We started working together in 2019 at the same time Greta Gerwig’s Little Women was in theaters, and we both agreed that the interiors in the film were superb. She wanted to live that way, but without the Gilded Age fussiness, with modernity and fun and more saturation, “like Little Women,” she said, “but on acid.” And I said, “Yes, of course. That is what you shall have.” I watched the movie again, and seized on muddy primary colors, ditsy florals, wood, and pragmatism. There is nostalgia, but our client wanted nostalgia with a twist. It reminded me of the art of Walton Ford, whose beautiful but dark works conjure iconic Audubon prints but with a sinister commentary that comes through when you pay attention.
The architecture is 1908 Craftsman—sturdy rooms, wood beams, handmade details. The art has been collected over time in partnership with Creative Growth Art Center, one of the first nonprofits to promote the work of developmentally disabled adults. The client’s commitment to including works by these artists adds a soulful and unique dimension to the project.
