Amy Mills of PAPER MILLS

What is your idea of perfect design happiness?

COLOR BLOCK MINIMALISM & SLATE SWIMMING POOLS.

What is your greatest fear in design? 

OBJECTS / FURNITURE DEPICTING HUMAN BODY PARTS.

Which historical design figure do you most identify with?

HAVING STUDIED (AND CONTINUE TO STUDY) FINE ART, I NEED TO CHOOSE FROM THIS FIELD. JOHN COHEN IS A PHOTOGRAPHER, FILMMAKER, MUSICIAN, AND ARTIST WHO I WAS PRIVILEGED TO STUDY UNDER AT ART SCHOOL. I STILL HEAR HIS VOICE IN MY HEAD WHEN I’M ENDEAVORING TO WORK.

Which living designer do you most admire?  

MICHAEL SMITH.

What profession other than design would you like to attempt? 

RETIREMENT.

What is your greatest design extravagance? 

WE RECENTLY PURCHASED OUR DREAM HOME.

When and where were you happiest with your design? 

THE SERENBE TEXTILE LOFTS PROJECT WITH CLOTH & KIND.
THIS COLLABORATION HAD EVERYTHING AND ALLOWED ME GREAT FREEDOM TO JUST DRAW AND CARVE AND PRINT. IT WAS A TRUE SHOWCASE OF MY PERSONAL SKILL SETS AS DIRECTED BY KRISTA & TAMI.

What do you consider your greatest achievement in design? 

HAVING THE GUTS TO START THIS COMPANY AND TO STICK WITH IT
THROUGH THICK AND THIN.

If you died and came back as another designer or design object,
who or what do you think it would be? 

I’D LOVE THE ANSWER TO BE A FERRARI OR RAY BANS OR SOMETHING,
BUT HONESTLY IF I WER REINCARNATED I’D PROBABLY COME BACK AS
A METAL FOLDING CHAIR.

What specific design related talent are you lacking that you would you most like to have? 

MARKETING AND ANY KIND OF OUTREACH THAT REQUIRES
ME TO LEAVE MY STUDIO. 

What is your most treasured design related possession? 

MY HANDS THAT MAKE THINGS.

What do you regard as the lowest depths of misery in design?

STEALING FROM OTHERS.

What curse word do you most frequently use? 

WHAT THE FUCK.

What is your favorite design-related word?

BOLD GRAPHIC PATTERN.

What is your least favorite design-related word? 

‘CAN WE HAVE THIS IN TYPE II VINYL?’

What turns you on in design?

SIMPLICITY. BEAUTIFUL COLORS. THINGS THAT ARE HAND MADE.

What turns you off in design? 

BEIGE STRIPES.

What is your motto in design?

WORK HARD. BE HONEST. TRUST YOUR GUT.

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WHERE TO PURCHASE // Paper Mills is represented in CLOTH & KIND’s to-the-trade showroom. If you are an interior designer, please contact us to learn more about this extraordinary artisanal line.

ABOUT PROUST ON DESIGN //  Answered by our design icons, these must-ask questions come from a 19th century parlor game made popular by Marcel Proust, the French novelist, essayist & critic. Proust believed the direct questions and honest responses that they elicited revealed the true nature of the individual. For this column, we have put a design related spin on the traditional questions. While this method has been used by many journalists throughout the years, we were primarily inspired by The Proust Questionnaire, which appears monthly on the back page of one of our all time favorite magazines, Vanity Fair (also Krista’s alma mater). Read all of the previous Proust on Design questionnaires here.  

Vicente Wolf

What is your idea of perfect design happiness?
A GOOD MARRIAGE BETWEEN SPECIAL CLIENTS THAT APPRECIATE
CREATIVITY AND DESIGN THAT ALLOW ME TO FULFILL THEIR WISHES AND DREAMS.

What is your greatest fear in design?
TO NOT BE RELEVANT.

Which historical design figure do you most identify with?
DAVID HICKS.

Which living designer do you most admire?
BELGIAN DESIGNER, AXEL VERVOORDT.

What profession other than design would you like to attempt?
THAT’S EASY, A PHOTOGRAPHER.

