A family-owned interior design studio and workshop that’s served the area for more than 23 years, Tiger Lily’s has an on-site team of decorators, upholsters and artists ready to help clients create unique, personal rooms.
What was your inspiration for becoming a designer?
My mother. Not only is she the foundation of our store, Tiger Lily’s, but she is the ultimate homemaker who made my childhood great. It is a real tribute to say you want to be just like your mother when you grow up, and my mom has earned that one thousand times over.
What materials do you like to work with most?
Fabrics are my sweet spot. Tiger Lily’s has the best selection in town, and once I get a sense of the textiles we will use, I like to think about how the fabric may pair with other materials. I think a well-designed room has different layers and that is where the use of different materials and textures come in. Stone, metal, wood, lucite all have different expressive qualities. Paired right, the outcome is phenomenal.
Where do you most like to splurge when decorating a home?
I always encourage clients to splurge on custom furniture. As creative director of a custom workroom, I am admittedly biased that way. You get the benefit of a handmade product that promotes a dying trade while producing something that is one-of-a-kind. Custom is self-expressive and personal, and that is the ultimate definition of a home.
If you could design a home anywhere, where would it be?
I recently traveled to Creste Butte and now I want to get my hands on a mountain town interior design project. I would love to see modern influences, like geometrics and bright lacquers playfully mixed into the traditional concept we think of when entering a mountain house.
If you could bring one design trend back into vogue what would it be?
There is something cozy about the layered attached-back sofa sectionals of the ’80s and ’90s. You could sink right in and watch time slip away. I would do it for myself first in an inviting bold, gem colored velvet and see if it is editorial enough to go vogue!
What is the most common design mistake you’ve seen and how do you correct it?
Lighting is crucial to developing a mood and creating dimension into a space. A few quick tips: light the walls in a hall and highlight the art; use sconces at a bathroom mirror to avoid shadows; have layers of light; the best lit rooms have different focal points and a combination of ceiling light, wall light, lamp light and, in some places, light coming off the floor.
Tiger Lily’s Greenwich
154 Prospect St., Greenwich, CT
203-629-6510
