← Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: A Fenimore Lane Production
Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: A Fenimore Lane Production
The Thread of Life: Sarah Lederman Launches Three Fates
00:40:17
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- [00:00]
A
Before we dive in, I wanted to take a moment to thank this season's presenting sponsor, Shop My Shop My is a platform that connects designers, tastemakers and creators with shoppers who trust their style and recommendations. With Shopmy, you can discover and shop the pieces experts actually use and love in their own homes, all in one beautifully curated place. And now shopping is even easier with the launch of the new Shop My app. Create circles with your favorite curators like myself or today's guest. Discover new products tailored to your taste and save everything you love with wish lists and snapshot right in the app. Download the new Shop My app at the link in the show notes. And now on to this week's episode
- [00:42]
B
so three Fates in Greek mythology wove the thread of life. So, you know, one cut the thread, one measured the thread. And I loved that idea of building a world around this brand. Like, I've put so much energy not into designing the collection, but also into the branding, the website, like the stationary. That was important to me too, to have a real point of view when it came to the brand. So I love that it has this dual meaning. And then also, if you've ever seen the logo, I painted women and I was like, oh, that's like me and my daughters.
- [01:20]
A
Welcome to Talkshop. I'm Arielle Oken, a New York based interior designer, writer and editor looking to bring a little bit of magic into our homes every day. After years as a writer and editor in the interiors world, I founded my own editorial site, Fenimore Lane, in 2020 and the TalkShop interview series was born. Each week I delve into the personal experiences of the top interior designers and tastemakers around the globe. This week on Talkshop, we welcome fellow designer and friend Sarah Letterman in anticipation of the launch of her new textile and wallpaper line, 3Fates Textiles. A graduate of the New York School of Interior Design, Sarah began her career interning for Bunny Williams before joining Tom Shearer, where she spent half a decade. In 2020, during the pandemic, she took a leap and started her own eponymous firm. Her refined aesthetic seamlessly blends classic elements with modern, unexpected touches. And now we celebrate her new textile line, Three Fates. Please join me as we welcome Sarah Letterman to the podcast. Sarah, I'm so happy you're on. Thank you so much for joining me.
- [02:26]
B
Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited. So many big things for both of us.
- [02:31]
A
I know this is a big week and we'll get into all of that in this episode. Well, for those listening, we always Ask everyone who comes on to kick off the conversation. Can you describe your style in three words or less?
- [02:45]
B
I would say layered, storied, and enduring.
- [02:51]
A
I love that. Especially tracks for your new announcement, which makes sense too, which we'll talk about. And I'm so excited for. For you and for those who are listening and may not know, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and where you are at this point in your career and your life right now?
- [03:09]
B
I'm an interior designer. I'm based in New York, and I've been practicing for over a decade now, mostly on full scale residential projects. I live on the Upper west side with my husband and my two daughters. So I'm in a very real, very practical chapter of life right now. You know, I care. I care a lot about how homes really function for families. And I feel like esthetics matter to me, but so does durability, longevity. I'm constantly asking, you know, will this still feel right in 10 years? And yeah, at this point, I feel like I'm really stepping into my own voice. For years, I feel like I refined my perspective working for other designers and then later through client work, too, which I still love. But now I'm expanding into something more personal, as, you know, with the launch of 3ft textiles. And I feel like it's just a natural extension of how I've always designed, and it's just a more sort of complete expression of my point of view.
- [04:03]
A
I'm so excited about it, and we're gonna. I have a million questions about three Feet. But before we dive into your exciting new textile news, I'd love to start at the start of your career and go all the way back to think about what first pulled you toward design. Was that something that you always thought of as a career, or how did you find yourself becoming an interior designer?
- [04:26]
B
So I actually started in fashion, and I've always loved expressing myself through clothing, personal style. But I think I very quickly realized that the pace wasn't, for me, you know, the const turn of trends. And it's like a manic energy. It felt very fleeting and honestly, just stressful.
- [04:44]
A
Yes, it's a different vibe, for sure.
- [04:47]
B
Totally different vibe than home. And in college, I. I studied textiles, and then I became an art major. So I was always moving towards something creative, and I think I had to explore a few creative paths before I found the one that really fit. When I moved back to New York after undergrad, I took some drafting classes at the New York School of Interior Design, mostly out of Curiosity, and it just clicked. Interiors felt slower to me, like, more of a lasting thing. You know, you're still working with texture and color and form, but instead of dressing a person, you're shaping someone's environment. Hopefully. Hopefully for years.
