A Southerner with a deep rooted connection to Scotland, Scot Meacham Wood is renowned for his timeless design and magnetic personality. And we’re thrilled his fabulous textiles are now a part of our fabric offering here at steve mckenzie’s!
Scot Meacham Wood
Recently featured in the pages of Traditional Home, Scot’s designs draw inspiration from his heritage and thirteen years of experience working with Ralph Lauren. His signature style highlights European and Southern sensibilities, sartorial influences, and bold prints.
Scot Meacham Wood’s home in the San Fransisco Bay area, as seen in Traditional Home magazine.
Since establishing his firm, Scot Meacham Wood Design, in 2001, Scot has become an interior design icon, showcasing commercial and residential projects across the United States and developing a captivating online presence.
With Scot Meacham Wood Home, the tastemaker premieres a one-of-a-kind collection featuring fresh takes on traditional Scottish textiles. With its luxurious collection of fabrics and focus on Scot’s signature tartan, SMW Home is truly a natural extension of the designer himself.
The son of a stylish mother of Scottish descent, Scot was exposed the country’s rich heritage at the young age and was immediately drawn to tartan.
A pattern that has since become synonymous with Scot’s brand identity, tartan became a staple of Scot’s work, and the designer often ventured to historic mills in Scotland to procure one-of-a-kind fabrics.
After years searching for the perfect tartan, Scot decided to create a collection of his own, using his late mother’s estate to bring his designs to life.
When creating his textile line, Scot worked closely with a Scottish mill dating back to the 18th century to develop a line of tartans that are a vibrant twist on the traditional pattern.
Many of the modern tartans in his collection are named to pay homage to his mother. For example, the “Meacham Plaid” has his maternal grandmother’s maiden name and the “Mary Ann Damask” is named for his mother.
Please stop by the steve mckenzie’s showroom today to view this stunning new collection in person and learn how our design team can help bring this historically inspired, yet comfortable, look in to your own home.
And hop on over to Scot’s charming blog, The Adventures of Tartanscot, to keep up with this fabulous designer, and our new friend!
We were lucky enough to have been introduced to the memorable duo of Eric and Ruthann Ross through our friend Suzanne Cooper, from Traditional Home, at the Design Bloggers Conference back in early 2015. As soon as we heard they were also a southern minded husband/wife team in the interior design business, we knew our introduction was kismet – we were destined to meet!
Eric and Ruthann Ross
Much like Steve and Jill’s partnership, Eric is the designer, while Ruthann is his undying supporter and team member in both work and life. Eric’s immense talent for design is put to work through Eric Ross Interiors, based out of Franklin, Tennessee, but their clients span the Southeast and beyond. Ross’ interiors are luxurious, while still being livable and portraying their client’s unique personalities. Eric Ross Interiors’ traditional aesthetic is anything but stuffy, and the spaces created are as warm and welcoming as this sweet couple… We think you’ll enjoy getting to know them as this month’s Tastemaker team:
1. Three words that describe your aesthetic?
Ruthann: Welcoming, Classic and Cheerful – I am always s so thankful when people tell us our home is warm and comfortable. We want people to have that special, cherished feeling when they enter.
Eric: Lush, layered, relaxed…Can you use those words together? People always tell me how beautiful my rooms are, but that they are so comfortable to be in. That’s what I try to achieve with each project.
2. Would you please share a little about your favorite space/project to date?
R: Since Eric is the designer, I always say that I’m just lucky I get to live in his showroom. Not may girls get that luxury. My favorite room in our home is the front porch – it’s where all our best times with friends take place!
E: It’s funny you ask that, because we are about to launch our new website, ericrossinteriors.com, and I’ve been reviewing all the photos and videos, so I’m attuned to my current body of work. I would say the stairwell I did for the 2014 Traditional Home O’More Show House is my favorite project to date. If you’ve followed my work at all, you’ll know I’m obsessed with blue and white and I was able to incorporate it into this space. I used a lot of my go-to decorating “tricks,” if you will. Upholstered doors, colored trim, chinoiserie, brass fixtures and accessories… All of these elements are so on trend AND they are my personal favorites, so to get to employ all of them into one space was fun and visually stimulating.
3. What’s the source(s) of your inspiration?
R: I’m inspired by flowers, and the beauty of God’s creation. We love to spend time in the North Carolina mountains. I always feel like the waterfalls, mountain creeks, mossy green rocks, and the lush rhododendron just feed my soul.
