House & Home

DESIGN INSIDER

56 H&H SEPTEMBER 2016

Produced by Morgan Michener/Photography by Angus Fergusson (Tommy’s portrait)/Bettina Lewin (Bobbi’s offi

ce)/Priscilla Rattazzi (Diana’s offi

ce)

AALL IN A LL IN A

DAY’S WORK

Tommy Smythe on

wworkspaces with orkspaces with

ccreative flair.reative flair.

I

n our go go go culture it can feel like

we spend almost all of our lives working

which is why I always say if you’re not

happy in your work you’re not happy in

your life. A big part of work satisfaction

relates to the physical spaces we inhabit so I

think we can all learn from the offices of those

who make a living through their talent and

artistic vision. Colour and comfort coexist with

organization and efficiency. The offices of both

makeup maven Bobbi Brown and former Vo gue

editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland for example

illustrate how lighting pattern artwork and

vintage items delight the worker while

providing the most important tool for the

creative mind: inspiration!

My friend Heather Clawson of fashion and

design blog Habitually Chic is fascinated by

offices that ref lect the people working within.

She’s written Habitually Chic: Creativit y at

Work a compilation of workspaces belonging

to the most artful executives and

entrepreneurs including artist-designer Lulu

de Kwiatkowski (on the next page). Her st udio

works hard and looks great doing it — just like

you baby!

BOBBI BROWN

Makeup mogul Bobbi

Brown’s workspace is a

study in clean-lined

beauty. John Eaton a

frequent collaborator

transformed her light-

filled SoHo office

juxtaposing a classic

French banker’s desk with

a gallery wall of personal

photos. Order is evident

but not at the expense of

personality (pops of red

and nods to Bobbi’s love

for England — the lipstick-

bullet Union Jack —

abound). It takes skill and

careful layering to create a

look that speaks in plain

language. This is true

when it comes to Bobbi’s

iconic signature “clean”

take on makeup as well

as in John’s sensitive

treatment of her space.

DIANA VREELAND

The venerable fashion

columnist and editor’s

workspaces always

included creature

comforts (witness the

richly patterned

fabrics draped over

furniture and plush

carpet underfoot)

which are welcome in

the world of the

workaholic. Her

signature colour red

is ever present and

photos and drawings

casually pinned to a

bulletin board delight

the imagination. Can

you still call it clutter if

every object is either

useful or beautiful —

or both? I say do as

Diana does and your

office will be as pretty

as it is productive.

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