Style Profile: Caroline Gidiere
Caroline Gidiere was raised in a small town in the South where professional decorators “were not a thing.” She learned the important principals of interior design and fashion from watching her mother, a talented seamstress who wasn’t afraid of a complicated pattern or roll of wallpaper, and knew how to match a seam. Caroline’s mother created stylish and chic interiors and clothing for the family on a budget, guided primarily by her strict adherence to all things previously sanctioned by Jaqueline Onassis, Colonial Williamsburg, Princess Diana, Vogue, or Emily Post.
About 14 years ago, Caroline was working with one of my favorite architects, James F. Carter, on the design and build of her family home in Mountain Brook, Alabama. It was then that she decided to pursue her love of design, turning away from her career as a lawyer. Today, Caroline is sought after by her friends to help with their interiors, entertaining decisions, and daily fashion, and she has become an Internet sensation with her exquisite home and elegant portfolio. I expect we will see big things from this incredibly talented designer who has quickly become one of my favorites… And I am delighted to welcome Caroline to The Glam Pad for a Q&A!
Q: How do you describe you style:
A: Classic, sophisticated, timeless, but fresh.
Q: When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in interior design, and what was your previous profession?
About 14 years ago, I started working on designing and building our family home. During the process, I realized that I did not want to look to a decorator for direction, because I had very strong opinions on exactly how I wanted everything to look and I learned to trust my own judgment in that process. Also, being on such a tight budget, I had to roll up my sleeves up and do things, like the hardware schedule, myself. And, as I did those things, I realized not only that I could do them, but that I really enjoyed doing them – certainly much more than I enjoyed practicing law. After we built our house, friends began asking me for help choosing a paint color or a sofa, etc., and that just began to grow. On the flip side, I was kind of stuck in a moment with practicing law where it had been a safety-net but was not a good fit for where my life was then – a husband that travelled four or five days a week and two young children. My legal practice was mainly complex corporate and securities litigation, which was stressful and required long hours and a lot of extended travel, and so we were always on high alert around the house. My husband actually filed all of the paperwork to start my business and put it all in an accordion file, wrapped it, and put it under the tree one Christmas. When I opened it, he said, “It’s time.” It took me a year to get my plan together, resign, and start my design practice but I have never looked back. I am grateful for every single day in my design practice because I absolutely love it!!!
Q: Did your Southern upbringing influence your design aesthetic and style?
A: Certainly. Southern culture is built on a foundation of hospitality and entertaining. I grew up with my mother and grandmothers entertaining frequently with silver and linen napkins in their formal living rooms and dining rooms full of chintz and antiques. Although today, even in the South, everything is a bit more relaxed, I am very nostalgic for that way of life and that comes through in my design, although I am sensitive to keeping the design fresh. I am always chasing this moment for my clients between the sophistication of a formal living room and dining room and the comforts of the ubiquitous den/kitchen. I want to create amazingly beautiful living rooms and dining rooms for my clients that are inviting and are places where people want to sit down, lean back, and stay a minute, to grab a drink and catch up on what’s going on. We also live half-in- and half-outdoors because of the temperate climate in the South. Integrating the exterior seamlessly with the interior is important. How will you access the patio? How will a crowd circulate from inside to outside during a party? Where will you set up the bar? These are very important questions in the South.
Q: Your gorgeous home has become a social media star! Please tell me more about your inspiration for the architecture, the process, and what it was like working with the incredible James Carter?
A: James and I have been really good friends for a very long time, and certainly for many years before we started designing my house. I knew from day one that I wanted James to design it and that I wanted to build a Georgian, specifically, the George Wythe house on the Palace Green in Colonial Williamsburg – a classic Georgian with a hip roof. I grew up spending every summer vacation in Williamsburg and that house has always been my favorite. I also knew from the start that I wanted it to be white: white painted brick, white trim, and white shutters. At that time, James had never had an opportunity to do a Georgian and was thrilled at the prospect. At the outset, he was very concerned about the severity of the George Wythe house, particularly because of the way my house would have to be sited on the lot and the limitations of the lot itself. Given those limitations and because I wanted to paint everything white, he felt like it would end up being this very heavy white cube. We tussled back and forth a bit, because I was really sold on the perfection of the George Wythe house. James’s compromise was to add the arches, which was a stroke of brilliance. It literally took my breath away and they really make the house special. We came back a couple of years after completion – when my children got a bit older – to add the gates, which James noted was not a part of original plan. James wasn’t exactly sold on the idea. It took us over a year to land on the right note with those. James really nailed the look I was after, and I am extremely pleased with their contribution to the overall effect of the house. I loved and still love working with James. We were a good team because we really can speak frankly with each other and there is a good deal of trust between us as to each other’s taste.
