The Simple Sophisticate - Intelligent Living Paired with Signature Style
Education:Self-Improvement
"Our world is dominated by algorithms — by data collection that steers us toward a limited set of products and designers who have paid for the privilege of coming up first in our search. The result is that our taste has gotten . . . only more homogeneous, more limited." —Rachel Tashjian, style contributor to The Washington Post, in her article Whatever Happened to Having Taste?
The primary reason I wanted to begin with this quote is because the reality is all too real: good taste is often hard to find, and much of it has to do with remaining inside the box. Often this 'box' is the one we see frequently on Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok.
Enter interior designer Heidi Caillier, someone who didn't and doesn't play by the rules of social media, who didn't follow the trends, and trusted her own voice and eye.
To walk into a home curated by someone with exquisite taste, time seems to vanish, and the primary emotions one feels are comfort, awe and appreciation even if we don't know at all how they did it. Somehow, it all just works. A symphony of hues, textures, pieces, and details that appear as though they just belong together to welcome the residents of the sanctuary home each time they cross the threshold.
I remember seeing interior designer Heidi Caillier's work for the first time. It was the cover story of Rue Magazine in 2019. Caillier had designed a Seattle cottage guided by the charming Scandinavian aesthetic - simple, yet cozy, unique, yet functional, and with thoughtful touches of vintage to create a feeling of nostalgia. I became even more intrigued when I saw her work on a handful of Arts & Crafts houses both in California, Oregon and across the country on the east coast. Heidi was speaking my language (she embraces wallpaper!), as she incorporated the aesthetics that reminded me of English country with modern sensibilities for living well and thoughtfully. Check out a few of the homes here (one of my favorites - the kitchen!), here and here. And her entire portfolio here.
As Caillier is also someone who lives in the Pacific Northwest, in Tacoma, Washington, part of my intrigue was her home base as rarely had I seen an interior designer from PNW that has their own aesthetic that wasn't wed to the stereotypical Portland or Seattle modern trends that never quite captured my definition of timelessness or comfort, or even warmth. With delight and immediate appreciation, I began following her on Instagram as she share glimpses into her projects as they begin, are in progress and eventually are completed. As she shares in her new book, just released on September 5th, Memories of Home, the portfolio shared in the pages of the book tells stories that are "nostalgic, romantic, creative, playful but sophisticated, and so incredibly comforting." All the boxes in my ideal of a sanctuary are ticked with that sentence, and indeed each home showcased demonstrates her objectives have met their desired results with each client's home shared, including her own.
As timing would have it, the topic of good taste, and the seeming lack thereof arose this month in an article written by style contributor to The Washington Post Rachel Tashjian, as I was pouring through the pages of Heidi's new book, it became immediately clear she understands and brings forth good taste in each of her homes, but how does one do that? Even if we don't hire someone or are unable to work with the talent and expert Heidi provides, how do we curate a home, and in very much the same way, curate a wardrobe and a life that is not guided by algorithms? Well, I think that question in and of itself is a great place to start. Let's take a look at eight key aspects of curating good taste when it comes to our décor.
204: How to Build a Life Network to Optimize Your Professional and Personal Life
203: M.L. Longworth's New Provençal Mystery and Life in Provence
202: Stylist Tiffani Rogers on the Spring Trends of 2018
201: Design an At-Home Strength Training Program That Works
200: Spring Cleaning to Welcome Mother Nature's New Year! 22 Ways to Start Fresh
199: 9 Reasons to Savor Being in the "Choosing Seat": The Gift of Being Single in Your 30s, 40s, 50s and Beyond
198: The Love Gap: My Interview with Author Jenna Birch
197: The Many Benefits of Listening to Classical Music
196: Top 10 Style & Beauty Lessons Learned from the French
195: How to Make Your Dream Come True: 5 "Bills" to Expect
194: The Road to Success is Paved with Happiness
193: 7 Ways to Become Who You Were Truly Meant to Be
192: Susan Hermann Loomis Talks France, Food & Julia Child
191: Ask Shannon: Paris Travel Attire, Savvy Investment Shopping, Simple, Weekday Dinner Ideas & Totes
190: To Get & Stay Fit: Keep it Simple
189: Jamie Cat Callan's Parisian Charm School - Love, Life & Savoring it All
Top Episodes of 2017: The Simple Sophisticate
188: 18 Secrets & Lessons from the French Culture to Begin 2018
187: How to Create a Healthy Approach to Staying Abreast of the News
186: How to Let Go of Self-Imposed Limitations
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free