Lillian August began designing textiles in 1980s. Soon after, she was joined by her sons Dan and John Weiss and the trio went on to collaborate, opening their first storefront in Westport, CT. Still a family-run venture, Lillian August is now the unparalleled one-stop resource for home design in the area. With over 20 in-house interior designers and a To the Trade Program that provides dedicated staff and resources to design professionals, Lillian August is a required destination for those who want to Love How You Live. We talked to Dan and John Weiss about their family business.
What inspires you? Our mother, Lillian August, inspired both of us to join this family business and turn our passion for design into fulltime careers. She continues to inspire us on a daily basis. (Dan is president and chief executive officer and John is chief operating officer of Lillian August.)
What materials do you find yourself working with the most? We love to work with all kinds of materials. For us, it is most important where they come from. For our line of Lillian August furniture, we are sourcing more and more furniture licenses to American factories, particularly in North Carolina where the craft tradition runs deep. Domestic production also makes customization possible, which is a huge bonus for our clients.
Describe your ideal client. We thrive off passion. It’s always rewarding to work with a client who is excited about their project. Designing a home should be a fun process. Our designers strive to make it an enjoyable and painless experience.
What’s one thing about your business that most people don’t know? We are known in Greenwich for our beautiful and intimate studio space but we offer so much more. The Lillian August Design Center in Norwalk is the premiere one-stop design resource. With more than 100,000 square feet of space, it offers more products than our other locations and is also the home to our To the Trade Program, custom workroom, art gallery and rug department.
Lillian August Designs: Norwalk Design Center, 32 Knight St., Norwalk, CT, 203-847-3314; Greenwich Atelier, 26 East Putnam Ave., Greenwich, CT, 203-489-3740; Sono Annex, 85 Water St., South Norwalk, CT, 203-838-0153; Stamford Warehouse, 47 John St., Stamford, CT, 203-847-1596
Related:
A Historic Farmhouse Renovation
The Designers at Lillian August Create a (Teenage) Dream Bedroom
