Coterie Crush: Lisa Hilderbrand of New Canaan, CT

We have a Coterie Crush on interior designer, Lisa Hilderbrand.  We love that her designs look beautiful and that they work hard at the same time – for entertaining, for family living, for enjoying.  We know this to be true as we fell in love with her collaboration with our friend Sarah Hamlin Hastings on her Charleston renovation.

Lisa holds an Art History degree from the University of Virginia and is originally from Dallas, Texas. She lives in Connecticut with her husband, two little boys and terrier Rudy.

FABRIC COLLECTION: 

Claremont fabrics — printed linens, geometric wovens, saturated jewel-tone silk velvets
Templeton by Michael Smith   — Templeton River Velvet is my favorite
Carolina Irving Textiles 
(It is almost impossible to find good pictures of them online, so there are some Claremont fabrics I have on my work table now pictured above.)

CHINA PATTERN: 

I love Chinese Export porcelain.  I bought a big old set of green Fitzhugh china at Christie’s years ago.  It isn’t fine old 18th century, but it is beautiful and has dozens of serving pieces.  I am also constantly adding to my stash of old Blue Willow and pick up interesting pieces on ebay, flea markets, estate sales.  I especially love it for brunch.  I love to cook and have dinner parties.

PAINT COLOR:

I have plenty of favorite neutrals, but my favorite real color is green.  Benjamin Moore #566 “bunker hill green” is a beautiful grassy, mossy green.  I used it here in a guest bedroom…

Photo:  Keith Scott Morton

DESIGN BLOG: 

Quintessence — beautifully written, well-informed, an unmatched insider’s look behind the scenes of all things stylish and beautiful.

The Peak of Chic — a carefully curated walk through the best design of the last 50-75 years.  We didn’t invent brass, mirror, ethnic textiles and zebra hides.  Great design of today has its roots firmly planted in great design of the past.  Balance, scale, proportion and good taste always work.

Have Some Decorum — I laugh, I cry, I want more.  Honest, hilarious, poignant, uplifting, glam and gritty, plus great recipes!

CANDLE:

I get overwhelmed by most scented candles, but I love them at the holidays.  Ralph Lauren Holiday is my favorite — I can’t wait to light these every season.  I do love good beeswax candles — they are subtle and natural smelling.  It is worth it to buy good candles…
Savannah Beeswax Candles – Beeswax Candle Co Tapers

You know what I love?  Scented soap.  Jan de Luz heart of soap.  I discovered this on a trip to Carmel, CA for our first anniversary, and have loved it ever since.  Also… Nantucket Looms wildflower soap.

ANTIQUE SHOP: 

I love to shop at auction…from Christie’s to small country auctions.
Antique center:  Antique & Artisan Gallery, Stamford, CT
Small shop:  John Pope Antiques, Charleston, SC
West Coast:  Lee Stanton
Best town:  Atlanta — from Scott’s Antique Market to Parc Monceau, Robuck, Peachtree Battle… I like to spend a week pounding the pavement here.
Show:  Round Top / Marburger Antique Shows, Round Top, TX

DESIGNERS: 

Albert Hadley is top of the list.  His work is every inch classic, yet thoroughly modern — then and today.

Michael Smith is a close second.  My favorite design book is his first:  Elements of Style.  When I hit the design doldrums, I hide out in my library with this book.

Robert Passal & Malcolm James Kutner.  My personal taste tends to be a little masculine, and I like how their work is classic, yet still modern and cool.

ARTIST:

I really marvel at the genius of Leonardo daVinci, and I love Old Master drawings in general.
What could I stare at?  Van Gogh — so intense.
What could I bask in?  Rothko — atmospheric.
For artists working today, I love Caio Fonseca, Meredith Pardue and Mallory Page.

COLLECTION: 

I love tea caddies and lacquer boxes — they are everywhere in my house.  I also always pick up vintage pieces for the bar (from sterling bottle openers and cocktail forks to vintage Lone Star Beer coasters)

SOUTHERN ESSENTIAL:

Cast iron skillet.  Griswold #10.
Country ham.  We always called it Virginia ham — my Great Aunt Ann lived on a gorgeous old farm in Ware Neck, VA, and whenever she visited us in Dallas, she brought one to my dad.  I lugged many an Edwards Country Ham home as a “carry-on” when I came home from UVa for Christmas.  We sliced it thin and ate it on Marshall’s or Sister Schubert’s biscuits with butter and sorghum.  It’s still a special brunch staple.
Garden & Gun magazine.  G&G gives me my Southern fix up here in Connecticut.  When it first came out, I gave subscriptions to fellow Southerners up here as gifts.
Neiman Marcus.  I grew up in Dallas.  Neiman’s was where I had special lunches with my mother at the Little Mermaid Bar (BLT’s, black forest cake), bought my first Mary Janes, my first makeup, 100 hostess gifts of carnation soap, and of course tried on my wedding dress.

Your style in five words:

classic, collected, layered, personal, timeless

Lisa Hilderbrand

WEBSITE:  www.welhil.com

RECENTLY PUBLISHED:
Traditional Home holiday 2014  (my house)
Traditional Home Jan/Feb 2015  (client’s house in Charleston)

SOCIAL MEDIA
INSTA:  @lisa_hilderbrand
TWITTER:  @lisahilderbrand
FACEBOOK:   Lisa Hilderbrand – Welhil Interiors 

Links to spotlights on other interior designers and tastemakers –

• Cullen O’Steen of Cullen & Co Interior Design
• Holly Phillips of The English Room
• Anna Kristin Yarbrough and Cameron Weaver of Interior Canvas
• Lisa Mende of Lisa Mende Design
• Courtney Barnes of Stylecourt
• Joann Kandrac and Kelly Kole of Kandrac and Kole Interiors
• Roger Higgins of R. Higgins Interiors
• Haskell Harris of Haskell Harris Creative
• Tami Ramsay of Tami Ramsay Design
• Mary Bryan Peyer of Mary Bryan Peyer Designs
• Susan Hable of Hable Construction
• Shani Gilchrist of Camille Maurice
• Lauren Leonard of Lauren Leonard Designs
• Sidney Wagner of Eclectic Interior Design Group
• Angie Hranoswsky of Angie Hranowsky Design Studio
• Liz Williams of Liz Williams Designs
• Jill and Steve McKenzie of Steve McKenzie’s
• Chandos Dodson of Chandos Interiors
• Ty Larkins of Ty Larkins Interiors
• Elaine Griffin of Elaine Griffin Interior Design
• Bunny Williams of Bunny Williams Home
• Vicky Serany of Southern Studio Interior Design
• Sandra Ericksen of Sandra Ericksen Design,LLC
• Lori May of Lori May Interiors
• Tobi Fairley of Tobi Fairley Interior Design
• Leigh-Ann Sprock and Leigh Goodwyn of LeuxDeux Dorm
• Jonathan Savage of Savage Interior Design
• Cathy Austin of Catherine M. Austin Interior Design
• Camille Styles of Camille Styles
• Courtney Giles of Courtney Giles Interiors
• Jade O’Connor of Jade O’Connor Design Inc
• Melanie Turner of Melanie Turner Interiors
• Paula Mcintosh of PJM Interiors
• Dominique Delaney of Comfy Cozy Couture
• Emilie Hatch of Shells & Chinoiserie
• Anna Schwab of Adger Interiors
• Lindsey Lane of Lindsey Lane Designs
• Sarah Hamlin Hastings of Sarah Hamlin Hastings Interior
• Beth Woodson and Kristy Woodson Harvey of Design Chic
• Pamela Scurry
• Chenault James of Chenault James Interiors