Lillian August had a successful turn designing furniture, wallpaper and fabrics for other companies before deciding to open her own retail location. Together with her sons, John and Dan Weiss, Lillian opened her first shop in Westport, CT, in 1987. Still a family-run venture, the company offers a wide variety of trend-setting home furnishings and caters to designers and homeowners alike.
What are you best known for?
Lillian August boasts four retail locations and over 30 in-house interior designers. With numerous signature furniture, textile and accessories collections, Lillian August is the premiere resource for design in our area.
What’s one thing about your business that most people don’t know?
That we offer so much more than just our Greenwich showroom. The Lillian August Design Center on Route 1 in Norwalk (just down the street from Stew Leonard’s) is the premiere one-stop design resource for the area. With over 100,000 square feet of space, it offers more product than any of our other locations and is also the home to our To the Trade program, LA Custom Workrooms, Art Gallery, Rug Department and LA Café.
What design trends do you love right now?
Last year we said that gray is the new black. And indeed, gray is here to stay, but this year we are really into vibrant colors. Our mother, Lillian August, designed her new spring market collection with an array of strong color palettes 
inspired by fashion, with empowering Modern Blues to Party Brights and vibrant Palm Beach turquoise and plums. Lillian’s new collection brings art to life. We like to call it The Art of Interiors™.
What pieces should every home have?
A comfortable sofa where the whole family can hang out, an “investment piece” rug to frame the space and window treatments to pull it all together.
What should people keep in mind before shopping for furnishings?
It is so important to work with a professional; it saves you from making costly mistakes. Coming prepared will also save you time. Bring your floor plans and measurements so you can hit the ground running
What are the best ways to incorporate trends into a space?
It’s fun to go trendy with accessories and throw pillows that you can easily switch out depending on your mood or the season. Lamps can also give some bling to a space.
Where do you find great deals?
Flea markets, vintage shops and our own South Norwalk Outlet offer hidden gems.
Describe your ideal client.
We thrive off passion and it’s always fun to work with a client who is excited about their design project. Designing a home should be a fun process and our designers always strive to make it an enjoyable and painless experience.
32 Knight St., Norwalk, CT,
Contact: 203-847-3314, lillianaugust.com
26 East Putnam Ave., Greenwich, CT,
Contact: 203-489-3740, lillianaugust.com
85 Water St., South Norwalk, CT (outlet),
Contact: 203-838-0153, lillianaugust.com
12 West 20th St., NY, NY
Contact: 212-206-1883, lillianaugust.com
About the Design Market
The annual Serendipity Design Market Digest is the definitive guide to décor, featuring gorgeous homes, top experts and beautiful trends in Fairfield and Westchester counties and NYC. In addition to this special publication, the DMD sponsors expert-lead symposiums, kitchen tours and other special events throughout the year.
