Born and raised in Austin, Amity Worrel took her passion for antiques and vintage finds to New York, where she worked for Christie’s as well as two legendary designers, Jeffrey Bilhuber and Tom Scheerer. She founded her own firm in 2006 and moved back to Austin two years later, and has since been crafting interiors that are colorful, creative, and reflective of her clients’ passions. Shop her cut of Chairish faves for a sampling of her eye-catching, smile-inducing style.
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What made you passionate about interior design? How’d you get your start in the field?
My introduction to interior design was getting to work under the tutelage of two of the best in the business, Jeffrey Bilhuber and Tom Scheerer. Watching them work and learning the process of creating a home that was next level in both comfort and beauty was inspiring. That education alongside my appreciation of all things related to home and my intense interest in people and how they live combined to inspire my professional work in the field.
What do you find most compelling about Chairish?
Chairish is a huge and primary resource for us for its ease of use, good customer service, and variety of selection. I have long been a fan of previously owned furniture, and vintage is a large part of our branded look. Chairish provides more intriguing options than the more standard and typical options out there.
How does sustainability factor into your design choices and love of vintage?
I was already working in the interior design industry when “green” design became a thing. I have “grown up” in this field, steeped in an industry trying to consider how to be part of the solution. It is my natural inclination to prefer vintage pieces over new, but I also have a strong commitment to always considering sustainability in our selections.
What are three of your favorite pieces on Chairish now?
I love this vintage Italian leather sofa from the 1970s; this Maitland-Smith Elsie occasional table; and this set of six leopard velvet dining room Parson chairs attributed to Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin.
Favorite way to create a statement-making moment in a room?
I am not so much about a single moment in a room… We aim to lift the spaces we work in evenly so that when folks come into the room they think, “what an amazing room,” not “wow, where did you get that piece?” That being said, we do like to style and plan a room around amazing pieces that together feel collected. The final important key is to collect all the pieces and set them against beautiful colors, textures, and patterns that unite them.
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Do you have any go to color palettes and color combos?
Since each project is unique, we take our cues about the color palette to use from the spaces we are working in and from the clients we are working for and the emotions and moods we want to invoke. There are some personal favorites that I lean into for myself. I love to use versions of my favorite colors together, including pinks of all varieties, greens, whites, and browns.
What advice do you have for first-time clients about making their spaces truly personal?
I always suggest to clients that they should not be afraid to use their personal favorites by way of furniture, art, and accessories. There is no need to be constrained by rules since your space is your own. If you need help making your personal tastes come together, get a designer’s ideas, but do not allow anyone to tell you not to embrace your own personal favorites.
Lead image: Lindsay Brown
