Elizabeth Burch, founder of Elizabeth Burch Interiors, is the kind of designer who shows up with a mood board in one hand and a large latte in the other. Whether starting from scratch, or for those who just need help pulling things together, her firm offers a one-stop shop. Elizabeth’s goal is not to make a home look like a showroom, but to make it feel tailored and reflect each client’s personal story with plenty of color, pattern, and thoughtful detail. When she’s not designing, you’ll find her chasing her twins, fluffing a pillow mid-sentence, or talking someone out of demoing their perfectly good kitchen. Because sometimes, all it takes is the right lighting and a killer paint job.
We are delighted to welcome Elizabeth to The Glam Pad today for a Style Profile Q&A and a look at her beautiful portfolio. Welcome, Elizabeth!
Q: When did you fall in love with interior design and decide to pursue it as a career?
A: I’ve always been the person rearranging furniture, moving lamps around and mentally redecorating other people’s houses. However, I didn’t start out thinking I would become an interior designer. I was a teacher for eight years, and EBI really started with me sharing little vignettes and projects on Instagram. Friends started asking for help, then friends of friends, and it snowballed from there. Five years later, we’re working on 12–15 projects at any given time, which is much bigger than I ever imagined when I started.
Q: How do you describe your style, and how has it evolved over the years?
A: I always have a hard time putting my style into one category, but I’d probably call it collected, colorful and rooted in traditional design without taking itself too seriously. I love mixing periods whether it’s a traditional sofa with a midcentury chair, an antique chest next to something contemporary. Over the years I’ve become much less interested in making everything coordinate and much more interested in whether a room has personality. I think the best rooms are a little unexpected.
Q: Where do you find inspiration, and do you have any favorite coffee table books?
A: Old houses are probably my biggest source of inspiration. I love traveling somewhere new and looking at the architecture, hotels, restaurants and antique stores as much as anything else. I also save images constantly: rooms, fabrics, paint combinations, furniture, even color combinations I see completely outside of interiors. For coffee table books, I love Memories of Home by Heidi Callier.
Q: What is the first thing you do when you begin working with a new client, and how do you go about working with what they already have?
A: I listen first. I want to understand how they actually live, what bothers them about the house and what they already love before I start trying to solve anything. I definitely don’t think everything needs to be replaced just because you’re hiring a designer. If you have a great antique from your grandmother or a sofa you genuinely love, I’d much rather figure out how to make it work. Those are usually the things that keep a house from looking as if it were ordered all at once.
Q: What is the secret to designing a home that feels cozy and “like home”?
A: Lighting! I walk into a room and immediately want to start turning on lamps. Overhead lighting alone can make even a beautiful room feel cold. Beyond that, I think coziness comes from layers like lamps, books, art, textiles, things you’ve collected and pieces that have some age to them. A home should tell you something about the people who live there.
Q: Do you have any favorite or “signature” paints, wallpapers, linens, antiques, etc. you enjoy incorporating into your designs?
A: I don’t know that I have one signature product, but there are definitely things that show up again and again in our work. I love a stripe, a floral, grasscloth, warm woods, brass and really good vintage or antique pieces. I’m also a big believer in using paint beyond just the walls. We love painting a contrasting trim, or ceiling to add something exciting.
Q: Can you share any tips for creating a home that is beautiful yet durable and kid friendly?
A: I have two kids, so I’m never designing a house where anyone has to be afraid to sit down. Performance fabrics have gotten so good that there’s really no reason to sacrifice beauty for durability anymore. Vintage rugs are also incredibly forgiving, and I love materials that actually look better with a little wear. More than anything, buy things at the right scale and make sure the room functions for your real life. A beautiful room nobody wants to use isn’t very appealing.
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
A: Give your house time. I think there’s so much pressure now to finish every room immediately, but the homes I love most feel like they’ve evolved over years. Buy the piece you really love, leave a wall empty until you find the right thing, or bring something home from a trip. Collecting slowly is usually what gives a home its personality!
Thank you, Elizabeth, for joining us today!
To learn more, please visit Elizabeth Burch Interiors and follow @elizabethburchinteriors on Instagram for ongoing inspiration.
