Djalna McSween
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would you live? A modern beach house on the Brazillian coast.
What are three words to describe your style?
1. Functional
2. Rule-bending
3. Uplifting
Tell us about your childhood bedroom: I moved 7 times during my childhood and shared a bedroom with cousins or siblings for most of that time. I remember laughter, pressing against concrete walls to stay cool, and savvy storage solutions.
What’s the first investment piece you ever bought for your house? My first investment piece was my Min bed and nightstands designed by Luciano Bertoncini for Design Within Reach. It’s been 7 years and it’s still in good condition. I like the clean minimalist lines as they work well with the constant design changes I make in my bedroom.
In the history of design, if you could hire any designer other than yourself, who would it be?
Deceased: Charlotte Perriand / Living: Anishka Clarke
No room is complete without a touch of nature.
People think of me as laid back, but I am really passionate about the things I do.
Things you omit from:
A flower arrangement: Hydrangeas
An hors d’oeuvre platter: Shrimp cocktail
A bar cabinet: Jagermeister
A song for:
Dinner at home: Wild is the Wind - Nina Simone
Working at your desk: Wave - Antônio Carlos Jobim
Going for a run: Warming Up (Top Soil Riddim) - Adam O
Biggest Vice? Caramel cheddar popcorn
If you were on an Ambien high and internet shopping, what would you buy? I would buy a Tonal home gym. It has all the equipment you need in a compact design.
Do your clothes reflect your design sensibility, if so, how? My fashion, like my designs, are functional for the most part with pops of fun and colorful pieces.
Who is your star crush? Jonathan Majors
What is the thing you would never do on a project, but don’t detest when you see others do it?
Never say never, but placing a chandelier over a bathtub gives me pause.
If there were a fire, and you could only keep one design book, what would it be? Wild Interiors: Beautiful plants in beautiful spaces by Hilton Carter. If I was to lose my plant babies in a house fire I’d need Hilton’s book to get me back on track with inspiration and care tips. Wild Interiors is a must have for any houseplant collector.
For posterity, what would you like your work to be known for? I would like my work to be known for positively impacting lives through functional, culturally authentic and personality-driven design.
A Few Favorites:
Movie: Amélie
Book: 100 Years of Solitude - Gabriel García Márquez
Scent: Flora by Gucci
The fabric you always come back to: Belgian Linen
Dream project: An oceanside villa in South Africa
Meal: Fried snapper in creole sauce with peas and rice, coleslaw, sweet plantains and passion fruit juice.
Drink: Gin and tonic
Hotel: Rosewood Little Dix Bay Virgin Gorda
Travel Destination: Visiting my family in the US Virgin Islands.
Artist: Bisa Butler and La Vaughn Belle
A cause near and dear to me: The Family Resource Center, Inc., formerly Women’s Resource Center, a private non-profit agency that provides free programs and services for victims of crime in the US Virgin Islands.
Thing to collect obsessively: Houseplants
Era in the history of design: Mid-Century Modern
Museum: The Getty
Paint Color that always looks great: Dove Wing by Benjamin Moore
Favorite person to follow on Instagram: @amauryguichon
Dogs, Cats, or No Pets? I have two bossy tabbies, Lunar & Nova.
