Style Profile: Julia Amory of India Amory
For Julia Amory, founder of India Amory, creating a lifestyle brand was her destiny. Julia’s stepgrandmother is Alexandra Stoddard, the celebrated lifestyle expert and author almost two dozen books including Creating a Beautiful Home and Living a Beautiful Life: 500 Ways to Add Elegance, Order, Beauty and Joy to Every Day of Your Life. And Julia’s husband, Minot, happens to know a thing or two about lifestyle brands as well. His great aunt was the late Lilly Pulitzer.
Julia developed the concept for India Amory in 2016 while searching for printed fabric to use for the tables at her beautiful wedding in Southampton. Unable to find the perfect print at an affordable price, she decided to design her own pattern using the Indian block print technique and produce the napkins and tablecloths herself. Julia was so inspired by the process that she left her career in financial services to follow her true passion by developing the India Amory brand. Today, I am delighted to welcome Julia for a Q&A!
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: In all elements of style I have always gravitated towards what my family calls “happy colors.” I grew up in a house where we believed that beige is not a color and we simply “could not cope with taupe” – the exception being camel hair coats. Growing up in New York in the ‘90s – this wasn’t a particularly “en vogue” approach to style. In both my personal style as well as home decor I believe that simple lines and saturated colors are an unbeatable combination. I don’t do trends.
Q: Who have been your greatest role models?
A: My grandparents, Alexandra Stoddard and Peter Brown are among my greatest role models. My grandfather passed away several years ago but I grew up spending a tremendous amount of time with them in both New York City, where I also grew up and in Stonington, CT where they have a summer home.
In a day in age where people wear flip flops on planes, I don’t think that I ever saw my grandfather not wearing a coat and tie. This isn’t to say there was an unnecessary formality to the way they lived, rather an elegance and a wholistic approach to the pursuit of living a beautiful life! There was certainly a degree of eccentricity that went along with that – matching your chopsticks to your Shanghai Tang tunic (for dinner in restaurants) was a must and underlining the New York Times with a hot pink ballpoint pen over breakfast (also always in a restaurant) was a daily ritual. They lived in a rose colored world of Porthault, Pucci and spontaneous jaunts to Paris and Bermuda – it wasn’t always “real life” but it was a wonderful fantasy to be exposed to growing up!
Art has always been a tremendous part of my understanding and approach to style. My mother took me to children’s classes at MoMA every Saturday when I was growing up and trips to the MET were a weekly adventure. I strongly believe that exposure to art at a young age helps to shape one’s understanding and ability to work with color. I consider Roger Muhl to be one of my greatest sources of inspiration.
Lastly, my husband is the nephew of a great woman of style named Chessy Rayner and the home in which we spend summers in Southampton was designed and built by her. Chessy had a pioneering approach to decorating of mixing high and low before it was the chic thing to do. Her design firm MAC II has withstood the test of time, their work still feels relevant 20 years later. I’ve very much taken the high-low philosophy to heart with India Amory. Minot is also the great nephew of Peter and Lilly Pulitzer – obviously they’re icons and I consider them both tremendous role models!
Q: Please tell me more about the incredible family homes in which you and your husband grew up. How did these beautiful surroundings help shape your own style?
A: I’ll use this opportunity to talk about my husband Minot’s house in Palm Beach which was decorated by his grandmother Chessy Patcevitch – she was an incredibly stylish woman who I never had the opportunity to meet but who personified the kind of elegance that rarely exists in this day in age. Her husband was a man named Iva Patcevitch who ran Condé Nast – they were very glamorous! There is a tremendous amount of sophistication and balance with Big Chessy’s approach to style – playful colors are always grounded with important antiques and stripes are always rooted with more saturated deep color.
Q: I’m dying to hear more about your grandmother Alexandra Stoddard’s linen closet… That must have been such an inspiration!
A: Alexandra is perhaps the most stylish woman I’ve ever known – even her linen closet is perfect. In the Internet age – what you see is not always what you get. There’s can often be an element of falsehood in Instagram. With Alexandra what you see is what you get – that linen closet wasn’t styled for a shoot, that’s what it really looks like! She also has a ribbon closet (I know) and that was in their apartment in New York….She’s taught me that living elegantly is not about how you look when you leave the house but rather how the grace with which you live your life. When I was growing up, we would have dates to work on interior projects in my grandparents beautiful apartment in New York – these projects were more often that not working on things that nobody but someone who really SEES color and style would ever appreciate. We would paint the interior of her kitchen cabinets chartreuse, or re-grout the Portugese tiles on the floor of the front hall closet! And of course there was the ironing….Alexandra taught me to appreciate the the “zen” that comes with “pressing” your belongings – even your undies! As the owner of such an extensive Porthault collection I suppose it’s totally necessary but it is also a very calming exercise! My appreciation for beautiful linens and textiles from such a young age certainly lead me to what i’m doing now!
Q: Who are your favorite interior designers and style icons? Where do you find inspiration?
