Widely known as one of Domino Magazine’s top 10 for 2008, but better known for her sprightly interiors, Palmer Weiss has great design running through her veins. I’m convinced she was groomed for this position from birth considering the fact her mother is an accomplished interior designer and her father in real estate development.  I should also mention she holds an ivy league education from Brown University and MBA from Northwestern University. She’s not only an artist, but an equally capable businesswoman whom I admire.

How has your Southern upbringing influenced you as a designer?
I talk a lot about the role my Southern roots has played in my design.  I am sure many people feel that their childhood environment influenced their design regardless of the geography.  To me, Southerners (especially Charlestonians) are very tied to history and the legacy of their ancestors and along with that, cherish or at least live with, many heirlooms from the past.  There is a comfort with antiques and art that I don’t feel is quite as ubiquitous elsewhere or at least on the West Coast.

And if you have ever read a Pat Conroy book or seen a movie like Steel Magnolias, you also know that the South is full of unapologetic characters.  I love how Southerners embrace their eccentricities and even celebrate them.  I feel like this is reflected in the décor of homes.  As a small example, my aunt has a beautiful classically designed house with the wildest looking Southern folk pottery scattered throughout.  The faces on these things look like the boogey man incarnate and I love that they are right alongside English Staffordshire and Chinese export pieces.

Define your signature style.
This is always a tough question for me – boiling down all of the styles, objects, furniture periods, etc into one succinct sound byte.  On any given day, I feel like I could answer the question totally differently.  I guess if I had to sum it up I would say that I have a classic style with a modern, colorful pop.  To elaborate, I love classic scale and proportions, furniture arrangements, and clean lines.  To this, I like to infuse modern pieces – (I am on a big mid-century kick right now) and a great deal of vibrant color and fun bursts of patterned fabric.

With Spring’s pending arrival, what are you doing to “lighten” the décor in your own home?
Life in San Francisco is fairly Season-less and if anything, summer can be the gloomiest and coldest time, so I am not really lightening anything up for the Spring!  However, I am always tweaking things at my house and trying to find ways to contain the chaos and clutter of life with children.  I recently moved my office out of my house and have re-purposed the space as my girls’ playroom and am enjoying reclaiming our kitchen den as a family seating area rather than toy depository!

When not designing I am…
Taking care of or playing with my two little girls.

Heroes…
Anyone who does hard work for little or even no pay to improve the lives of others – teachers, firemen, social workers and nearest to my heart, the volunteers at Discovery Blind Sports who give up their weekends to teach those with vision impairments how to ski or make sure they can enjoy themselves with a guide on the slopes. 

Highest Compliment…
My mom asking me for decorating advice.

Lucky Break…
Getting in the Domino Top 10

Eureka Moment…
The day I decided that I was not cut out for corporate America and that I should follow my dream of owning my own (creative) business.

Looking forward to…
Our family trip to Mexico in April – bring on the margaritas!!

Best Advice…
Do what you love and the _____ (fill in the blank…money, happiness, success, whatever it is you seek) will follow.

Thanks so much Palmer for your time, talents, and free decorating advice! We continue to follow (and adore) your work and always wish you nothing but the very best!