Q: What interior designers and style icons – past and present – most inspire you?
A: My inspiration regularly changes. Different designers’ work speaks to me at different moments and depending on what I am currently working on. But, there are two designers, one past and one present, that I turn to time and again. First, from the past, I always look to Frances Elkins and I keep her book on my desk. Her work always hit the perfect pitch and, even today, reads fresh and modern, neither too formal or nor overwrought for how we live today. And, that is extraordinary for rooms completed almost a century ago. Present day, I think there is no one better than Daniel Romualdez. His work is varied but always perfection. As far as style icons, while I love the Babe Paleys and the Jackie Kennedys like everyone else, my personal style icons are always in the present and run from Claire Thomson Jonville – who I wish I could be – to Phoebe Philo, Jessica de Ruiter, and Virginie Mouzat. Each has an authenticity, is super chic, loves a clean line, and each walks the line between feminine and masculine in a super cool and sophisticated way.
Q: Where else do you find inspiration?
A: Certainly, travel is a jumping off point for me. I think I had been to twenty different countries before I graduated from college. I love to travel and soak up the different sights and smells and sounds, the different color palettes and textures of the different corners of the earth. I have the sense of cataloguing images in my brain for later use as I travel. But anything, really, can really fuel my creativity and kick start my flow.
Q: Do you have any favorite fabrics, paints, furnishings, etc., you particularly enjoy incorporating into your design?
A: First, I think every home is the better for the addition of a bouillotte lamp, and I really do not think you can have too many, assuming your home is not otherwise dominated by French furniture. I cannot live without Le Manach, Pierre Frey, Colefax & Fowler, and recently, Natalie Farman-Farma’s Décors Barbares. I am really having a wallpaper moment, although I really, really, really love fabric on the walls, but you do have to have the right budget for that.
Q: What are five possessions you could not live without?
A: 1) Chloe Camille Wedges, I live in them because they are comfortable and stylish;
2) My Smythson Soho Notebook, where I keep my running and never-ending To-Do list;
3) My Hermès Apple Watch, because the technology is super convenient, especially when you are walking around, but the look is fly;
4) Pilot V-Sign pens, because they unleash my best handwriting; and
5) Celine gold hoops, a Christmas gift from my husband. I wear them every single day.
Q: What are your favorite things to do when you are not designing?
A: Traveling with my husband and children is my jam, for sure. On a day-in-day-out basis, I love to cook. It helps me to unwind, allows my brain to wander, and gives me a quick sense of accomplishment. Also, I love to exercise.
Q: Anything else that you would like to add?
A: That I am so grateful and honored to be included on your blog! I have been such a huge fan for so long. It’s crazy to find myself here! Thank you for the opportunity!
Thank you so much Caroline for the kind words, and for joining us today! For additional information on Caroline Gidiere, please visit her website www.carolinegidiere.com and follow @carolinegidieredesign on Instagram for ongoing inspiration.
A Lovingly Restored Antebellum Home
Located in Columbus, Georgia, Jamie Harris had always admired a 1830s raised cottage set on several acres in midtown. Badly neglected, the home was hidden behind a tangle of brambles and bushes, but she could tell it had character. Years later Jamie heard it was coming up for sale, and she quickly arranged a visit before it officially went on the market. She and her husband, Rob, were leaving that day for a trip to Italy, but they were so taken with the property, they made an offer from the airport which was accepted.
The Harrises were no strangers to renovations, but nothing compared to the scale of this project. They worked with an architect and a builder who shared their commitment to honoring the integrity of the antebellum structure. For the interiors, Jamie was inspired by the soft neutral palettes she had seen in Italy. “I love the way the plaster walls, mouldings, and ceilings were all painted the same color there,” she told Victoria magazine. “I chose to do that in most rooms of this house, which shows off the architecture so beautifully — and it allows the patina of the antiques to show.” An avid collector, Jamie’s mélange of vintage antique pieces — including English and French furniture, creamware, majolica, tapestry fragments, and more — are beautifully displayed throughout the home.
This home tour was originally featured in the March/April 2019 issue of Victoria magazine with photography by John O’Hagan, text by Karen Callaway, and styling by Sidney Bragiel. Additional photography below was provided to The Glam Pad by Eliza Morrill Photography.