A: The Prince of Chintz – Mario Buatta, Eleanor McMillen Brown, Alexandra Stoddard and Chessy Rayner! 1960s Palm Beach makes me want to build a time machine and set the clock back. Slim Aarons photography makes my heart beat faster and the paintings of Roger Muhl make me want to pack up, move to the South of France and never look back. I’ve also always had a deep affinity for 18th century France and the garden design of Andre Le Notre.
Q: You had the most beautiful fairytale wedding, and I love that it was what inspired you to create your company. How can other brides use India Amory products for their own weddings?
A: Thank you! The wedding was so special not only because of the significance for Minot and myself but because it was the genesis of India Amory. The first fabric I had printed we ended up using for all of the tablecloths as well as the robes for the bridesmaids and boxers for the boys. Unfortunately as you’re working out the kinks of a new company (and developing prototypes in India) the boxers arrived with no opening in the front….needless to say the boys were good sports and we have fixed the problem since!
India Amory now offers full custom options for brides – custom robes and linens are such a fabulous way to create a unique event and we’re really aiming to do that at an accessible price point! We’re currently working with lots of brides and can’t wait to share the photos of their respective weddings!
Q: What are your top tips for stylish entertaining?
A: Do EVERYTHING in advance. I sweat the small stuff – I can’t help it! The visual element of a dinner party is perhaps more important to me than the food so I always like to leave myself lots of time to have fun with the part I personally enjoy the most which is the aesthetic component. I’m also addicted to both Amazon Prime and eBay for home accessories. This is not a sexy tip just a useful one. There is nothing you can’t find for your table by typing it in to either Amazon or eBay – it’s a great way to find things you haven’t seen in stores and save some money. And of course, printed tablecloths are a fantastic way to immediately create a finished looking table – owning rattan chargers that you can put on top of any printed tablecloth is such a fast way to create a complete looking table.
Q: What are five luxuries you could not live without in the home?
A: I’ll give you about eight because I can’t cut down to five!
- Gracie and Hudson – our English Cream Dauchshund and our lab mix. Nobody cares – but if you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see them pop up. There’s a lot of personality there.
My India Amory ankle length robe – it’s really more of a dressing robe, but perfect for looking civilized (when you’re not feeling it!). - Scent is nostalgic and Rigaud Cypress candles make me think of childhood.
- Printed tablecloths and napkins – you could be serving macaroni and cheese but really all that matter is that you have a “happy table!”
- Preserved boxwood. You can buy these preserved boxwood balls anywhere -they’re inexpensive, never die and really do make things feel a bit more “green” in the middle of an atomic Northeastern winter.
- Curtains and rugs and duvets. I’ve got a thing about all three. I don’t like a naked looking bed – which means at least two duvets, one on the bed, one at the foot and about six pillow – two Euro, two standard, one neckroll and one boudoir. Curtains – can’t cope with a naked window. And rugs – even if it’s just a sisal area rug, it instantly makes a space feel more complete.
Q: What are your long-term goals for India Amory?
A: To bring beautiful linens and custom pieces to the market in an accessible way that makes it fun to entertain! We’ve got a lot cooking – stay tuned!
Thank you, Julia, for sharing an inside glimpse into your fabulous world! India Amory currently offers a beautiful assortment of table linens, robes, and pareos. Custom designs are also available for fabric and wallpaper in a limitless array of colors and patterns. And for parties and weddings, India Amory offers beautiful and affordable solutions to large scale needs. For additional information, please visit India Amory, and follow along via Instagram for daily inspiration. I cannot wait to watch as this fascinating new brand blossoms!
Aerin Lauder’s New Palm Beach Inspired Collection for Williams Sonoma
Inspired by her family’s home in Palm Beach, Aerin Lauder has unveiled her new AERIN Collection for Williams Sonoma, and I want one of everything! The collection of more than 120 products was inspired by Aerin’s personal philosophy that living beautifully should be effortless. The assortment includes tabletop and entertaining pieces inspired by traditional blue and white Delft pottery, hand painted cachepots, sculptural pieces, decorative metal and ceramic objects, and artwork.
“Palm Beach was a significant influence on the collection, particularly the color of the sea, the palms, tropical flowers, and shells,” Aerin said. “I have wonderful memories of sunny days collecting shells on the beach with my sister and they’re a recurring theme in the series, from shell-handled cheese knifes to shell-embroidered pillows.”
The tabletop collection reflects Aerin’s alfresco gatherings with family and friends in Palm Beach. She wanted to recapture those summery, relaxed meals via Delft china-inspired dinnerware with a twist, mixing and matching patterns and styles.
The collection’s decorative accessories and furniture also look to nature, including bamboo and wicker for a casual look.
The home décor items include Chinoiserie florals and coastal-inspired motifs, natural fibers such as raffia and linen, and a muted pastel color palette with gold accents. The assortment includes pillows, bedding, hand painted cachepots and sculptural pieces, decorative metal and ceramic objects, artwork, chandeliers and table lamps in exclusive finishes.
The lighting selection of chandeliers, pendants, and table lamps are influenced by flowers and tropical plants as well as the opalescent quality of sea glass, with gold accents.
Pillow designs include floral-inspired textiles and shell embroidery.
Click items below to shop my favorites from Aerin’s new collection!
