They’re the dynamic husband and wife duo behind Selamat Designs, a fantastic, all natural product line new to the steve mckenzie’s showroom – Thatcher and Shannon Davis. After reading their interview for this blog feature we believe you’ll be as wowed by them as we are. And, because the guiding force behind our brand is also a husband-wife team, we felt there was some synergy here for sure. Not to mention this team creates some amazing, and truly responsible and sustainable products – they’re Tastemakers for sure!
We are a husband and wife owned natural materials company based in San Francisco. We design everything in house and manufacture where the materials and expertise are grown. We are artisnal, interested in the craft of furniture making as much as the design of attractive, inventive, useful and unique products. We care about the growth of the materials, harvesting, manufacturing, finishing, packaging, and product life. We work hard on our own brand and on others, we are small and nimble, boutique, and forward looking.
1. Three words that describe your aesthetic?
Eclectic, colorful, and individual
2. Would you please share a little about your favorite space/project to date?
We have been working with an Australian Design Archive, Florence Broadhurst, for the last year interpreting fabulous patterns from the 1960’s and 70’s into furniture and accessories. It has pushed us in ways that we as a team have loved.
3. What’s the source(s) of your inspiration?
Not to sound cheesy but for us, it’s nature and the life of our family. We live in a place where we interact nature on a daily basis and it influences our materials, our shapes and our finishes. We are also inspired by the practical nature of living with products in a family setting. We don’t want anything too precious and always have sand on our floor….
4. Name three people (alive or dead) you’d invite to your dream dinner party…
Florence Broadhurst, Bono, and Georgia O’Keefe
5. A piece of/type of furniture you couldn’t live without?
A basket to keep our shoes in by the front door.
6. Do you follow a particular set of rules when mixing textures, finishes, etc. – how do they work for you?
No rules, that is my rule. Showing your personality is essential. Take risks, surround yourself with things that mean something to you personally. You can always create a story in a space that incorporates things that seem disparate.
7. Trending… What is something you are currently “into” and something you are “over?”
I am always into rattan, it is the perfect material, hand-made, sustainably grown, endlessly useful. I love it outside, go ahead and let it biodegrade.
I am a little over the gray in Restoration Hardware…
8. How does artwork fit into your designs?
Like all great inspiration, art from the basic to the masterful is the best fodder.
9. What would be the one thing you would have if you were stranded on a deserted island?
My family… husband, three kiddos.
10. Please share a piece of advice you’d offer to someone looking to break into the interior design industry.
Be honest, be professional, and work hard to earn the respect of your clients, your vendors and your community of peers. Don’t be afraid to try something different, people will hire you to give them permission to do something in their space that they would never have the nerve to do on their own.
We love that last bit – it’s amazing how courageous clients can be with a professional at the helm!
Thanks so much to Shannon Davis of Selamat for offering a bit about herself and her business to our readers. There’s so much to love about the Davis’ and their unique brand of products. We’re proud to carry the Selamat Designs line at steve mckenzie’s and invite you to pop in and take a look at all they offer.