it forward as a vital element of the human experience.