E: I’m always inspired by color. You know, a few years ago EVERYTHING was beige and brown. Today, color is having a moment. But, I have always gravitated toward colorful interiors. So today, with all of the fabric houses coming out with color filled collections, it’s just fun to decorate.
4. Name three people (alive or dead) you’d invite to your dream dinner party…
E: These questions make me crazy… I don’t want any dead person at my parties! Seriously, I would only have close friends, no one you would know, I’m sure. I’m really not a stalker of celebrities of any kind. My wife and I have a close group of friends we have cocktails with about every other week who I love to laugh with. We always know we’ve had a good time when the next morning we have the strangest google searches on our phones.
R: I agree with Eric… My dream guests are my dearest friends.
5. A piece of/type of furniture you couldn’t live without?
E: Without a doubt, I wouldn’t live without my sofa. It’s unbelievably comfortable. It’s from Wesley Hall out of Hickory, North Carolina. They make the most comfortable pieces and they are all bench made. Every piece has several signatures on it of the craftspeople who made it. I place them in all my projects because I know I won’t have a comfort issue with the client. And, they are beautiful, so it’s a win-win.
R: Well, since Eric always hogs the sofa, I’d have to say… my porch swing. I love to take naps on a Sunday afternoon.
6. Do you follow a particular set of rules when mixing textures, finishes, etc. – how do they work for you?
E: Of course there are no hard and fast rules. Interesting rooms come from breaking rules. But, for me, I do have a formula. Drapes are almost always a print and that’s where I start. Why spend the money on drapery that doesn’t say something beautiful? So, after the print is a chenille or velvet. I like chenille sofas with a velvet welt or pillow, usually the texture of mohair – this is lovely to lay your head on. I always think of comfort and how the upholstery will be lived in, not just looked at. Geometrics of some sort are in the mix, as well as a beautiful Persian rug, if the budget allows.
R: I mix textures by mixing dishes and serving pieces with pretty linens, candles and flowers. Setting a beautiful table or bountiful buffet is my palette and I think an abundance is best! It entertains your guests and allows you to see the special elements. They know you’ve worked hard to make it special just for them.
7. Trending… What is something you are currently “into” and something you are “over?”
E: I’m into “pretty” rooms and have been my whole career. The trend now is toward these “pretty” rooms which are currently defined as traditional decor of florals as a lead and color on the walls. I was never into industrial or re-purposed. I’m glad it is waning. I heard one of my design heroes, Mario Buatta, say in a talk once that he saw a lot of schizophrenic decorating. I think he was talking about this “eclectic” wave we saw a couple of years ago with a lot of collage walls and dragging everything you ever found at a road side flea market into rooms and calling them collected. It isn’t collected, it’s desperate.
R: I am over mason jars, burlap and chalkboard… It was fun for a while, but I’m done!
8. How does artwork fit into your designs?
E: Ok, I get this question a lot from my clients. Artwork is so personal and expensive, the client really had to select pieces they love. When I create spaces, I always select and install affordable art, either giclees, prints or canvas transfers. This way, the client gets a completed room. If they really want a special piece to to be able to collect art over time, they don’t have a terrible amount of money invested in what I call “decorator” pieces and they can replace them as they find the perfect pieces for them.
R: My favorite piece of art is the painting that hangs in our bedroom. It’s a nature scene with the sweetest little birds tucked in the branches and grass. I just love it and requested it hang facing our bed so I could see it from my pillow.
9. What would be the one thing you would have if you were stranded on a deserted island?
E: Air-conditioning… it’s a must!
R: Ice cream…Nothing better to drown your sorrows and chase away the blues.
10. Please share a piece of advice you’d offer to someone looking to break into the interior design industry.
E: I really think you learn a lot from working in retail. The public will throw every terrible trait of a difficult client at you in a short amount of time. You learn how to read people quickly and come up with a solution to their problem, which is really what this job is about – listening and resolving dilemmas.
R: Be prepared for HARD work. My husband has to sweat, haul trash and lug loads of stuff. It is NOT all glamorous – if you are a diva, you’ll never make it! You can’t be too good to do the grunt work.
Those are two excellent bits of advice – especially the bit about grunt work from Ruthann. That’s for sure! And we’d love to see Jill and Ruthann pair up to create a tablescape or buffet spread – can you imagine?! It’d be out of this world!
A BIG thank you to both Eric and Ruthann for taking time out of their busy schedules for this interview. We’re always especially excited to share the inner workings of other husband/wife design teams out there!
