Home Tour: A Textile Designer’s Preppy, Feminine Space
Just as fast as children grow out of their tiny shoes, they grow out of their cribs, lose interest in toys, and soon enough want a room of their own—and a phone, too, Mom! Such is the challenge of decorating as a mother. When interior and textile designer Caitlin Wilson moved into her Portland home two years ago, her goal was not only to create an aesthetic that reflected her family’s personality, but also to accommodate her growing family’s needs.
With three young children, including an 11-month-old, Caitlin and her husband, Brigham, needed a space that suited playtime and homework hour—yet embraced her unique, classically influenced eclectic style. After living there for a year, the designer realized the layout of the home wasn’t functioning for their lifestyle. “We ultimately decided to turn the dining room into a playroom so my kids could be close enough to me if I’m in the kitchen or at my desk,” she says. “Now I always advise my clients [to do the same].”
The designer also got smart with her furniture, investing in a crib that would later convert to a bed, and outfitting her children’s bedrooms with bookshelves that they could use for years to come, whether they’re styled with toys or textbooks.
Like her designs, Wilson’s home is notably bright and cheerful. “My color palette was inspired by the most recent textile collection of watercolor patterns in The Portland Collection,” she says. But she adds that since moving to Portland, her colors “are becoming less feminine but more concentrated.” Of course, the space also features many of her products, from geometric-print pillows to Persian-inspired rugs to tufted benches.
Some of Wilson’s most loved pieces aren’t her own designs, but serendipitous finds. “My favorite finds are my marble-and–faux-bamboo brass tables, which I scored off eBay,” she says. “I also love my wingback chairs that I had reupholstered in leopard linen. They are so incredibly versatile!” The mix of Hollywood Regency–style pieces with her own preppy, chic designs is a perfect fit. Faux bamboo and a bit of gilding gorgeously complement her Chinoiserie-inspired floral prints and dusty pastels.
Despite the fact that the textile designer has brought home some of her work, so to speak, it feels restrained. “I am constantly looking at my patterns and working through designs at my office, so I try to keep it toned down at home,” she says. “I’ve kept relatively simple when it comes to furniture so my patterns can really make a statement.” Thankfully, when you have great style, “simple” looks incredibly chic.
Caitlin Wilson Berry Deco Pillow ($50)
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