- [05:25]
A
Totally.
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B
And that's sort of when I realized, like, I wasn't really interested in what's next. I was interested in things that endure.
- [05:34]
A
Yeah. It's beautiful, and it's so true. I interned in fashion in college and thought that was. I was deciding between fashion and public affairs in college, and I do.
- [05:43]
B
Very different paths.
- [05:45]
A
Yep. And I very quickly realized after, like, my third summer internship in fashion, that that was definitely not what I wanted to do.
- [05:53]
B
It's a scary world out there.
- [05:54]
A
Oh, yeah, for sure. And you grew up in the city, and you studied art history. How much did those early influences shape the way that you think about design and the way that you see space and color and pattern and. And how does that thread tie into three fates now?
- [06:10]
B
You know, growing up in Manhattan, I feel like going to the museum was just a part of life. Like, I didn't go to the Met on a special occasion. It was just like, you went on a rainy day.
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A
Yeah.
- [06:20]
B
Wander around. And I spent hours, you know, in the Greek and Roman galleries, the Egyptian wing. And I think, subconsciously, I was absorbing some of that, you know, symmetry, ornament, the way that materials age. And then later, studying art history really gave me a language for what I had been seeing and trained my eye to sort of recognize how color and pattern repeat across centuries, how certain palettes endure, how motifs evolve, but sort of never disappear. And then I think, of course, you know, being a New Yorker means living in contrast all the time, like, old, new, very grand things with very gritty things. And I think that tension has shaped some of the way that I design. I'm always trying to create something, you know, spaces, textiles, whatever, that feel rooted in history, but also, like, very much alive in the present.
- [07:12]
A
Yeah. And you can see that in your work. I mean, I feel like your work is so dynamic, and the way that you layer and it's warm and it feels is like your dedication to creating spaces that are trendless is very apparent in. In your work and something that I've always admired about the way you design.
- [07:30]
B
Thank you. That is a huge compliment.
- [07:33]
A
No, I mean it. And for those listening, Sarah and I have known each other for, like, a really long time, and we're friends, so I truly mean that. I want to talk about how your. Your early career started in design. Because you started interning for Bunny. What was the story of your first internship? And from there, you were. You worked for Tom for a long time, and you really had such an amazing sort of like, blue chip experience of learning how to grow at a firm that is just prolific. What did you learn from being at places like that?
- [08:05]
B
So I guess I'll start with Bunny. I interned for her while I was, you know, taking those drafting classes at Nice Ed. And at that point, I was just figuring out whether interiors was really the path that I wanted to take. So I was like, let me see how it operates at the highest level. So I cold reached out and very bold late and was just lucky enough to get the opportunity. And I feel like working there was in education in really precision, I would say, you know, everything they do is so intentional. Nothing is arbitrary. And I think I very quickly realized that, you know, amazing rooms are not accidental. They're very meticulously planned.
- [08:43]
A
Yeah.
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B
And, you know, Bunny and all the people who work there, they're not. They're not chasing trends. They're creating rooms that I feel like, still feel right, you know, decades after they're installed.
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A
Oh, 100.
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B
And that idea definitely stayed with me and sort of reinforced that instinct that I was talking about earlier towards, like, permanence and restraint. And, you know, I didn't interface with Bunny a ton, but I did work closely with Elizabeth, who I'm sure you know, and who's now her partner. And she was an incredible boss. You know, very sharp, very exacting, but also super generous with her time and knowledge. That was a really formative environment for me.
- [09:18]
A
She's a me. I mean, she mentors students at nyset. She's just so generous with her time and so warm.
- [09:25]
B
She really is. And just like the field of design, she's very passionate about. And, you know, she took me to work rooms and exposed me to so much that I had never seen.
- [09:35]
A
It's amazing. And then you started thinking about launching your own firm. I remember you called me when you went out on. Right after you went out on your own and you were pregnant with your second daughter. Right.
- [09:47]
B
Yeah. I was on the heels of leaving Tom Shearer.
- [09:50]
A
Yeah.
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B
Where I had worked for over five years, which is basically, you know, 100 years in design years.
- [09:56]
A
Oh, totally.
- [09:56]
B
It's a long and a very different place to work, I feel like, than Bunny Williams. You know, sort of like an ease and a lightness there.
- [10:04]
A
Yeah.