What is your greatest design extravagance?
IN MY DESIGN I TRY TO GO FOR THE SUBTLE, NOT THE OBVIOUS.  SO, FOR ME EXTRAVAGANCE HAS TO DO MORE WITH OPEN SPACE, EXUBERANT LIGHTING AND PLENTY OF NATURAL LIGHT AND A BALANCE OF SCALE AND PROPORTION.

When and where were you happiest with your design?
I’M THE MOST HAPPY WHEN DESIGNING AND INSTALLING JOBS.  I LOVE SEEING MY VISION COME TO LIGHT – WHEN THE DEMOLITION STARTS + WHEN THE JOB IS INSTALLED.

What do you consider your greatest achievement in design?
REINTERPRETING ALL IDEAS IN A NEW WAY LIKE LEANING MIRRORS AS WAS DONE IN THE EARLY 80’S.  LIKE OTTOMANS USED AS COFFEE TABLES.  MOSTLY BEING RELEVANT AFTER CLOSE TO 40 YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY.

If you died and came back as another designer or design object, who or what do you think it would be?
I WOULD LOVE TO COME BACK AS SOMEBODY WHO COULD ACHIEVE PEACE IN THE WORLD OR CURE TERMINAL DISEASES.  I DON’T THINK I WOULD WANT TO BE ANYONE ELSE DOING THAT.

What specific design related talent are you lacking that you would you most like to have?
I CAN’T SPELL, I HAVE A POOR MEMORY AND AM SURELY NOT COMPUTER PROFICIENT.

What is your most treasured design related possession?
THOUGH THEY DO NOT BELONG TO ME, THE STAFF WHO WORK FOR ME ARE MY MOST VALUABLE ASSET.  AND OF COURSE, MY SPECIAL CLIENTS.

What do you regard as the lowest depths of misery in design?
I THINK IT’S A COMMON DENOMINATOR - TO HAVE CLIENTS THAT DO NOT RESPECT, TRUST OR UNDERSTAND ONE’S GIFT.

What curse word do you most frequently use?
TRUMP.

What is your favorite design related word?
SCALE.

What is your least favorite design related word?
CUTE.

What turns you on in design?
GREAT CLIENTS, WONDERFUL SPACES, PEACE AND QUIET SO I CAN JUST CREATE.

What turns you off in design?
UNPROFESSIONAL DESIGNERS THAT HAVE NOT PAID THEIR DUES AND PURSUE CALLING THEMSELVES DESIGNERS.

What is your motto in design?
FOLLOW YOUR GUT.

ABOUT VICENTE WOLF ASSOCIATES // Acclaimed New York City-based designer, Vicente Wolf is known for his timeless, restrained and elegant aesthetic.  For more than three decades Vicente Wolf has fostered the global development of his brand through a simplicity-driven principle that infuses his many creative endeavors: interior design, photography, art collection and global travels. Always on the lookout for new ways in which to inspire the world of design, Wolf’s eye for detail has created a reputation for quality appreciated by his discerning client list, his peers in the design industry and his international partnerships with some of the world’s top luxury brands.  

IMAGE CREDITS // Images provided by VICENTE WOLF ASSOCIATES

ABOUT PROUST ON DESIGN //  Answered by our design icons, these must-ask questions come from a 19th century parlor game made popular by Marcel Proust, the French novelist, essayist & critic. Proust believed the direct questions and honest responses that they elicited revealed the true nature of the individual. For this column, we have put a design related spin on the traditional questions. While this method has been used by many journalists throughout the years, we were primarily inspired by The Proust Questionnaire, which appears monthly on the back page of one of our all time favorite magazines, Vanity Fair (also Krista’s alma mater). Read all of the previous Proust on Design questionnaires here.  

Betsy Burnham

what is your idea of perfect design happiness?
GOOD ARCHITECTURE, GREAT LIGHT, A HEALTHY BUDGET
AND A TRUSTING CLIENT.

what is your greatest fear in design?
TRENDINESS.

which historical design figure do you most identify with?
RALPH LAUREN.

which living designer do you most admire?
TOM SHEERER, JEFFREY BIHUBER,
AND MY DESIGN PARTNER, MAX HUMPHREY.

what profession other than design would you like to attempt?
I’D DEFINITELY BE WORKING IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY.

what is your greatest design extravagance?
BEAUTIFUL BEDDING, TEXTILES AND RUGS.