We’re so thrilled to have the opportunity to share a guest blog post by our friend, and magazine editor, Lisa Mowry! Lisa is the genius behind more than 1,000 features for national and local magazines. Needless to say, she knows a bit about what it takes to have a space highlighted in a publication and why some stories just don’t make the cut.
photo by Christina Wedge
Lisa Mowry has been a home and garden writer, editor and stylist for 25 years. She is the homes editor for Atlanta Magazine and Atlanta Magazine’s HOME, plus the regional editor for Better Homes & Gardens, Traditional Home and all their special interest magazines such as Country Home, Beautiful Kitchens & Baths, Décor, Elegant Homes and Country Gardens.
Without further ado, we give you Lisa’s take on 5 Reasons Your Interior Designs May NOT Be Published…
I get excited when I go to my inbox and see a designer’s name with the subject line, “New Project.” –I never know when the most amazing house will appear before me with all sorts of possibilities for one of my magazines. But sometimes the house in front of me may be beautiful—I may even wish I could move right in myself—yet it’s not a fit for the publications I work with. Here are a few reasons why:
1.It’s not unique enough. If a living room looks “showroom perfect,” that may be impressive to neighbors, but magazines need more depth and personal style. Just as in the world of fashion, often the best rooms have one unexpected element, or may include features both expensive and budget-friendly. Always a pleasure to see: original art, layers of visual interest, and good use of color. I see a lot of swanky white kitchens, for instance, (and included in that category are light gray and light beige) because we all love a light-and-bright place to eat and cook, but the magazines need to show ideas beyond white.
Interior designer Chenault James’s house for a Columbus, Georgia client hit a homerun with Traditional Home magazine, thanks to its classic lines with a few important twists: great architectural elements in the form of metal French doors and windows and the ceiling treatment, plus her clever mix of patterns while still maintaining a serene color palette. Professional photography by Emily Followill enhanced the project even more.
2.Your scouting photography doesn’t capture the space well. I depend on designers and architects to send me photos of their projects a lot of the time. Are professional photographs good to send? Yes, they can be helpful, but rarely tell the whole story. Magazine editors need more than one “money shot” of a room; we need to see all angles, vignettes and details, plus exteriors, and outdoor spaces. Good non-professional shots can be sufficient and are almost always needed to supplement professional photos. Don’t use a wide-angle lens and do turn off most lamps in a room so the lighting is more uniform. An artsy detail of a fern on a coffee table may be something you want for a blog post, but editors don’t need that sort of thing.
This master bedroom in a coastal cottage in Watercolor, Florida will be featured in Décor magazine. Rich pops of color and salvaged doors distinguish it from a typical beach-house look…nice work by Tim Adams. High ceilings don’t feel too large, thanks to the wood-plank walls and large-scale furnishings. Photography: Emily Followill
3.Your projects are too something: too big, too small, too low-end, too high-end. Cavernous two-story living rooms often don’t have a charm factor readers are looking for, and on the other end, the blogging world is filled with first homes having similar DIY looks.
Condos can be a harder sell for magazines because there often isn’t as much architectural charm, but interior designer Helen Davis’s own loft has the advantage of brick walls and an arched window, plus her own swanky furnishings: a colorful mix of vintage, repurposed and personal accessories. Atlanta Magazine has covered her place, and it will also appear in BH&G’s Refresh later this summer. Photography: Sarah Dorio
4.There’s not enough to show. I can’t do much with one room, and designers often send me just the living room or dining room. Occasionally a unique room might work for a magazine (We have a regular feature in Atlanta Magazine called “Room Envy,” for instance), and some spaces such as kitchens or porches can warrant a whole feature, but in general, know that your chances to get published are limited with only one area.
Designer Sherry Hart took this scouting photo of a Buckhead project herself, but put the time into styling and getting the lighting right to accent this Zen-like bathroom. The bathroom itself combines textures and materials in a fresh way, and it will be featured in the fall issue of BH&G’s Kitchen & Bath Ideas.
5. Your project is over-exposed. Be careful not to let every blog around publish your best work; editors tend to shy away from homes where those good ideas have already been shown. That brings up some Magazine 101 refreshers: Don’t submit a project to more than one magazine at a time, and don’t always have your work in the same magazine. Once you get a reputation as a regular contributor to one publication, it can hurt your chances with others.
Wow! This is some fantastic – and super interesting info – for both designers and interior design appreciators alike… It’s amazing all that goes into the production of some of these beautiful home features!
A giant thank you to Lisa Mowry for taking the time to author this wonderful guest blog post and for sharing some of her behind-the-scenes tidbits on working with some of our favorite shelter publications!
