Interior Motives
Heidi Caillier Design Edition!
Hello, hello! We’re back for another fashion-inspired-by-interiors post! Today we’ll be taking a look at the work of Heidi Caillier Design. I know we have a lot of fans reading today, but in case you’re unfamiliar, her work is a true feast for the eyes. Pattern on pattern, brilliant color combinations, texture galore- all while keeping a dynamic yet recognizable POV. I feel like this quote from AD sums it up nicely: “Vintage lighting and furnishings keep Caillier’s aesthetic hard to pin down—or replicate—as does her innate restlessness. “I tend to get bored,” she says. “I love finding new textiles, new makers. I’m always on the hunt.”
To recap why I’m drawn to this subject:
I have worked on the sales side of interiors for 14 years now, and I’ve had the honor of working with incredible design firms here in NYC. I’ve absorbed so much from my clients and projects over the years, so I can’t help but think my exposure has informed my sensibilities when shopping and getting dressed. Although I don’t wear a lot of pattern, I think the materiality of the following projects provides the perfect prompt for translating interiors into outfits. Since this is a creative exercise. and not sourcing for my own closet, it’s also a good way for me to discover new brands and stretch my styling muscles.
FROM THE HEIDI CAILLIER DESIGN WEBSITE:
Growing her practice purely through a dedicated passion for design, Caillier’s lack of formal training gives her a unique vantage point. Unfiltered by conventions and well-trodden references, her intuition and natural flair sees her draw from a well of eclectic influences. Aided by a small team from her studio in San Francisco, Heidi Caillier oversees high-end residential and hospitality projects across the US. And while location, architecture, and lifestyle inform the creative direction, it is the desires and lifestyle of every client which always steers the narrative.
Spaces designed by Caillier feel animated and authentic, and have been featured in the pages of Architectural Digest, The Wall Street Journal, and Homes & Gardens, and have landed her on the prestigious Architectural Digest 100 and 1st Dibs 50 List.
Heidi also has a book, Memories of Home, which I finally ordered this week.
Ok- let’s get to it! You know the drill- five rooms, five outfits (although I may have snuck in a bonus outfit..)!
Fox Island
EARRINGS | DRESS | SHOES | CLUTCH
I think this room is truly my interior design soul mate, if you will. So we’re starting here today! In fact, I was so inspired by the colors and pattern that I pulled together not one, but two outfits matching back to the vibe of this space. For the look above, I started with this Victoria Beckham dress, which feels very close to the upholstery on the Togo sofa. From there, my goal was to bring in green, muted pink, and brown through the earrings, shoes, and accessories, while also being mindful of texture and small-scale pattern to balance out the large-scale pattern on the dress. All without it feeling overdone. I think I achieved what I set out to do!
For the outfit below, I wanted a more casual interpretation, since this room does feel like a place to kick back in a pair of jeans. This would be my “I’m going to the Fox Island movie room tonight” outfit, in a world where you dress to match your friend’s interiors.
TOP | EARRINGS | DENIM | SHOES | CLUTCH
East Hampton
TOP | EARRINGS | BAG | DENIM | SHOES | SUNGLASSES
This was actually the hardest of the outfits to figure out, and I went through many iterations. I finally landed on sharing the simplest version, without any bold florals or pattern. I like that it feels subtle, but there are still details to pick up on- lace, suede, marled raffia, and high-reflection earrings. If you scroll up to the first image, the wood side table has these great circular inlays, which is what the earrings are mimicking. I also love the combination of the exact shade of blue in the tapestry and the exact shade of yellow on the pillows. I tried very hard to capture that here.
Berkeley Hills
EARRINGS | TOP | CLUTCH | SHOES | SKIRT
I think Rachel Comey might actually be the fashion equivalent of Heidi Caillier, and I really had to restrain myself from sourcing this entire newsletter from one (perfectly aligned) brand. That being said, of the 50 screenshots I took to play around with, this skirt rose to the top and I think it’s perfect for this room. Actually, while doing this exercise, I noticed that pink, blue, green, and brown are in almost every project. And pink/mauve appear in every single outfit today. It’s not a color I wear in real life, but it was fun to find ways to work with a different palette. Moving on, I love the tiny floral pattern on this clutch and simply had to use it. If you scroll down two photos, the wallpaper in the powder room has a similarly scaled floral pattern. It’s all connected! The shoes feel very ‘90s to me, plus the color of the leather paired with the wood-stacked heel made them a good grounding shoe here. The earrings are Rachel Comey too. They are such a good way to bring the character of the incredible pomegranate lamp into outfit form. I was very excited when I found them!
Cow Hollow
TOP | EARRINGS | PANTS | FLATS | BAG
This outfit might be my favorite. The Sara Cristina gold top is so fun, but then the balance of a navy pant and simple white leather bag really speaks to me. I initially wanted to use the gold top to relate back to the gold cabinet hardware, but then I realized it also fits well with the sink skirt in the first image. One thing about me: I freaking love a sink skirt. Actually, that first image is everything I love about design. An off-center cross-thread shade (the fact that it’s not perfect makes it so much better), plates on the wall, a pleated lampshade, black walls, etc. All of it! But back to the outfit. I used the earrings to pull in some pink, since the floral arrangement brings so much personality to the second image. And the shoes. I tried probably 20 shoes, and there’s no rhyme or reason for why I chose something bedazzled in the end. I just really like them with everything else.
Seward Park
TOP | EARRINGS | BAG | DENIM | SHOES
And this brings us to the last project/outfit! I love the use of coral in this room, especially against the green chairs and patterned sofa. It’s so unexpected, but it works so well. The first puzzle piece here was this A.P.C. bag in the exact shade matching back to the paint. Then I found off-white denim to balance everything out and keep the bottom half of this outfit very simple. The internet then blessed me by putting this very cool Dorothee Schumacher top in front of me. The second I saw it, I knew it belonged in this outfit as a nod to the sofa. And speaking of nods- how perfect are the Shannon Bond earrings as a match for the fireplace surround? They made the look complete! Done!
Well, that was very fun! My ultimate hope is that you read this post with a coffee in hand, and for a few minutes, felt like you were sitting on this patio, soaking it all in alongside me.
Happy weekend, everyone!
Talk soon!
Emily
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The different pulls for inspiration on Substack never cease to amaze me. This was STUNNING in more ways than I can even articulate. Two incredible eyes doing what they do best - designing beautiful things!!!
(Also, pink, blue, green, and brown - bravo!!!)
Absolutely stunning!!! Incredible talent. Your eye sees amazing creations. ❤️❤️❤️💯