E R I N N V. D E S I G N
Interview} John Russo
Cover Portrait by} John Russo
Photography by} Meghan Bob and Charles Maier
Hair & Makeup} Beauty by Sole
Andalusia Project by Erinn V. Design Group
Erinn turned a 1970’s home perched above the old Mission in Santa Barbara into a modern Mediterranean paradise with striking ocean views. Erinn re-imagined the entire floor plan, moving the kitchen where the dining room had been, and opening up the area to include a butler’s pantry. The new open floor plan allows all rooms to enjoys jaw dropping ocean & mountain views. Erinn sandblasted the original wood ceiling back to wood to bring in natural warmth. The plaster hood sits above the calacatta backsplash. Kallista plumbing fixtures are found throughout the home. Custom interior doors & windows designed by Erinn V. allow this gourmet kitchen to open to service the outdoors with a pass-through at the bar. Monogram appliances finish off this space within the custom cabinetry. Erinn did the lush garden & hardscape design, perfect for outdoor entertaining and al fresco dining set amidst large fragrant fruit trees.
JR: What inspired you to become an interior designer
EV: “I knew from a young age that I wanted to have my own business, and I’ve always love real estate.”
“My father was an architect, and my grandpa was a cabinetmaker—growing up I remember custom designing a sofa for my Barbie out of scrap wood,” laughs Erinn, who today is the creator of seven licensed product collections, including a 90-piece custom furniture collection handcrafted in California named ERINN V. Her signature collaborations include a collection of hardware with Baldwin, Hollywood Hills by Erinn V.; the Linéa collection with Fine Art Handcrafted Lighting; rugs with Mehraban and Creative Touch; home accessories and furniture collections with Ambella Home and Universal Furniture, along with window coverings with Hartmann & Forbes.
“I love designing products. Creating a beautiful space that you feel good in is so important. It’s incredibly therapeutic to live around something beautiful,” says Erinn.
JR: What are you known for?
EV: @ErinnVStyle is known for her relaxed but sophisticated California-style designs for both residential and commercial clients. In her own home, she takes a similar approach, emphasizing natural elements and texture with a refined sensibility.
JR: How has your design ethos changed since you first started out?
EV: When I started my design firm in 2004, I loved color and pattern! Bold prints, deep hues, and really fun wallcovering. Now I am into more subtle neutrals and layering of light and dark to create contrast. Most of my projects today feature warm neutral stone and light wood tones.
JR: How do you help your clients avoid decision fatigue, and keep the process fun instead of overwhelming?
EV: I have always tried to push the envelop further than what someone would imaging for themself. We run the entire creative process and encourage the clients to participate as much as they wish. Some are very involved in every detail- others trust us and love to let us do our thing. The ones that are less hands on are usually happier in the end!
JR: Is there any item or type of decor that you find clients need the most help selecting? Or come to you with buyer’s remorse after trying to find that piece themselves?
EV: Designing an entire home requires thousands of decisions. And it’s something you work on and work through… it’s not a linear event. More of a rambling path. I have had many clients try to do it themselves and give up frustrated. I don’t think that it’s a specific item that frustrates them more so than the entire process of contestant decisions and one thing impacting the other. It really all comes down to the math as well- size, scale, height, depth…and that is not something most people think about when they go to pick furniture they like.
JR: Do you find yourself doing a lot of gut renovation work?
EV: You have to get the “box” right first before you can put things inside of it. If the structure or the room is not well built and well designed, it will never turn out that great. So we do a lot of renovations and recently completely down to the studs, moving rooms, ripping off roofs, etc. Ireally enjoy developing my own projects and have quite a few successful sales under my belt. Currently working on two large-scale projects in Paradise Valley, AZ.
JR: Do you educate your clients to invest in certain pieces?
EV: “Be honest with yourself about what your goals are—stop going on trips, buy a great rug instead; redirect your surplus funds to invest in your home. If you love where you live, it makes an immeasurable impact on your life.”
JR: Have you worked with clients on second and third projects over the years? Do you find your client going outside of their comfort zone more after you have worked on the initial project with them?
EV: “I can create the complete vision,” says Erinn. “Design is thinking about the whole; what the space needs. I equate it to baking—where you look at a recipe and gather all of the ingredients to create the finished product. It’s a science and an art that considers function, size and style.”
For repeat clients, the trust is certainly built in and they say “yes” to our ideas much more easily.
JR: What are your favorite brands to work with?
EV: Baldwin, Universal Furniture, Ambella Home. Ferguson. Kohler & Kallista. Robern, Ann Sacks, Monogram Appliances. The Stone Industry. Hartmann & Forbes.
JR: Are there any design rules you live by?
EV: Height light and views. That is my design mantra. If any decision equates to better height (drapery, windows, doors, indoor trees, flowers on a table) then it’s a yes. If a design decision equates to more light in a room- bigger windows, adding skylights, etc. then yes! And the same with Views. Thing about what you see first when you walk in a room and make that great. What do you look out onto from a space…make that great too.
JR: Where do you recommend saving vs. splurging on interior decor? What investments in decor have the most significant return on investment?
EV: Kitchens and baths add the most value to a home. When it comes to specific pieces…it’s so hard to say where to invest. Because a room is the sum of its parts…and each “recipe” is different. You can have great art and inexpensive upholstery. Or a really amazing sofa and a very inexpensive rug. It all depends on how it’s presented.
JR: How do you help clients move past their comfort zone?
EV: I find showing people rooms they fall in love with as inspiration makes it easy to imagine having a home like that. And then we take those inspiration images and work from there.
List of Vendors:
Hardwood flooring throughout, FAME Hardwood, PCH Collection
Interior & Exterior Door Hardware, Hollywood Hills by ERINN V for Baldwin, Estate Collection, ORB Bronze
Paint: Benjamin Moore
Kitchen/Butler’s Pantry:
Cabinet Hardware, Hollywood Hills by ERINN V for Baldwin (in brass)
Calacatta Extra Stone Countertops & Tumbled Peruvian Crème Travertine Floor tile, Dal Tile
Faucets, Kallista
Appliances, Monogram. (Fridge, range, dishwasher, hood liner, wine fridge)
Pendant over island: SkLO Balance 1.0
Dining Room off Kitchen:
Dining Table, ERINN V.
White Wing chairs at Dining room, ERINN V. for Ambella Home
Bar cart- vintage Italian
Outdoor Seating off Kitchen:
Sofa, coffee tables & Chairs, Universal Furniture
Vendors in Other Rooms:
Living Room:
Low Cabinet under TV & Coffee table, ERINN V.
Sofa & White Lounge Chair, ERINN V. for Ambella Home
Painting, Linc Thelen
Powder Room/Entry:
Stone Countertops & Tumbled Travertine Floor tile, Dal Tile
Faucet & Wall hung toilet, Kallista
Arched brass Mirror, Robern
Guest Bathroom:
Stone Countertops & Tumbled Travertine Floor tile, Dal Tile
All plumbing fixtures, tub & Wall hung toilet, Kallista
Vanity, custom design by Erinn V.
Shower tile, Walker Zanger (Honed Calacatta Extra 12×24)
Primary Bathroom:
Stone Countertops, door jamb, & Tumbled Limestone Floor tile, Dal Tile
Shower tile, Walker Zanger (Honed Calacatta Extra 12×24)
All plumbing fixtures, tub & Wall hung toilet, Kallista
To learn more abut Erinn V follow her at @Erinnvstyle