Every designer and client relationship is unique, but few duos are packed with as much styling know-how as interior designer Martha Mulholland and her current client, Anne Sage (cue the breathless anticipation around Anne’s finished home). These two Los Angeles-based design insiders are the aesthetes behind everything from the hottest retail locations (Martha designed the L.A. outpost of The Apartment by The Line) to the what you’re reading in the blogosphere and putting on your bookshelves (Anne’s popular blog led to her design book Sage Living). While they have equally chic approaches to styling, each infuses everything they touch with a one-of-a-kind point of view.
Discover how each of them brought their personal aesthetic to the same blank-canvas console, why they both love vintage, and what makes this amazing design partnership work.
ANNE’S APPROACH: Polished & Pretty
How would you describe your design aesthetic?
“Serene, clean, textured, airy, and relaxed. The design of my home is definitely influenced by living in California: I love a mix of organic finishes like linen, concrete, and wood, but implemented in a sophisticated and elevated way.”
What do you love about decorating with vintage pieces?
“Every piece has a story behind it (and if I don’t know the story, I’m more than happy to make it up). Plus it’s a no-brainer way to ensure that your home has a unique personality to match your own!”
What do you love about working with Martha?
“Not only do we have a heck of a lot of fun together, but Martha has a vast knowledge of vintage and antiques that she brings to the table when she’s designing. Plus she pairs items that I’d never think to put together, with the result being a design mix that’s totally unlike anything I’ve seen elsewhere!”
How would you describe your design aesthetic?
“I think my clients are drawn to my penchant for a relaxed, neutral palette that is brought to life by layered textures, tonal patterns, unexpected pops of color and antique accents. Incorporating a healthy dose of vintage is imperative to my design process.”
What do you love about decorating with vintage items?
“To me, vintage pieces are what bring a room to life and give it complexity and character. Anyone can buy new furniture and make it look nice – nuance comes from careful collecting and mixing of vintage treasures to tell a story.”
What do you love about working with Anne?
“I love Anne’s enthusiasm for design, her understanding of how subtlety makes a room sing, and her desire to always think outside the box to create something special. Some clients are scared to step outside their comfort zone and lack vision – Anne is just the opposite.”
Photography by Nicole LaMotte