What markets or design centers do you attend?
Being blessed to be in San Francisco, I attend the local SFDC (San Francisco Design Center) Markets during the year. We have wonderful resources here. I also make shopping trips to Boston, New York and Paris, but generally not during “markets.”
Do you use your computer for shopping?
The computer has become a very valuable tool when researching products. In fact, it greatly diminished the necessity of trying to maintain an up-to-date resource library. We make limited purchases through the internet, but this is increasing; we still prefer to actually see unique items in person.
Do you have any favorite design websites?
Our searches are more product driven, rather than going to a particular website.
Do you have a favorite style or fiber of area rug — or favorite source for those?
Generally, most of the area rugs we purchase are wool, sometimes wool silk blend. We have dealers in San Francisco and in New York with whom we have worked for many years who supply beautiful rugs for our projects.
How often do you purchase a custom rug and why?
Depending on the requirements of a specific project, we often start selecting the furnishings by considering the area rug first; the area rug often becomes the foundation on which the other finishes and furnishings are based. When a suitable existing area rug is not available, we frequently design a custom area rug, which gives us complete freedom as to size, design, fiber selection, pattern, etc.
Are there any design rules you specifically like to follow or specifically like to break?
I always position a piece of furniture either entirely on, or entirely off, of an area rug: I don’t approve of a piece of furniture, such as a chair, having some legs on and some legs off the rug, which could result in an unstable condition. Aesthetically, rather than “rules” I prefer to approach each design with a fresh and objective analysis to determine the best solution for the specific project.