when and where were you happiest with your design?
I’M HAPPIEST RIGHT NOW! THERE’S SO MUCH GOING ON
AND EVEN MORE TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

what do you consider your greatest achievement in design?
I’M PRETTY PLEASED ABOUT BEING A PIONEER IN THE WORLD OF
WHAT’S COME TO BE KNOWN AS ‘E-DESIGN.’ MY INSTANT/SPACE
CONCEPT WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, AND CONTINUES TO BE A
BUSY SEGMENT OF OUR BUSINESS TO THIS DAY.

if you died and came back as another designer or design object,
who or what do you think it would be?
A PIECE OF CONTEMPORARY ART. I’D CREATE CONVERSATION
AND DEBATE AND HOPEFULLY MAKE A FEW PEOPLE SMILE.

what specific design related talent are you lacking
that you would you most like to have?
I WISH I COULD SEW.

what is your most treasured design related possession?
THE ART I’VE COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS.

what do you regard as the lowest depths of misery in design?
MCMANSIONS.

what curse word do you most frequently use?
WOW.
I DON’T REALLY CURSE THAT MUCH.

what is your favorite design related word?
CRISPY.

what is your least favorite design related word?
TRANSITIONAL.
IT’S THIS MADE UP WORD AND I DON’T GET IT.

what turns you on in design?
VINTAGE PIECES MIXED WITH MODERN ONES.
BOOKS ON BOOKSHELVES.

what turns you off in design?
WHEN PROFESSIONALS SAY ‘HEIGHTH’ INSTEAD OF ‘HEIGHT’,
AND ‘NITCH’ INSTEAD OF ‘NICHE.’
I ALSO CAN’T STAND CHENILLE.

what is your motto in design?
GOOD. FAST. CHEAP. PICK TWO.

//

IMAGE CREDITS // Images provided by Betsy Burnham.

ABOUT PROUST ON DESIGN // Answered by our design icons, these must-ask questions come from a 19th century parlor game made popular by Marcel Proust, the French novelist, essayist & critic. Proust believed the direct questions and honest responses that they elicited revealed the true nature of the individual. For this column, we have put a design related spin on the traditional questions. While this method has been used by many journalists throughout the years, we were primarily inspired by The Proust Questionnaire, which appears monthly on the back page of one of our all time favorite magazines, Vanity Fair (also Krista’s alma mater). Read all of the previous Proust on Design questionnaires here.  

Brian Patrick Flynn

what is your idea of perfect design happiness?
DOING WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO TO YOUR HOME AS LONG AS IT MAKES YOU HAPPY, ACKNOWLEDGES THE ARCHITECTURE AND/OR HISTORY OF THE HOUSE OR BUILDING, ABIDES BY THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN, AND MAKES YOU EXCITED TO COME HOME.

what is your greatest fear in design?
I’M TERRIFIED OF CREATING SPACES THAT ARE CONSIDERED ‘SAFE’ OR ‘TEXTBOOK’; IT’S JUST NOT PART OF MY CONSTITUTION, AND I’D RATHER SELL SLANKETS, SNUGGIES OR SELFIE STICKS FROM A CALL CENTER THAN STICK TO THE STATUS QUO. 

which historical design figure do you most identify with?
THOMAS O'BRIEN.
ALTHOUGH HE'S YOUNG AND STILL KICKING IT BIG-TIME AND THEREFORE NOT NECESSARILY 'HISTORICAL' PER SE, HE'S AN ICON. I LOVE HIS MIX OF CLASSIC AND INDUSTRIAL PIECES AS WELL AS HIS SOMEWHAT CASUAL YET ELEGANT APPROACH TO LIVING. EVERYTHING HE DOES LOOKS COLLECTED AND WELL-CRAFTED AND THERE'S ALWAYS A MASCULINE VIBE AND THAT'S TOTALLY WHAT I'M DRAWN TO.

what turns you on in design?
RISK.

what turns you off in design?
MATCHING.

what is your greatest design extravagance?
ART.
REGARDLESS OF BUDGETS BIG OR SMALL, I’M ALWAYS A SUCKER FOR SPENDING ON GOOD ART. WHEN BUDGETS ARE TIGHT, I’LL BUY STUDENT WORKS, INVEST IN HAVING THEM PROFESSIONALLY FRAMED, THEN PAIR THEM WITH BARGAIN FURNITURE FINDS FROM IKEA AND/OR FLEA MARKETS. I THINK GOOD ART ELEVATES THE TASTE LEVEL OF EVERYTHING AROUND IT, AND IT’S AN AMAZING VALUE ENGINEERING TOOL.

