Marea Clark
photo by Paul Dyer
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would you live? At this time in my life with three young kids and living in San Francisco, I would have a home on the beach in Cabo. Easy flight, easy time change and spicy margaritas!
What are three words to describe your style?
1. Timeless
2. Inviting
3. Sophisticated
Tell us about your childhood bedroom? I grew up in an old carriage house surrounded by a horse farm in Kentucky. My uncle is an architect and renovated the home with my mom to make it fitting for our family of five. She painted the exterior a sunny yellow. My room was faux painted a pale blue which felt like clouds. It was a wonderful place to grow up.
What’s the first investment piece you ever bought for your house? It wasn't necessarily a financial but more of an emotional investment. I purchased a 100 year old breakfast table for my growing family when we moved into our current home in Cow Hollow, San Francisco. I wanted a table that we could all pile around and enjoy family meals together. It needed to be something that didn't feel too precious and had quite a bit of patina to it as my kids are still quite young and heavy handed with their cutlery :)
n the history of design, if you could hire any designer other than yourself, who would it be?
Robert Kime
No room is complete without something old.
People think of me as chill, but I am really not.
Things you omit from:
A flower arrangement: Lilies - too messy!
An hors d’oeuvre platter: Pickled anything
A bar cabinet: Shot glasses
A song for:
Dinner at home: Hey Ma, Bon Iver
Working at your desk: Location, Khalid
Going for a run: Anything hip hop 2000’s
Biggest Vice? Fries and Champagne
If you were on an Ambien high and internet shopping, what would you buy? Plane tickets and a stay at a really indulgent hotel.
Do your clothes reflect your design sensibility, if so, how? Yes. I like to invest in classic foundational pieces like good denim and cashmere and then layer in fun accessories like handbags and shoes.
Who is your star crush? David Beckham is pretty cute.
What is the thing you would never do on a project, but don’t detest when you see others do it?
Using a lot of black.
If there were a fire, and you could only keep one design book, what would it be? I find myself reaching for Gil Shafer’s The Great American House as well as Steven Gambrel’s Persepective often.
For posterity, what would you like your work to be known for? Bringing joy, bringing people together, feeling warm and comfortable and interesting.
photo by Stephanie Russo
A Few Favorites:
Movie: The Sound of Music
Book: The Alchemist
Scent: Currently Regime de Fleurs Himitsu
The fabric you always come back to: Holland and Sherry Wool Sateen
Dream project: Old home with beautiful bones and a client with an affinity for art and antiques
Meal: Pasta
Drink: Negroni
Hotel: Heckfield Place is a recent favorite.
Travel Destination: Morocco, Egypt and India are next on my list.
Artist: I love artists that are whimsical. The gestural nature and color of Cy Twombly is a dream. I also recently purchased a butterfly sculptural piece for my home by Paul Vallinski that I love.
A cause near and dear to me: I sit on the Board of Children of Shelters in San Francisco which helps to eliminate childhood homelessness.
Thing to collect obsessively: Tableware
Era in the history of design: I love exploring the opulence of Baroque design
Museum: I recently went to the Sir Robert Soane Museum and really enjoyed it
Paint Color that always looks great: White Dove Benjamin Moore
Favorite person to follow on Instagram: Dr Becky? Haha, I like quick parenting tips sprinkled in among all of the design eye candy on my instagram feed
Dogs, Cats, or No Pets? I have three small kids and a pet Bearded Dragon!