We’re just getting back to the swing of things here after enjoying a solid three days full of everything Design Bloggers Conference (DBC). Although we’re so fortunate the conference takes place right in our own backyard (Buckhead, to be exact), it feels as if we were a world away, totally swept up in the digital world of design and a fantastic conference filled with even more fantastic people!
Our time at DBC started off with Digital Day at ADAC – a day full of inspiration for developing your brand in the world of online media. We’re big fans and supporters of ADAC and were thrilled to experience this day, with presentations by Madcap Cottage (John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon) and Liza Graves, co-founder of StyleBlueprint. Due to winter weather here in Atlanta, our day sadly ended short, but after a fun luncheon at the Duralee showroom – one of our favorites (thanks guys!).
The New Bjork Studio’s Focal Wall
After letting the worst of the weather pass us by, we ventured back out to attend the Sunbrella and Traditional Home after party at the new Bjork Studio. We’re so glad we braved the cold, because this was a fantastic party! The signature cocktail, the vignettes from Perspective New York, and their focal wall were all absolutely amazing!
Jill grabbing a quick pic with THE Nate Berkus before DBC began.
Day one of DBC, officially, started off with a keynote by Nate Berkus – yes, THE Nate you’re thinking of… Oprah’s designer, designer for Target, etc., etc. – we could go on and on. Nate’s keynote was absolutely inspirational, and chock full of motivational tidbits and humor.
What other kid spends their childhood sleepovers moving furniture and redecorating any room they could get their hands on?!? Nate is a natural. Obviously.
Another speaker that first day we really enjoyed was Beth Le Manach, the maven behind YouTube’s #1 lifestyle community, “Entertaining with Beth.” She’s an absolute inspiration when it comes to creating video content for your brand. And we enjoyed many takeaways from her presentation.
Next up was the traditional wine tasting of DBC, thanks to Adam Jackimo, and his wine industry contacts. This has become a highlight of each DBC – I mean it’s a wine tasting, before lunch! What could be better?!? This year, we enjoyed two reds, a cabernet and a lighter pinot noir, both delicious.
Next on the agenda was an item we’d been anxiously awaiting… The Design Bloggers Hall of Fame awards, presented by Traditional Home and Ethan Allen. As you may know, we were up for the award of Best New Blog. And boy oh boy, were we in some fantastic company with the other contenders! Although we didn’t take home the award this year, there are other awards we can strive to earn, and we were thrilled to be included in such a notable group.
We were lucky enough to enjoy a second keynote on the first day of the conference, this one by the incomparable Bunny Williams. She is such a lovely example of elegance and sophistication. The spaces she’s designed are simply stunning and every image she shared throughout her presentation was flawless.
One of the last presentations of the day was by our friends at Dwell with Dignity, an amazing organization that helps people escape poverty and homelessness one design at a time. What they’re able to accomplish through their mission is truly astounding and something that really hits home for us. They showed the video above during their presentation and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house… We’re so happy to have had an opportunity to work with this group and look forward to supporting them further through future projects.
Day one came to a close for us with a Design Blogger Hall of Fame awards dinner that was just wonderful – the company, the food, it was an excellent night – a big thanks to Traditional Home and Ethan Allen for pulling this all together.
Day two started off with a keynote unlike any other, thanks to Brian Patrick Flynn. Somehow he managed to be fun (cat memes, anyone?), inspirational, educational, and more all at the same time – that guy has some talent. From his TV producer days, to his time at HGTV and Flynnside Out productions, he had some gems to share!
Another DBC day two highlight was a photography presentation on Stacy Kunstel of Dunes and Dutchess. Her before and after photo styling images were absolutely jaw-dropping, and we’re thrilled to be able to call Stacy a friend. It was such a joy to experience her presentation and get to know her better throughout the conference.
DBC closed on a real high for us with a “Community Building in Beta Brooklyn” presentation by two industry outsiders, Kika Gilbert and Bekka Palmer. It was fresh, unexpected and totally awe inspiring. Every woman should have an opportunity to experience a presentation like this. These two successful (and young!) digital professionals really opened our minds to what’s possible with a new perspective and the limitless opportunities available to us, thanks to the internet.
Stunning floral, which was a part of Curry & Co.’s stage design.
Phew! Well, that’s a wrap and quite a successful few days, if we do say so ourselves. Thanks to all the folks at Design Bloggers Conference for making this all possible and giving us an opportunity to experience the industry on a whole new level, right here in Atlanta!