which living designer do you most admire?
THREE-WAY TIE: BETSY BURNHAM, MATTHEW QUINN AND JOE LUCAS.
BETSY BURNHAM’S MAGICAL ABILITY TO CREATE PREPPY-ISH, CLASSIC AND EDGY SPACES THAT ARE BOTH CASUAL AND COMFORTABLE BLOWS MY MIND. MATTHEW QUINN’S KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS, I MEAN, THERE’S JUST NO WAY TO DESCRIBE THEM OTHER THAN SAYING MATTHEW’S IN A LEAGUE OF HIS OWN. JOE LUCAS HAS MASTERED THE TRANSITIONAL AESTHETIC, SO MUCH SO THAT I FREQUENTLY STALK HIS WEBSITE TO SEE IF HE'S POSTED ANY NEW PROJECTS.

what profession other than design would you like to attempt?
ICELANDIC AND GREENLANDIC OFFROADING TOUR GUIDE. PRETTY SPECIFIC, RIGHT? YEAH, I KNOW. I'M ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED WITH ICELAND AND GREENLAND AND LANDSCAPES THAT LOOK LIKE MARS KINDA. IN A PERFECT WORLD, I WOULD HAVE AN AMAZING ATTIC APARTMENT IN REYKJAVIK AND SPEND SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER TAKING PEOPLE OUT TO SEE THINGS THAT ARE OTHERWORLDLY.

when and where were you happiest with your design?
HGTV DREAM HOME 2016 IN MERRITT ISLAND, FLORIDA.
IT'S A 3300-SQUARE-FOOT LUXURY HOME ON THE WATER AND I REALLY REINVENTED WHAT FLORIDIAN STYLE MEANS TO ME. THIS IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST PROJECT I'VE EVEN DESIGNED AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF HOW IT'S TURNED OUT. IN FACT, THE ENTIRE HOUSE GOES LIVE ON HGTV.COM THIS WEEK. MY FAVORITE ROOM OF ALL IS THE TERRACE LEVEL BEDROOM WHICH IS SIMPLE AND COVERED IN WHITE WITH SPLASHES OF FRENCH BLUE THAT PICK UP IN THE SICK VIEW OUTSIDE THE WINDOW.

what do you regard as the lowest depths of misery in design?
NOT HAVING ANY TASTE WHATSOEVER, GOOD OR BAD.
A LITTLE BAD TASTE CAN BE AWESOME AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING, JUST LIKE GREAT TASTE CAN BE INSPIRING AND MAGNIFICENT. BUT JUST NOT CARING WHAT YOUR HOME SAYS ABOUT YOU AT ALL, THAT I CAN’T GET MY HEAD AROUND. I SAY THIS AS I SIT IN MY OFFICE IN PAJAMAS, SPORTING A T-SHIRT STAINED WITH ICE CREAM AND WEARING A SOCK ON ONLY ONE FOOT…SO CONSIDERING THE SOURCE HERE IS KEY.

what is your favorite design related word?
TIE! PERPENDICULAR AND MONOCHROMATIC.

what is your least favorite design related word?
SWIRLY.

what do you consider your greatest achievement in design?
I’M REALLY PROUD OF MY RANGE.
I HAVE THIS OBSESSION WITH NEVER BEING A ONE-TRICK PONY AND THRIVE ON HAVING CLIENTS WITH COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STYLES SO I CAN CONSTANTLY FINE-TUNE MY AESTHETIC. AS A DESIGNER, I'M INHERENTLY MASCULINE AND PREPPY AND FAVOR DARK COLORS, BUT I'VE DONE TONS OF TRADITIONAL FEMININE SPACES, ENTIRE HOMES VOID OF COLOR, COTTAGES COVERED IN PASTELS, BACHELOR PADS PACKED WITH HIGH-ENERGY HUES, WHITE-ON-WHITE ROOMS AND EVEN CLASSIC COUNTRY HOMES.

if you died and came back as another designer or design object,
who or what do you think it would be?
AXEL VERVOORDT (ABOVE).
I WANT TO COME BACK AND DO NOTHING BUT DESIGN AND DECORATE CASTLES IN A MANNER THAT’S TOTALLY CASUAL, COMFY AND UN-CASTLE-ISH.