Click here to shop the AERIN Collection for Williams Sonoma, and for special behind the scenes videos with Aerin in Palm Beach, click here and here. If you don’t already own Aerin’s book, Beauty at Home, it is one of of my very favorites. It can be purchased via Amazon and William Sonoma. And to take my historic tour of Aerin’s family home in Palm Beach, please click here.
Classic Style with Maura Endres
As part of my ongoing series of Instagram home tours, today I am thrilled to welcome Maura Endres. Maura lives with her husband, four children (three will be in college next year), and two Newfoundlands just outside of Princeton, New Jersey. Her home is a basic cape, built in 1940, that she has designed to such perfection it rivals the work of any of today’s leading designers. When Maura isn’t busy inside the home, she dedicates her time to two important ministries – a soup kitchen in Trenton, New Jersey and an organization that helps serve the needs of seniors in her community. This talented lady is beautiful both inside and out! Let’s get to know more about Maura and take a peek inside her beautiful home…
Q: You have such exquisite taste, it is hard to believe you have no formal interior design training. How did you become interested in design, and where do you find inspiration?
A: First of all Andrea, I am flattered at your request to share my IG account with your readers, and for this chat today. Thank you! I guess you could say that my interest in design began in the loving home that I grew up in. Nothing fancy, but filled with personal touches and character. I always had an interest in the “Arts,” which is a major source of inspiration to me.
Q: How would you define your style?
A: That’s a good question! I never really embraced one particular style. I like simple lines, classic shapes, and interesting objects. I’ve always been attracted to “old” vs “new,” and if something does come into our home that is “new,” it is usually a reproduction piece.
Q: Who are your favorite designers – past and present – and what are your favorite interior design books?
A: Gosh, there are so many! Keeping it simple for you… past designer, Mark Hampton… Present designer, Bunny Williams. A short list of books that inspire me, and I revisit often are: Style By Saladino (John Saladino), Defining Luxury (Jeffrey Bilhuber), Decorating with Antiques (Caroline Clifton-Mogg), Point Of View (Bunny Williams), One Man’s Folly – Furlow Gatewood, Houses (Michael S. Smith), and Charlotte Moss Decorates… just to name a few.
Q: You have such a beautiful collection of antiques. What is the story behind them, and how do you so freshly mix the old with the new?
A: That book I mentioned above, Decorating with Antiques, is filled with lessons on mixing old and new. As for our collection, there are just a few really good antiques in our mix. Again, I usually buy simple lines that mix well with other styles or periods. They also never feel dated, and can be made to look current by a simple change of lamps or accessories.
Q: Can you please share your tips for collecting art and creating the perfect gallery wall?
A: We bought our first piece of art on our honeymoon (23 years ago) and have been collecting since then. Our thrift store pick-ups share the wall with antique oils, student works, and old landscape prints. I’d list consignment shops, auctions, and local art-fairs, as my favorite sources. In regards to the gallery wall, be prepared to add a few extra holes! Our living room gallery wall really needed to remain a bit neutral and have a defined color palette, as the dining room mural is right next door. I still fuss with it.
Q: How do you organize your extensive book and magazine collections? My house could use an intervention!
A: Our little library nook is at full capacity, so the stacks of books on tabletops is quickly growing. I try to keep all my design books in the living room, but there is no order to them what-so-ever. I update the round table seasonally for inspiration, so the gardening books will be coming out soon. I am fortunate to have a shallow case off our kitchen where all the magazines go.
Q: What are your favorite pastimes?
A: Spending time with family and friends, cooking, visiting galleries and museums, long walks, gardening in the summer, and sitting fireside in the winter with a big stack of books.
Bamboo flatware can be found here and here. Classic Willow Blue china can be found here.
Q: Do you have a go-to, easy recipe that is perfect for a busy weeknight?
A: Since receiving Ina Garten’s latest cookbook for Christmas, my pantry will never be without the ingredients to make the “Italian white beans & escarole!” So simple and delicious. I could eat it as a entree, but just add some grilled chicken or steak and it would satisfy anyone.
Q: Please tell me about the murals in your dining room.
A: I walked into a Princeton Show House about six years ago and saw this mural painted in a hallway. I loved the style and palette. The artist brought her sample to my house and I knew right away it was perfect. She added a few personal touches that add to the story of the landscape. Harry, the fallen baby squirrel that my kids took care of, is immortalized on these walls.
Q: What inspired you to start your Instagram account? So many followers, myself included, love getting an inside glimpse into your beautiful world.
A: Well, to start, I really love taking pictures, and it was a blog I was reading one day that showed pictures from someone’s account that peeked my interest. As a shelter magazine junkie, IG became another source of inspiration to me, and sharing my home just started to happen. I will also say that I started to think more about the home that I grew up in, and wished I had more photographs of the house and garden. We all have family albums with family pictures, but the surroundings are often overlooked, and not captured. I think my kids will enjoy looking back at these pictures one day.
Thank you, Maura, for welcoming us inside your home and for sharing more about yourself. What an inspiration! For more of Maura’s chic classic style, please follow her on Instagram.
