Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1066841
54 of gold leaf to glow in the sun. I learned light years with just this one project. Sketchy reasoning It's true that I can often rattle off historical precedent for something I want to pursue, but my mom is often unimpressed with that. She'll believe me when I produce a sketch that proves the point. Mommy dearest My mom isn't unkind, but she expects a lot out of everyone, including me. My partner Ryan Johnson (a therapist) and I jokingly and lovingly coined the phrase "mommy disap- pointment" for the particular way she will let me know when she isn't satisfied. Brain activity As a stereotypical male, I get focused on one thing and ev- erything else is on the backburner. My mom has this insane ability to be enraptured by an idea, but also consider all these other ideas at the same time. Tough love On a job site, my mom walks in and whips everyone into shape. She organizes everyone's thoughts, and de-escalates situations when everyone is escalating. She's a commanding presence. Design influences There is a long list of Italians, but I'll say Gio Ponti and Carlo Scarpa are the most notable for me. Vintage design books Le Corbusier, Toward an Architecture, 1923. Any issue of Domus from the years Gio Ponti was editor. Best white paint Benjamin Moore's Harwood Putty. It's a little muddy and richer than true white, but never skews too yellow or too pink. SHE SAID: Deciding factor Jan Morrow (Doris Day) in Pillow Talk was my greatest in- fluence. I knew I wanted to be a designer from the first time I saw the movie. Design 101 I like to use family heirlooms and personal collections to ensure we're not just decorating but actually making personal spaces. Mixing woods is a good thing. America and England offer as many wonderful antiques as France and Italy. And I love to do a space with a few sterling-silver curios to catch light. One thing I'll never do again Put Michael in charge of a construction project. Our work is best executed when he stays focused on the architecture and design. Managing crews is not his talent. A woman's work is never done I'm generally the only woman on a job site and I'm usually wearing a dress. I try to keep a nurturing environment, and I'll bring the crew homemade cookies, brownies, or popsicles. I hate dirty porta-cans, and I pay extra to have them cleaned. In the living room, a vintage Vladimir Kagan sofa from Galerie Novella. Françoise Gilot painting. Right: In the vestibule, a custom cabinet painted in Hollandlac by Fine Paints of Europe, with vintage hardware from Settlers Hardware. Vintage brass Italian mirror in the style of Gio Ponti from Galerie Novella.