what specific design related talent are you lacking
that you would you most like to have?
SIMPLICITY.
I’M JUST NOT GOOD AT IT. I LIKE SO MANY THINGS THAT I FIND THE ART OF EDITING TOUGH ENOUGH, LET ALONE SCALING BACK SO MUCH THAT THERE ARE ONLY A HANDFUL OF OBJECTS IN A ROOM. I REALLY WANT TO LEARN TO EDIT MORE, LIKE BETH WEBB, BRIAN PAQUETTE OR KAY DOUGLASS.

what is your most treasured design related possession?
A POP ART PAINTING OF FISHER PRICE LITTLE PEOPLE BY ARTIST JONATHAN FENSKE (ABOVE). IT’S CALLED ‘CHIVALRY IS DEAD’ AND IT’S A LITTLE PLASTIC KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR RIDING ON HIS LITTLE PLASTIC HORSE AND IT JUST MAKES ME SO HAPPY WHICH IS TOTALLY MESSED UP BECAUSE IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE KINDA SAD. WTF?

what curse word do you most frequently use?
BELIEVE IT OR NOT THE CURSE WORD I USE MOST IS NOT EVEN A CURSE WORD PER SE, BUT JUST A WORD THAT SOMETIMES SOUNDS CURSE-Y: 'BALLZ'. THE PLURAL OF BALL BUT WITH A HARD Z INSTEAD OF AN S. TRY IT LIKE AFTER YOU STUB YOUR TOE OR SOMETHING; IT TOTALLY WORKS.

what is your motto in design?
ROSES ARE RED. VIOLETS ARE BLUE...
AND THEREFORE THERE IS NO REASON FOR YOUR HOME TO BE BEIGE.

//

IMAGE CREDITS // Images provided by Brian Patrick Flynn except for the photo of Axel Vervoordt which is via Alto Magazine.

ABOUT PROUST ON DESIGN //  Answered by our design icons, these must-ask questions come from a 19th century parlor game made popular by Marcel Proust, the French novelist, essayist & critic. Proust believed the direct questions and honest responses that they elicited revealed the true nature of the individual. For this column, we have put a design related spin on the traditional questions. While this method has been used by many journalists throughout the years, we were primarily inspired by The Proust Questionnaire, which appears monthly on the back page of one of our all time favorite magazines, Vanity Fair (also Krista’s alma mater). Read all of the previous Proust on Design questionnaires here.  
 

Kathryn M. Ireland

what is your idea of perfect design happiness?
NOTHING SHOUTING OUT IN THE ROOM.

what is your greatest fear in design? 
TOO MUCH MEDIOCRITY.

which living designer do you most admire? 
ROBERT KIME.

what profession other than design would you like to attempt? 
THE TECH WORLD.

when and where were you happiest with your design?
NOW, I'VE GOT YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND TONS OF ENERGY.

what do you consider your greatest achievement in design? 
MY FIRST FABRIC COLLECTION. 

if you died and came back as another designer or design object,
who or what do you think it would be?
MYSELF.

what specific design related talent are you lacking
that you would you most like to have? 
DRAWING TRUE TO SCALE.

what is your most treasured design related possession?
MY TAPE MEASURE.

what do you regard as the lowest depths of misery in design? 
USING ALL ONE COLOR.

what curse word do you most frequently use?
FUCK.

what is your favorite design related word?
REDO!

what is your least favorite design related word?
REPURPOSE.

what turns you on in design?
PERFECT PROPORTIONS.

what turns you off in design? 
PEOPLE WHO DONT LISTEN.

what is your motto in design?
GO WITH YOUR INSTINCTS.

IMAGE CREDITS // Images provided by Kathryn M. Ireland.

ABOUT PROUST ON DESIGN //  Answered by our design icons, these must-ask questions come from a 19th century parlor game made popular by Marcel Proust, the French novelist, essayist & critic. Proust believed the direct questions and honest responses that they elicited revealed the true nature of the individual. For this column, we have put a design related spin on the traditional questions. While this method has been used by many journalists throughout the years, we were primarily inspired by The Proust Questionnaire, which appears monthly on the back page of one of our all time favorite magazines, Vanity Fair (also Krista’s alma mater). Read all of the previous Proust on Design questionnaires here.  

