Talk Shop: Erin Gates // Erin Gates Design
Photo by Sarah Winchester
ABOUT ERIN
Erin Gates is one of our most favorite people to follow on Instagram – her behind the scenes looks at both design and motherhood are always real, and never staged – and we love her for that. (Not to mention, she is crazy talented.)
Erin started her award winning design blog, Elements of Style, in 2007, and soon after founded her eponymous firm. Since then she’s published two books, Elements of Style: Designing A Home & A Life and Elements of Family Style: Elegant Spaces for Everyday Life, all while designing homes from Maine to California and making a name for herself on the New York Times Bestseller’s list – no easy feat.
With work published in magazines like InStyle, and Better Homes & Gardens, Erin’s work is nationally recognized, and with good reason. The multi-hyphenate also designs home accessory and rug collections (with killer kilims that we use frequently at AOI!), as well as various other product collaborations.
Erin lives in Newton, MA with her husband, adorable son and daughter, and two “very bad dogs.” We loved catching up with Erin, and hope you do too!
Describe your style in three words or less:
Modern Traditional
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
My parents and their various homes over the years, my boarding school in high school and my absolute adoration of design magazines.
How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:
I started my company in 2007 after my blog started getting some traction and people started asking me to help them with small aspects of design- picking a couch or paint color. We’re talking really small jobs here! I gave myself one year to see if I could get it to be profitable and it worked!
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
I’d say my dad has been a mentor career-wise. He did not go to school for architecture, and yet taught himself how to design houses and built an amazing firm that has done HUGE jobs. It’s pretty incredible. As for my love of fashion, it’s a combination of my mother, always so put together and stylish, and our family’s clothing store that was around for generations. I spent a lot of time growing up amongst the racks there.
What does your home say about you:
It says I HAVE KIDS! LOL, I’m kidding, sort of. My house is a nice mix of old bones, new details, modern and traditional decor. It’s collected over time and isn’t uptight or stuffy. It allows for the messes and insane amount of crap that comes with little kids :)
Where do you find inspiration:
Instagram! OMG, the design talent that is out there that will never reach the pages of print publications is astonishing. It’s SO hard to get published, so it’s the most incredible vehicle to share and collect ideas from people all over the world who are so worthy of admiration.
Who are your style icons:
Aerin Lauder, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O, Lee Radziwill
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Great cocktails and food that is easy to prepare and serve. No one wants a stressed out hostess, so I love to have lots of wine at the ready and to order from our favorite BBQ place and decant everything into pretty dishes to serve.
Do you collect anything:
I don’t.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
@rachelhalvorson, @heatherchadduck, @m.elle.design, @stevecordony.
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
I always make sure rugs are big enough that at least two feet of all seating is on it in a living room and that the chairs in a dining room don’t go off it when pulled out and also to hang all window treatments as high as possible. Rules I break? That you can’t mix metals or wood tones in one room, that you shouldn’t paint small spaces dark colors or use bigger furniture pieces in them.
What are you working on right now:
We’re working on an amazing, historical townhouse in Boston’s Back Bay (combining two townhouses into one actually), two new construction homes we’re involved in from the ground up on in MA and CT and another historic home in CT that has some really cool details. We’re super busy right now, which is great given the state of the world.
Wardrobe staples:
JEANS (everyday), driving moccasins, V neck cashmere sweaters, striped ¾ sleeve tees.
Best interior advice you ever received:
Wait to buy what you love as opposed to buying something just to fill a space.
Best career advice you ever received:
To go out on my own- scary, but oh so worth it in the end.
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
Invest in: sofas/seating, antiques, art, custom window treatments
Save: Accessories, rugs (my dogs ruin them all)
Your greatest extravagance:
Full time childcare at home- I know not everyone can have that, and it allows me to work and focus on myself.
Favorite places to shop for home:
Jayson Home, Ballard Designs, Williams Sonoma Home, Chairish/1st Dibs, CB2, small antique stores- and lots of trade vendors.
Your interiors motto:
Only buy what you love, never buy just to fill a space or because something is on sale.
Your life motto:
Just keep swimming.
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Look through your Pinterest boards and IG saved images and try to find the common thread through them all. You may not realize you’re drawn to very specific details and styles. But also, don’t feel you need to define your style!
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Anything with a salty/sweet combo
Drink: Wine/ lime basil gimlets
Film: Bridesmaids or Something’s Gotta Give
Hotel: Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay
City: Paris
Bedding: Matouk
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Coffee- lots of cream and a Splenda
Playlist: Podcasts- Armchair Expert is my current fave
Weekend Activity: Taking walks with my kids outside
Design Book: Can I say my own??? LOL