Designer QnA: Elizabeth Swartz on Bunny Williams Bingo, her Belgian urn, and that moment the art goes on the walls
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Elizabeth's highly evolved taste for graceful forms and classic proportions, along with her fluency across a wide range of styles, serves to guide her creation of dynamically nuanced interiors. She has compiled a collection of her top 100 favorites from Incollect, and the eclectic picks include modern, jewel-like lighting; Neoclassical, Regency and Biedermeier pieces; French and Italian midcentury seating; abstract art with bold shapes and serene color palettes; and a pair of "very Bunny Williams" jardinieres! |
SHOP ELIZABETH SWARTZ’S INCOLLECT FAVORITES
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Tell us something about you that is not in your bio.
I feel strongly that work should be enjoyable and that is not always easy to accomplish when things are moving at such a fast pace. I have implemented some fun, surprise break activities for our office to keep things in perspective and help us bond together as a team. I started “Bunny Williams Bingo” with prizes, trivia, and a ring toss, and I have a few more ideas up my sleeve.
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What excites you most about the design process?
When you find a really great piece of furniture or rug, something exceptional that you know will make the space. It’s like finding a needle in a haystack. It is becoming harder and harder to find unique pieces and when you do it feels like a small victory, and you know it is going to make your project that much better. It’s exhilarating … the thrill of the hunt.
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SHOP ELIZABETH SWARTZ’S INCOLLECT FAVORITES
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Elegant Pair of Swedish Gustavian... epoca | STEPHEN S. PACE Untitled (52-53). Berry Campbell | 19th Century French Empire... Churchill Galleries | ERCOLE BAROVIER Large Barovier Glass Leaf... Craig Van Den Brulle |
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How do clients push you to think outside of the box and challenge you?
It is always something different. Sometimes it’s a request to add a home theatre after the plan for the house has already been set; you then must go back and figure out what you can subtract to make room for such a space. Other times, you have a client who doesn’t like visible light bulbs on sconces, and it’s amazing how hard it can be to find sconces the client likes for a large home that don't show the bulb. There's always something new with each client.
Name an architect, artist or designer, living or dead, you’d love to collaborate with and why?
I would have loved to have spent a day with Nancy Lancaster and John Fowler exploring the English countryside for great finds!
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SHOP ELIZABETH SWARTZ’S INCOLLECT FAVORITES
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| CLEVE GRAY Genesis, 1980 Guy Regal | Unusual Pair of Early 19th Century... Yew Tree House Antiques | DUILO (DUBÉ) BARNABÉ Duilio Barnabé for Fontana Arte... H.M. Luther | 19th Century Swedish Gustavian... Maison & Co. |
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What is your favorite object in your home, and how and when did you acquire it?
I have a wooden urn, it’s not old, that I bought when Bunny and I were in Belgium with a client. People always comment on it, because it’s beautiful and it looks old, and it reminds me of that memorable trip we spent together, hunting for great finds.
How does a design project start for you? Is there a particular element that you always start with that inspires the whole project?
It usually starts with determining how a client lives. Do they entertain? Do they have a large family? Does someone snore, is there a need for an extra bedroom to escape the snoring? Everyone is different and we all lead such busy lives, the clients are looking to us to make sure their homes are customized for all of those elements. After that I usually start the scheming by looking for great rugs and build up from there. A great rug is the focal point and you can build the space around it.
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SHOP ELIZABETH SWARTZ’S INCOLLECT FAVORITES
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| Large Gilt Metal Light Fixture Carlos de la Puente Antiques | William IV Spoon Back Reading Chair BURDEN, Dealers and Conservators | Modern Moroccan Rug Doris Leslie Blau | LIZ O'BRIEN EDITIONS The Jayne Sofa Liz O'Brien |
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What is your dream project?
A NYC apartment with a large terrace! I love the idea of having that much outdoor space in the city; it’s such a luxury. To be able to design an apartment and integrate the outdoors adds another element that you often don’t come by in the city. When I am in a tall building I love checking out the terraces on surrounding buildings and imagining what the adjoining apartments must be like, it feels very “treehouse living” to me.
What is your favorite part of the install process?
When the art goes on the walls. It is amazing how much that transforms a space. You can have everything else placed in the room and as soon as the art goes up it feels finished and like a home.
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SHOP ELIZABETH SWARTZ’S INCOLLECT FAVORITES
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| WILLIAM ARTHUR CHASE A Pair of Paintings by W.A.... Carlton Hobbs, LLC | Venetian 18th Century Octagonal... The Fortress | 19th Century Set of Six Swedish... Maison & Co. | Statuary Marble Mantle Milord Antiques |
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Do you have a signature element — something you always include when styling an interior?
I love beautiful boxes and think they are a great place to hide the remote, a deck of cards, hand cream on a bedside table, etc.
Tell us what you love about Incollect and what one can expect sourcing with us.
I love that Incollect is curated and you don’t have to sort through pages and pages. You can see who the vendors are and contact them directly to further discuss the condition of a piece or request more photos. With time at such a premium, it’s great to be able to source when the shops are closed, and to know you are doing to so on a trusted platform and with trusted vendors is so helpful. When people are sourcing with Incollect they can expect all of these perks and great customer service.