Mary Bergtold Mulcahy // Les Indiennes

what is your idea of perfect design happiness? 
WHEN I FINALLY FINISH PHOTOGRAPHING MY LATEST COLLECTION.

what is your greatest fear in design? 
ACTUALLY, I AM FEARLESS.  

which historical design figure do you most identify with? 
ELSIE DE WOLF.
'I BELIEVE IN PLENTY OF OPTIMISM AND WHITE PAINT.' 

which living designer do you most admire? 
INES BOESCH OF ZURICH SWITZERLAND.

what profession other than design would you like to attempt? 
I WOULD LOVE TO WORK IN FILM AS A SET DESIGNER.

what is your greatest design extravagance? 
TEXTILES.

when and where were you happiest with your design?
WORKING IN INDIA DESIGNING WITH MY PARTNER, PITCHUKA SRINIVAS
AND THE BLOCKMAKER, GANGADHAR.

what do you consider your greatest achievement in design?
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE JOBS TO OVER 50 ARTISANS
IN IN THE SMALL VILLAGE OF PEDANA, INDIA .  

if you died and came back as another designer or design object,
who or what do you think it would be? 
A BLANK SHEET OF PAPER.

what specific design related talent are you lacking
that you would you most like to have? 
THE  ABILITY TO DRAW.

what is your most treasured design related possession? 
A SIMPLE WHITE WOOD PIET HEIN EEK CHAIR.  

what do you regard as the lowest depths of misery in design?
MAUVE AND TEAL.

what curse word do you most frequently use? 
THE F-WORD, UNFORTUNATELY.  

what is your favorite design related word? 
CUTE.

what is your least favorite design related word? 
OVERSTYLED.

what turns you on in design? 
A CHALLENGE OR AN IDEA THAT POPS IN MY HEAD OUT OF NOWHERE.

what turns you off in design? 
PRETENTIOUSNESS.

what is your motto in design? 
IMPERFECTION IS THE ESSENCE OF BEAUTY.  

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IMAGE CREDITS // Images provided by Mary Bergtold Mulcahy of Les Indiennes.

ABOUT PROUST ON DESIGN //  Answered by our design icons, these must-ask questions come from a 19th century parlor game made popular by Marcel Proust, the French novelist, essayist & critic. Proust believed the direct questions and honest responses that they elicited revealed the true nature of the individual. For this column, we have put a design related spin on the traditional questions. While this method has been used by many journalists throughout the years, we were primarily inspired by The Proust Questionnaire, which appears monthly on the back page of one of our all time favorite magazines, Vanity Fair (also Krista’s alma mater). Read all of the previous Proust on Design questionnaires here.  

Jeffrey Allan Marks

what is your idea of perfect design happiness? COMFORT, FIRST AND FOREMOST.

what is your greatest fear in design? TOO MANY ‘STATEMENT’ ITEMS IN ONE ROOM. THERE CAN’T BE TOO MANY ‘STARS’ IN THE SAME SPACE.

which historical design figure do you most identify with? MARK HAMPTON AND FRANCES ELKINS.

which living designer do you most admire? ALBERT HADLEY AND JOHN STEFANIDIS.

what profession other than design would you like to attempt? BOY BAND SINGER.

what is your greatest design extravagance? CASHMERE FROM BRUNELLO CUCINELLI.

when and where are you happiest with your design? EARLY MORNING, WHEN A SPACE IS CALM.

what do you consider your greatest achievement in design? MY RESTAURANT SPACES.

if you died and came back as another designer or design object, who or what do you think it would be? DAVID HICKS.

what specific design related talent are you lacking that you would you most like to have? DRAWING.

what is your most treasured design related possession? MY ART.

what do you regard as the lowest depths of misery in design? BAD ‘EXISTING’ CLIENT RUGS.

what curse word do you most frequently use? I DON’T REALLY CURSE.

what is your favorite design related word? TAILORED.

what is your least favorite design related word? BUDGET.

what turns you on in design? CLIENTS WHO ARE CREATIVE AND OPEN MINDED.

what turns you off in design? CLIENTS WHO ARGUE.

what is your motto in design? MAKE IT MEAN SOMETHING!

IMAGE CREDITS | Images provided by Jeffrey Allan Marks.