For more, please visit Victoria magazine, and you can follow Jamie @raised_cottage on Instagram. You might also recall the home of Marsha Mason, a friend of Jamie’s who also lives in Columbus, Georgia and was featured in Victoria… You can tour Marsha’s beautiful home here. If you don’t already have a subscription, I highly recommend subscribing to Victoria. I have been reading this magazine since I was 12 years old, and it is truly beautiful.
A Classic Colonial by Cece Barfield Thompson
When Heather and Saahil Mahajan purchased their new home in Larchmont, New York — a six-bedroom 1908 Colonial just two blocks from the ocean — they were ready to ditch the contemporary furnishings from their former residence. They wanted an updated take on the Parish-Hadley style, rooted in tradition with bold touches, said CeCe Barfield Thompson who was the perfect choice for the project due to her education in historic preservation and background as senior designer for Bunny Williams (a Parish-Hadley alumna). “I love the marriage of the old and the new, the feeling that rooms have a past and a future,” she told Flower magazine.
CeCe embraced the home’s historic character — beautiful bones, gorgeous natural light, and original parquet floors — while ensuring that it serves as a modern home for an active family with four young children and a standard poodle. Rugs and carpets were chosen with durability in mind, indoor/outdoor fabrics were incorporated for their performance, and a generous sprinkling of chintz was infused throughout. “Chintz is so Old World and glamorous, but it’s truly the most practical fabric,” said CeCe. “It hides stains beautifully, and it only looks better with age.” Antiques, art, and lighting were sourced by CeCe to create a layered, collected feel, and the colorful Chinoiserie wallpaper in the dining room defined the botanical feel and palette used downstairs.
Images below are by Lesley Unruh for Flower magazine and additional images, previously unpublished, were provided by CeCe Barfield Inc.
For more on this classic and elegant Colonial home, please visit Flower magazine and www.cecebarfieldinc.com. You can also follow @cecebarfieldthompson on Instagram for ongoing inspiration. To see more of CeCe’s work featured by The Glam Pad, please click on the links below…
Pioneer Linens: A Palm Beach Tradition Since 1912
Pioneer Linens, located in West Palm Beach, Florida, is fourth generation family owned for over 100 years since 1912. The Glam Pad loves companies with a rich history and family traditions, and today I am delighted to welcome Penny Murphy, president of Pioneer Linens, and her daughters Marissa, internet director and Camille Kubicek, store buyer. But first let’s start with the fascinating history of Pioneer Linens…
Pioneers Linens: Purveyors of Propriety
The story of Pioneer Linens is an example of The American Dream at its finest. The company was founded by Max Greenberg, who had entered the U.S. through Ellis Island alone and still a teenager. He moved to Lake Worth, which at the time was a frontier town without electricity or running water, with many inhabitants still living in tents. He opened Pioneer selling things such as dynamite to blow up tree stumps, saws, hammers, nails, doorknobs, washtubs, clothesline, Kerosene, and eventually furniture as more and more houses were built. By 1924, Pioneer Hardware and Furniture was the biggest retailer in the area.
In 1928, a category 5 hurricane struck the east Florida coast killing 2,500 people and causing $100 million in damage. Max Greenberg was wiped out. In the midst of the Great Depression, he and his family regrouped and moved a few miles north toward the burgeoning Palm Beach area. Instead of furniture, Pioneer would focus on more basic home needs such as towels, blankets, and rugs. Despite the difficult times, Max pursued his credo of high standards in quality, instilling the same business ethics in his son George.
George Greenberg began working for the family business at age eight. He graduated from college at the onset of WWII and enlisted in the U.S. Army. When he returned from war, he took the helm of Pioneer Linens, leading the company to become the luxury brand it is today. George died in 2007 at 92 years of age, passing the reins to his daughter Penny Murphy who had served as vice president since 1995. Penny made a crucial business move and took the company online, expanding Pioneer Linens’ reach from the Palm Beaches to a global customer base. Her son, Alan Murphy, Jr., great-grandson of Max Greenberg, worked with the company in 2005 until 2017, developing the white-glove service Yacht Linen division and pushing new growth opportunities forward in the 21st century. Penny’s two daughters also work for the family business with Marissa overseeing the e-commerce division, and Camille in-store buyer.
Pioneer Linens continues to offer the largest selection of current fashion in high-end linens, serving as a repository of factual information about lifelong quality in luxury goods. For example, generations of Palm Beach brides have relied upon Pioneer Linens to learn how a proper lady handles proper linens. “You get the diamond ring, then you get the Pioneer lesson,” reports the Palm Beach Post. While Pioneer Linens has changed with the times, one thing has remained the same… “There will always be people who want civility,” said Penny Murphy. Pioneer is not just a store. It is a purveyor of a genteel way of life.
