continuedTurns out, being uncere-
moniously fired can be a
ticket to glory. So it was for Buf-
falo, New York–born and –bred
Ramey Caulkins, who got the
axe at an internship in public
relations—her first gig after
college. “I was fired from a job
I wasn’t even getting paid for!”
she laughs. Caulkins quickly re-
routed after finding her passion
for interior design and rose to
the top brass at Ann Sacks in
Chicago and Kohler in Denver
before opening her own firm,
Griffin Design Source, in 2004.
Now, Caulkins boomerangs
between projects in glitterati
meccas (Nantucket! Aspen! Palm
Springs!) and her style-forward
HQ, which is housed in an 1890s
cottage next to her own home in
North Washington Park.
Caulkins cozied up the1,350-square-foot “home office” in
maximalist style. There is a wall
upholstered in Sister Parish’s Ce-
cil Stripe pattern; a sitting area
composed of a rotating collection
of re-covered chairs and sofas
from the resale site Chairish; and
built-in bookshelves brimming
with sisal baskets for corralling
fabric samples. “I love the way
the Los Angeles showrooms
have their fabrics laid out with
samples super accessible,”
Caulkins says of the inspiration
for the Instagrammable display—
which is, by the way, as organized
as it looks. “I really do work at it.I re-fold fabrics; the act of putting
them away is cathartic for me!”
Pale-pink walls—the pretty
hue is Oriental Lily from Sydney
Harbour—provide an effervescent
and unexpected backdrop for a
space that doubles as a designlaboratory and meeting place.
“It’s so nice to invite people to my
office to have coffee and catch
up—or to have a commiserating
session in an industry that can
be very isolating,” Caulkins says.
Clients stop by to brainstorm orAbove: Pups Minnie (left) and Donzi hang
out in designer Ramey Caulkins’ office,
which shows off leafy wallpaper from
Wallshoppe, a pair of vintage Baker chairs,
and a custom daybed from Griffin Design
Source. Right: The office’s charming exteriorIN THE OFFICE, CONTINUEDcontinued 56 | 5280 HOME | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019
Turns out, being uncere-
moniously fired can be aticket to glory. So it was for Buf-
falo, New York–born and –bred
Ramey Caulkins, who got the
axe at an internship in public
relations—her first gig after
college. “I was fired from a job
I wasn’t even getting paid for!”
she laughs. Caulkins quickly re-
routed after finding her passion
for interior design and rose to
the top brass at Ann Sacks in
Chicago and Kohler in Denver
before opening her own firm,
Griffin Design Source, in 2004.
Now, Caulkins boomerangs
between projects in glitterati
meccas (Nantucket! Aspen! Palm
Springs!) and her style-forward
HQ, which is housed in an 1890s
cottage next to her own home in
North Washington Park.
Caulkinscoziedupthe
1,350-square-foot “home office” in
maximalist style. There is a wall
upholstered in Sister Parish’s Ce-
cil Stripe pattern; a sitting area
composed of a rotating collection
of re-covered chairs and sofas
from the resale site Chairish; and
built-in bookshelves brimming
with sisal baskets for corralling
fabric samples. “I love the way
the Los Angeles showrooms
have their fabrics laid out with
samples super accessible,”
Caulkins says of the inspiration
for the Instagrammable display—
which is, by the way, as organized
asit looks. “I really do work at it.I re-fold fabrics; the act of putting
them away is cathartic for me!”
Pale-pink walls—the pretty
hue is Oriental Lily from Sydney
Harbour—provide an effervescent
and unexpected backdrop for a
space that doubles as a designlaboratory and meeting place.
“It’s so nice to invite people to my
office to have coffee and catch
up—or to have a commiserating
session in an industry that can
be very isolating,” Caulkins says.
Clients stop by to brainstorm orAbove: Pups Minnie (left) and Donzi hang
out in designer Ramey Caulkins’ office,
which shows off leafy wallpaper from
Wallshoppe, a pair of vintage Baker chairs,
and a custom daybed from Griffin Design
Source. Right: The office’s charming exteriorIN THE OFFICE, CONTINUED56 | 5280 HOME | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019