ABOUT PROUST ON DESIGN | Answered by our design icons, these must-ask questions come from a 19th century parlor game made popular by Marcel Proust, the French novelist, essayist & critic. Proust believed the direct questions and honest responses that they elicited revealed the true nature of the individual. For this column, we have put a design related spin on the traditional questions. While this method has been used by many journalists throughout the years, we were primarily inspired by The Proust Questionnaire, which appears monthly on the back page of one of our all time favorite magazines, Vanity Fair (also Krista’s alma mater). Read all of the previous Proust on Design questionnaires here.

Neisha Crosland

what is your idea of perfect design happiness? HAVING A WHOLE DAY IN MY STUDIO WITHOUT ANY INTERRUPTIONS.

 what is your greatest fear in design? HAVING TOO MANY MEETINGS.

 which historical design figure do you most identify with? POPOVA THE RUSSIAN PAINTER ( 1889-1924 ) HAS BEEN A MENTOR FOR ME SINCE THE AGE OF 17 YRS OLD.

which living designer do you most admire? ARCHITECT LUIS BARRAGAN AND LANDSCAPE GARDENER FERNANDO CARUNCHO.

what profession other than design would you like to attempt? TOO LATE NOW BUT A DANCER OR PIANO PLAYER.

what is your greatest design extravagance? PRINTING ON A £500 A METER CASHMERE THEN BOILING IT TO MAKE IT SHRINK TO SEE WHAT THE EFFECT WOULD BE.

when and where were you happiest with your design? AT THE MOMENT I CRACK THE REPEAT PARTICULARLY WITH WALLPAPER.

what do you consider your greatest achievement in design? THAT I AM STILL AT IT 30 YRS LATER.

if you died and came back as another designer or design object, who or what do you think it would be? CONCORDE.

what specific design related talent are you lacking that you would you most like to have? TO BE ABLE TO DRAW AND PAINT LIKE THE MARIA GARTHWAITE AND JAMES LEMAN BOTH LATE 17TH EARLY 18TH SPITALFIELD LONDON TEXTILE DESIGNERS.

what is your most treasured design related possession? MY SKETCHBOOKS.

 what do you regard as the lowest depths of misery in design? CONFORMING.

what curse word do you most frequently use? BLOODY HELL.

what is your favorite design related word? ELEGANT.

what is your least favorite design related word? COOL / TRENDY /SEXY.

what turns you on in design? A NEW ANGLE THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.

 what turns you off in design? TRYING TO BE TOO CLEVER AND BAD DRAWING.

what is your motto in design? KEEP IT FRESH AND EVERY LITTLE PART HAS TO BE BEAUTIFUL.

// IMAGE CREDITS | All images provided by Neisha Crosland. Portrait of Neisha taken by Kristin Peres.

ABOUT PROUST ON DESIGN | Answered by our design icons, these must-ask questions come from a 19th century parlor game made popular by Marcel Proust, the French novelist, essayist & critic. Proust believed the direct questions and honest responses that they elicited revealed the true nature of the individual. For this column, we have put a design related spin on the traditional questions. While this method has been used by many journalists throughout the years, we were primarily inspired by The Proust Questionnaire, which appears monthly on the back page of one of our all time favorite magazines, Vanity Fair (also Krista’s alma mater). Read all of the previous Proust on Design questionnaires here.

Stephanie Odegard

what is your idea of perfect design happiness? RICH COLOR COMBINATIONS THAT ARE SO DELICIOUS I COULD EAT THEM.

what is your greatest fear in design? HAVING LEARNED FROM EXPERIENCE, THAT IT WOULD BE TOO FAR AHEAD OF ITS TIME.

which historical design figure do you most identify with? MARIO FORTUNY. HE WAS INFLUENCED BY MANY OF THE SAME CULTURES THAT I WAS INFLUENCED BY, INCLUDING THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE AND EVERYTHING INDIAN.

which living designer do you most admire? THIERRY DESPONT. I LIKE THE WAY HE BLENDS ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, NATURAL FLORA AND FAUNA WITH ART.

what profession other than design would you like to attempt? TO BE A MUSICIAN OR A PAINTER.

what is your greatest design extravagance? HAND-WOVEN TEXTILES.

