Written by Natalie Aldridge.
Designer and lifelong lover of beautiful things, Paloma Contreras has built a wonderfully stylish world of her own that we have long admired. As an interior designer myself, there are a handful of designers I admire not only for their work, but also for their undeniable work ethic and multifaceted approach to their careers. Paloma is certainly one of them.
Known for interiors that are feminine, polished, and deeply livable, the Houston-based designer has a knack for balancing timeless elegance with just the right amount of glamour. While her path to design was not conventional, her natural eye and clear passion for interiors have brought her from high school Spanish teacher to her beloved blog, La Dolce Vita, to Visual Comfort, and ultimately to becoming one of today’s most admired designers.
Today, Paloma’s creative pursuits span her eponymous design firm, two books, collections for Visual Comfort and Schumacher, her Houston shop, Paloma & Co., and, most recently, The Install: Life & Design podcast with fellow designer and friend Caroline Gidiere. In all honesty, there is nothing Paloma can’t do.
We are delighted to welcome the ELLE Decor “A-Lister” to The Glam Pad today for a Style Profile Q&A to talk treasured antiques, creative life, what’s inspiring her now, and of course, a look at her beautiful work.
Welcome, Paloma!
Q: Please tell us about your design firm, how you got started, and what types of projects you work on?
A: I started my interior design firm, Paloma Contreras Design, in 2013. I majored in Spanish and Italian Studies, so for the first four years post-graduation, I worked as a high school Spanish teacher. While I enjoyed the subject matter, teaching never felt like quite the right fit. I started a design blog called La Dolce Vita in 2007, and that really started to change the direction of my career. I left teaching in 2008 and started freelancing, or doing what we would now call being an influencer.
Eventually, I was offered the role of Director of Marketing for the lighting manufacturer Visual Comfort, where I oversaw a variety of initiatives, including the launch of the Aerin Lauder collection. Over time, I got the itch to do my own thing and left in 2013 to start my design firm. That relationship has come full circle, as I have designed a lighting collection for Visual Comfort since 2022.
I’ve written two books, Dream Design Live and The New Classic Home. I also design a textile collection for Schumacher and will be launching a new rug collection later this year. In addition to my design firm, I also own a curated home store called Paloma & Co. We have a robust e-commerce presence as well as a brick-and-mortar store on River Oaks Boulevard. When we aren’t working on design projects in Houston and throughout the U.S., you can catch me recording my podcast, The Install, with my co-host Caroline Gidiere, writing our Substack, The Install Edit, or hanging out with my husband and our young daughter.
Q: How would you describe your personal style in three words?
A: Timeless, Collected, Gracious
Q: What is the most treasured object in your home, and what is the story behind it?
A: This is so hard to answer because I truly believe that an object does not truly belong in your home unless you love it. I have a 19th-century French chest with beautiful marquetry on the drawer fronts that I purchased at my first antiques fair in France. It was one of the first major antiques I purchased for our home and reminds me of my first sourcing trip abroad, so it will always have special meaning to me.
Q: When did you first fall in love with beautiful homes and know you wanted to pursue design as a career?
A: I have always been drawn to beauty and beautiful homes. As a young child, I remember visiting my grandparents in Mexico and fawning over the Spanish Colonial architecture there. I’ve always loved beautiful gardens and fashion as well. However, I didn’t start to pursue it as a career until maybe 15 years ago, well into adulthood. At that point, I had been writing my former blog, La Dolce Vita, for several years and had begun dipping my toe into interior design.
Q: What is a luxury you believe is always worth the investment?
A: Business Class airfare on long international flights
Q: What are three things currently inspiring you?
A: My five-year-old daughter, Margot, is my muse. I just adore seeing the world through her eyes. I was on a Chinoiserie tour of England back in May, and since then, I have become completely obsessed with English country houses and gardens. We recently started a Substack for our podcast called The Install Edit, and I am obsessed with it. At my core, I think I am a writer and an editor, not just a designer, so it feels like a homecoming to me since I wrote a blog from 2007–2022 and have written two books. I am loving this creative outlet.
Q: Which city consistently inspires you?
A: Paris—As cliché as it sounds, it is impossible for me to return without feeling completely energized and inspired by Paris. It is truly the most beautiful city, and I’ve visited enough times now that it feels familiar. I have my favorite places to stay, shop, and eat and rarely deviate from that.
Q: What are you working on next that we can look forward to?
A: I have a new collection of beautiful, handmade rugs debuting with L&M Carpets at High Point Market in October. We’ve been working on the collection for a while, and I am very excited because I think it offers a lot of design ideas that we haven’t seen applied to rugs yet.
Q: Your new podcast, The Install: Life & Design, gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at creativity, business, and the realities of the design world. What conversations are you most excited to have?
A: Caroline and I want these conversations to feel very organic. Each week, we share candid conversations about the work we do, the lives we’re building, and the ideas inspiring us along the way. From running a creative business and navigating growth to travel, culture, personal style, and the lessons learned behind the scenes, the podcast gives listeners an honest look at what it really means to live a creative life.
Some episodes are just the two of us, reflecting and sharing what’s top of mind; others feature thoughtful conversations with designers and creative voices we admire. The Install is an inviting space for designers, creatives, and anyone who loves beautiful ideas, meaningful work, and intentional living.
Q: What’s been the most surprising part of starting a podcast?
A: I think we both anticipated that it would add some work to our plates and that there would be a learning curve. We are also genuinely good friends in real life, so I knew that it would be fun to do this with my friend, but I have been pleasantly surprised by how much I look forward to it each week. It is so fun to get to see your friend, gab for an hour, and have people respond so nicely to those conversations.
Thank you, Paloma for joining us today!
To learn more, please visit Paloma Contreras Interior Design and follow @palomacontrerasdesign on Instagram for ongoing inspiration.
x Natalie
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