Welcome Penny, Camille, and Marissa!
Q: Please tell me about the history of Pioneer Linens and how the company has evolved since its founding in 1912.
A: Pioneer Linens was founded by Austrian immigrant, Max Greenberg. The store started out as a hardware store as there was a land boom going on, and the settlers needed supplies to build their businesses and their homes.
As the towns grew, Pioneer began selling goods to help their customers’ homes become more comfortable by selling items such as ice boxes, furniture and kerosene lamps.
Q: Now in its fourth generation of leadership, how do you preserve the traditions and values of Pioneer Linens, but still evolve to meet modern needs?
A: From the basic home goods that Max sold, Pioneer Linens has now evolved into one of the leading fine linen stores in the nation. Max taught his son George to sell the best products, to respect his customers and that smart businesses had to change to meet the ever-changing needs of the community. George passed that advice on to his daughter, Penny Murphy. Penny is credited with starting the Pioneer Linens website: www.pioneerlinens.com. Penny passed that on to her two daughters, Marissa and Camille, who have also joined the family business.
Pioneer has also become a leading provider to the yachting industry as well as a favorite resource for interior designers.
Q: How did second-generation leader George Greenberg help transform Pioneer Linens into what it is today?
A: George Greenberg originated the company’s stellar reputation for selling the finest home furnishings and gifts. He was an innovator rooted in the basics: service and quality. He came up with the idea of the colorful towel display wall which is the standard in all linen stores today. George also changed the old term dust ruffle into a bed skirt! With his expertise, Pioneer’s product mix changed from basic linens to the modern luxury linen boutique that Pioneer Linens is known for today. George Greenberg set the bar high. Penny, Marissa, and Camille have the same commitment and are continuing to strive for excellence.
Q: What are some key lessons you have learned from your predecessors?
A: The customer is always right! Clients come to us to help them find something special that they will enjoy over the years. Our customers are educated consumers. We respect that. We have a large selection of fine products so the customer can have instant gratification. When a client is having guests come and they need 10 new king size high-quality goose down pillows, Pioneer Linens has them in stock. Just recently, a client needed 26 glitzy napkin rings for her table setting. We had them overnighted for her party the next evening. We can pull that rabbit out of the hat!
Q: As a family run business, how does Pioneer Linens stand apart from other linen stores?
A: One might presume it’s the vast selection of bedding and 75 different styles of bath accessories that keep customers coming back. However, Penny believes the generational aspect of the business is really the underlying source that makes Pioneer Linens so successful. “In some cases, customers first visited our store with their parents and grandparents,” she says. “Because of these lasting relationships, it’s not like we are assisting customers; we’re just visiting with friends.”
Q: In addition to being the premier linen resource for Palm Beach County, Pioneer Linens is available to shop online. How do you work with long distance clients?
A: We have dedicated sales staff who listen to what the customers want. Our associates know the right questions to ask so they can recommend the right merchandise. With all the digital devices available, the customer can take photos of their beds or a bathroom. We can email photos back to them. We also can send them product such as washcloths for color or a sham so they can feel the quality of the fabric. We work very hard to make sure our customers have the true Pioneer Linens experience we have strived to offer for the last 107 years.
Q: Please tell me about your monogramming services and what unique options you provide.
A: Pioneer Linens offers basic monogramming of three letter monogram. However, Pioneer Linens offers digitized monogramming as well. We can recreate a wedding monogram or yacht logo on any of our décor. We create a design monogram mock for approval before proceeding with the monogram. Plus, we can do thread matching as well so we can embroidery our décor in the same colors as a wallpaper color or any exact match. If you live in the area we can match the colors with you in-store. If you live out of the West Palm Beach area, we can send you thread colors to match or you can send us your sample to match colors for you.
Q: Do you have any collections that are exclusive to Pioneer Linens?
A: In the last two years Pioneer Linens has developed a private label line. We currently manufacture embroidered bed linens, bath towels, table linens and vanity décor exclusive to Pioneer Linens, which can be found on our website.
Q: What are some of your best sellers?
A: Our most popular items are our coverlets. It’s hard to find a large selection of blanket covers and coverlets available. Plus we can customize our coverlets in numerous colors and custom sizes.
Q: What does the future hold for Pioneer Linens?
A: XXX
Such lovely linens, and such a lovely family! I wish there were more companies left that adhered to these values, and I am so happy to support their business. Thank you, Penny, Camille, and Marissa for your time! To learn more about Pioneer Linens, please visit www.pioneerlinens.com and follow @pioneerlinens on Instagram for ongoing updates.