when and where were you happiest with your design? IN NEPAL, WHEN I SEE THE CARPET DESIGNS CREATED ON THE LOOMS.

what do you consider your greatest achievement in design? MINIMALLY DESIGNED, HAND KNOTTED VEGETAL DYED CARPETS.

 if you died and came back as another designer or design object, who or what do you think it would be? A CANDLE HOLDER.

what specific design related talent are you lacking that you would you most like to have? DRAWING SKILLS.

what is your most treasured design related possession? TRESSERA JEWELRY CHEST.

 what do you regard as the lowest depths of misery in design? KNOWING THERE ARE BAD KNOCK-OFFS, USING CHILD LABOR.

what curse word do you most frequently use? I DON’T CURSE.

what is your favorite design related word? CURATED.

what is your least favorite design related word? FABULOUS.

what turns you on in design? ECLECTICISM USING DIFFERENT BEAUTIFUL HAND WOVEN TEXTILES IN THE MIX.

what turns you off in design? THE OFF GASSING FROM MACHINE MADE CARPETS IN NEW HOTEL ROOMS.

what is your motto in design? DYNAMIC DESIGN IS NOT LIMITED BY TRADITIONAL CRAFTS AND FAIR LABOR PRACTICES.

//IMAGE CREDITS | Images provided by Stephanie Odegard, Theirry Despont & Architectural Digest.

ABOUT PROUST ON DESIGN | Answered by our design icons, these must-ask questions come from a 19th century parlor game made popular by Marcel Proust, the French novelist, essayist & critic. Proust believed the direct questions and honest responses that they elicited revealed the true nature of the individual. For this column, we have put a design related spin on the traditional questions. While this method has been used by many journalists throughout the years, we were primarily inspired by The Proust Questionnaire, which appears monthly on the back page of one of our all time favorite magazines, Vanity Fair (also Krista’s alma mater). Read all of the previous Proust on Design questionnaires here.

Lulu deKwiatkowski

what is your idea of perfect design happiness? WHEN I SEE COLORS AND SHAPES THAT ALL WORK TOGETHER IN HARMONY, MUCH SO THAT I WANT TO POSSESS THEM OR MAKE THEM PART OF ME, LIKE BUTTER MELTING ON TOAST.

what is your greatest fear in design? A RULER, STRUCTURE, TOO MUCH PERFECTION.

which historical design figure do you most identify with? GAUGUIN.

which living designer do you most admire? JEFFREY BILHUBER.

what profession other than design would you like to attempt? SWIM COMPETITION.

what is your greatest design extravagance? MY HANDWRITTEN BOOK OF COLLAGES ABOUT MY LIFE, LULU.

when and where were you happiest with your design? WHEN I WAS DOING MY BOOK LULU.

what do you consider your greatest achievement in design? MY BOOK, LULU…SORRY TO BE REDUNDANT.

if you died and came back as another designer or design object, who or what do you think it would be? BEETHOVEN WITH HEARING.

what specific design related talent are you lacking that you would you most like to have? OLD MASTERS.

what is your most treasured design related possession? A BRIGHT PINK ANTIQUE INDIAN TEXTILE THAT MY BROTHER GAVE ME FOR MY MARRIAGE.

what do you regard as the lowest depths of misery in design? FAKE OR DRIED FLOWERS.

what curse word do you most frequently use? SHIT.

what is your favorite design related word? COOL.

what is your least favorite design related word? CHIC.

what turns you on in design? GOOD USE OF COLOR, INCLUDING NEUTRALS AND ORGANIC HUES.

what turns you off in design? BAD COLOR COMBOS.

what is your motto in design? KEEP SMILING AND IT WILL COME TO YOU!

//IMAGE CREDITS | All images provided by Lulu deKwiatkowski. Lulu's headshot taken by Amanda Marsalis.

ABOUT PROUST ON DESIGN | Answered by our design icons, these must-ask questions come from a 19th century parlor game made popular by Marcel Proust, the French novelist, essayist & critic. Proust believed the direct questions and honest responses that they elicited revealed the true nature of the individual. For this column, we have put a design related spin on the traditional questions. While this method has been used by many journalists throughout the years, we were primarily inspired by The Proust Questionnaire, which appears monthly on the back page of one of our all time favorite magazines, Vanity Fair (also Krista’s alma mater). Read all of the previous Proust on Design questionnaires here.