What I enjoy the most about my work is collaborating with individuals who can produce entirely original designs for a space. While I’m not keen on starting from zero, I appreciate this approach.
love brainstorming with artisans
to create something unique that others haven’t thought of.
I returned from my trip to Venice last year after visiting
Amadi Bruno
A petite store that offers handcrafted glass creatures, produce, and blooms caught my attention. Owner Signor Amadi creates every item personally—a visit recommended by design authority Deborah Needleman—and I departed with some glass peas and a butterfly for my child. Such modest items often encapsulate tales and treasured recollections. Indeed, sometimes it’s these minor details that truly matter.
However, there are certainly significant elements as well. On a bigger scope,
Vanderhurd
The people we frequently work with specialize in embroidery and rugs. Recently, they created a custom stair runner for me. Since staircases offer an excellent opportunity to showcase patterns, I approached Christine Vanderhurd armed with a photo of a small piece from a paisley rug as inspiration. Collaborating closely—primarily under Christine’s guidance—we refined both the design and colors. The Vanderhurd team then took extensive measures, crafting the runner in sections to ensure the pattern aligned perfectly along each step.
Collaboration with Christine is always delightful; she instills confidence throughout our projects. A couple of years back, we teamed up again to produce a set of hand-embroidered folk-art style curtains for a client based in London. Finding suitable material for these curtain panels posed challenges since they had to stand out dramatically. Despite searching extensively through available fabrics, I struggled to locate anything sufficiently eye-catching.
One day when I was at Vanderhurd, Christine presented me with a book about traditional embroidery techniques. It sparked my interest as we discovered what seemed like an excellent answer to our problem. We experimented with different designs and thread types; some sample pieces were returned after testing, prompting us to tweak things further. Eventually, Christine personally transported rolls of felt to her workshops in India where artisans could embellish the edges through embroidery. This approach ensured there wouldn’t be any seams since the embroidery followed the selvage edge of the wool fabric. Both the procedure and outcome surpassed all expectations.
Now,
upholstery
It can be quite challenging to achieve uniqueness in this setting. Employing vintage fabrics is an approach to introduce something distinctive, yet these materials are fragile, and sourcing them in sufficient quantities poses another difficulty. Needlepoint offers a solution; it is durable and inherently creates a singular piece every time.
I’ve been acquainted with Hayat Palumbo and her store,
Tapisserie
Ever since I was young, she taught me stitching at the age of eleven. All her canvases are meticulously hand-painted, and the yarns she uses are custom-dyed in Paris. While I enjoy working on my own tapestries, there’s only so much I can accomplish due to size limitations. Recently, I’ve had several pieces commissioned from Tapisserie, including some chair seats and even a slipper chair. Unfortunately, this craft is slowly fading away and deserves our support.
Needlepoint might evoke outdated visions like floral-patterned chair seats, yet Hayat approaches it with a modern perspective. Using this traditional method, she creates vibrant and captivating artworks frequently inspired by current artistic trends.
Creating items manually is highly satisfying due to the skilled artisans you have the opportunity to collaborate with. We frequently resort to
Max Rollit
,
An antique dealer possesses a barn brimming with exquisite furniture that serves as the primary muse for his own creations. We frequently commission elegant four-poster beds and well-proportioned tables from him. Since these pieces are crafted entirely in-house, we sometimes modify their measurements and leg placements—say, converting a coffee table into a dining table—to suit our needs better. The sketches sent to us for approval are stunningly detailed hand-drawn designs rather than those impersonal, sterile digital renderings devoid of artistic flair like those produced by computers.
I enjoy collaborating with experts. It feels far more stimulating than beginning from scratch alone. Engaging in a reciprocal exchange with someone truly proficient in their field makes all the difference.
Russel Pinch of
Pinch
is another creator I’ve collaborated with (together we designed a shelving unit for my entryway at home), and
Matthew Cox
In Stamford, there are skilled craftsmen known for their beautiful tables. England boasts many talented furniture makers, and individuals such as
Howe
and
Jamb
Create items that will maintain their worth over time, gracefully aging into treasures rather than becoming just another addition to landfills like much of the pricey furniture mass-produced by large retailers which quickly loses its appeal.
The Pimlico Road, which was previously known for its antique shops, is now displaying a variety of British crafts.
The New Craftmaker
is a must stop for incredible baskets and beautiful ceramics, and of course
Soane
has genuinely supported British wicker.
The U.S. also boasts an impressive history when it comes to wicker work, and I frequently purchase vintage Bielecky items.
Bamboo and Rattan
In West Palm Beach, Charlene Beaudet, the owner of the store, revives antique rattan furniture and crafts exceptionally delightful tables, such as those designed for games like backgammon and mahjong. The bedding items we procure for our clients are all handmade. My absolute favorites include appliqué linens from Madeira—there’s practically a rush now to acquire them before the final seamstresses step down. I will definitely continue to head over to
Kassatly’s
On Worth Avenue in Palm Beach for their embroidered bed and table linens.
Housesandparties.com
Is another excellent resource for delightful napkins and place mats. I also enjoy pulling out my set of color samples.
Marie Daâge
while focusing on a distinctive collection of plates.
Zoë de Givenchy
She is revitalizing French factories through her faience creations and deceptive visual effect plates adorned with chocolates and figs.
I don’t necessarily believe that a home where every element is meticulously planned out makes for an ideal living environment; such perfectionism can be draining. However, I am certain that every house should include at least one item—or even a small detail—that’s uniquely yours.
The tale initially surfaced in the May 2025 edition of
Elle Decor
.
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