This month we’re shaking things up a bit here on the blog for steve mckenzie’s by featuring a design editor as our Tastemaker, and it’s not just any editor we’re lucky enough to share with you… It’s Design Editor for Traditional Home magazine, Tori Mellott!
Not only does Tori have class and style to spare (hence her profession), she’s also one of the nicest people we’ve had the opportunity to work with! Steve first met Tori during his time with Larson-Juhl, where art and framing were the hot topic. Since then, we’ve been fortunate enough to expand our discussions to design as a whole, among other things…
Tori has darling twin girls, Franny and Lucy, and it’s been so fun seeing her tackle motherhood just as enthusiastically as she’s conquered the world of home shelter pubs! We think you’ll love Tori just as much as we do, especially after learning more about her in this Tastemaker Tuesday feature:
Tori Mellott
1. What are three words that describe your style?
I would describe my style as preppy, tailored, and girlie.
2. Would you please share a little about a favorite space of yours?
Really, my favorite space in the entire world is the house I grew up in located in a sub-suburban neighborhood 20 miles north of Pittsburgh. I was raised by my grandparents and my grandmother really loved pastels. One bathroom was entirely salmon pink and I mean ENTIRELY. The sink, the tub, the toilet, the floor tiles. And the bathroom I shared with my sister was entirely mint green and again, I mean ENTIRELY. The sink, the tub, the toilet, the floor tiles. I just loved those bathrooms!
And my grandmother was a huge wallpaper lover. We must have changed the wallpaper in our hallway every 3 to 5 years. When I was very young it was this wild, white, green, and silver foil paper that had bamboo trees printed on the ground. Then it changed to this adorable navy blue floral – it was very elegant. Then one year it was a red “Tree of Life” pattern. It was always changing – my poor Grandfather! He was the one who had to paper the walls!
One year my grandmother allowed my sister and I to decorate the entire upstairs portion of the house. A play area, two bedrooms, and a bathroom. It was so much fun. I choose a pink and white stripe for my bedroom (which still remains there today) and a small, dense, floral pattern that is reminiscent of a Liberty print for the bathroom.
3. What’s the source(s) of your inspiration?
So many things inspire me. Especially the past. I’m such a romantic – I love decaying, rotten, nearly-forgotten ideas, structures, and gardens.
There is such a powerful sense of mystery and loss when you see a crumbling ruin or a path in the forest that is nearly grown over.
I’m especially inspired by classic architecture and I’m a sucker for any Victorian building as well and recently I’ve been on an Art Deco kick.
As for my sense of color, I’m inspired by flowers – the blooms, the variegated patterns, and the intense hues.
4. Name three people (alive or dead) you’d invite to your dream dinner party…
– Chris Rock (because he is the funniest human alive or dead)
– Idina Menzel (because I am hoping she will burst out into song)
– Julia Child (because I don’t cook and I would want the food to be good)
5. What’s a piece of/type of furniture you couldn’t live without?
I could not live without a comfortable sofa. Uncomfortable sofas, even if they are the most beautiful-looking sofa in the world, are useless and pointless. If design isn’t comfortable, then it’s really not design, it’s art and I don’t want to get cozy on a piece of art.
6. Do you recommend people follow a particular set of rules when mixing textures, finishes, etc.?
I wouldn’t say there are hard and fast “rules” but I definitely think a mix of textures is necessary in designing a cozy space. If everything has the same texture, it might look boring, or too fancy, or too casual. I think a good mix of textures lends charm to a room.
7. Trending… What is something you are currently “into” and something you are “over?”
I’m really into floral chintz and animal prints! I cannot get enough. I want to swath every surface of my apartment in head-to-toe chintz.
I want every room tented, and every wall upholstered. It would be incredibly impractical, considering I have 2 year old twins, but I daydream about it all the time.
I’m so, so, so over gallery walls. I think they look messy and cluttered. One large piece of art will do.
8. How does artwork typically work within your favorite spaces/any advice on incorporating art into a room?
Artwork is critically important. It adds personality to a room and visual interest.
9. What would be the one thing you would have if you were stranded on a deserted island?
That is so easy. Pizza.
10. Please share a piece of advice you’d offer to someone looking to break into the interior design industry.
Be nice to everyone and try not to copy other people’s work. While other’s designs can serve as an inspiration, and even a jumping off point, try to maintain an original point-of-view.
A huge THANK YOU to Tori for allowing us to feature her as a steve mckenzie’s Tastemaker – you’re always a joy and charm to be with, and we know our readers will experience that same sense of warmth as they enjoy this segment.