- [10:04]
B
And I. So I stayed for so much longer than I thought that I would. I went into it Being like, let me get my feet wet, and then I'll, you know, do my own thing. But I feel like I really learned how to run projects at a large scale there. You know, the logistics, the client relationships, orchestrating behind the scenes. Tom really gave us so much autonomy to manage the projects from start to finish. And I feel like that experience then gave me the foundation and the confidence to eventually step out on my own. Which brings me to Covid, which was, you know, a whirlwind. I was having my second child in the middle of COVID Terrified.
- [10:41]
A
So scary.
- [10:42]
B
And at that time, I also was the only person in that office who had kids. And I was definitely given flexibility, which I was really grateful for. But it's still different from really operating on your own schedule. And I feel like it just. It was a scary and uncertain time. But as I'm sure you know, and relate to, people were stuck at home. They were really looking at their spaces, and the inquiries just started rolling in. So I just remember thinking, like, if I don't do this now, when will I ever do it? I feel like I had the experience, I had the relationships. The market was there, and it felt risky, but it also felt like that door was open.
- [11:21]
A
I know that was a very specific period of time where, like, everyone was moving. Everyone was moving to the suburbs. There was just so much work going around. People also sort of felt, like, a little bit like, okay, if not now, when? Because, like, it was so. Everything was so uncertain in that. In that period of time that it was sort of like, well, why wouldn't I do this?
- [11:40]
B
Yeah. And I think also, just, like, coming off the heels of a newborn, I was like, into the office, and I was just like, okay, let me. Let me just figure out what these next years look like.
- [11:51]
A
Well, then you did that for five years or more. Has it been more than five years since COVID Yeah, six years.
- [11:58]
B
Yeah, it's been six years, which is crazy.
- [12:00]
A
That's insane. I still feel like I just moved to the suburbs. And yet it's been six years.
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B
Wild.
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A
And now you have this incredible new, exciting launch that's launching literally as we speak. When this airs, your new absolutely stunning textile and wallpaper line, Three Fates Textiles. This has been a major focus for you, and a new. Very new thing. Tell me, where did the inspiration come from? How did you think about sort of pivoting to textiles? And you're still designing, but I know that this is a big. A big focus for you now.
- [12:34]
B
Yeah, you know, I feel like textiles were really my first love, as I mentioned, you know, I studied textiles in college in undergrad, you know, I was batiking and learning dyeing techniques, and my roommates used to tease me because I would come home with, like, indigo stained hands fabric into the vats. And I was really immersed in it, sort of like long before I really understood how central it would become to my work. When I moved into interiors, I feel like fabric and I wonder if this is the same for you, but it's like, naturally the starting point for me whenever I ski for a client, because it's just what I get the most excited about. And I think they really set the tone for the project totally. And then I just realized over time that I was really, like, returning to the same visual language and looking for these classical motifs, you know, like braids and borders and patterns that feel connected to something older. And at a certain point, it sort of stopped feeling like a side interest and more like something that I needed to pursue really seriously. I don't think I fully understood at the beginning how long it would take to develop something.
- [13:40]
A
Oh, I bet. How long did it take?
- [13:43]
B
Over a year now. And so it definitely requires a lot of patience and resilience. But I think that putting, you know, a product into the world that feels like it's entirely yours is. I mean, I feel vulnerable about it, but I'm all. It's also incredibly gratifying.
- [13:59]
A
Absolutely. And I. I'm so excited for people to see what you're offering because they're really so unique and have a really strong point of view. And it's not like anything else that I've seen on the market at the moment. And I love the colors. They're so in line with your sort of, like, warmth and texture and layers. And I think people are really going to love them. Let's talk about the title, because I love it and it ties into the sort of Grecian old world motif. But where did the inspiration come from?
- [14:29]
B
For.
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A
For the title, 3 Fates.
- [14:31]
B
So 3 Fates in Greek mythology wove the thread of life. So, you know, one cut the thread, one measured the thread. And I loved that idea of building a world around this brand. Like, I've put so much energy not into designing the collection, but also into the branding. The west say, like the stationary. I've, like, candidly already. That was important to me too, to have a real point of view when it came to the brand. So I love that it has this, you know, dual meaning. And then also I. If you've ever seen the logo, I Which you probably have. It's so good. Women. And I was like, oh, that's like me and my daughters.
- [15:16]
A
Oh, I love that Sarah has two girls just like I do. And we. We. Girl. Mom.
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B
Mom. Hard y.
- [15:24]
A
Are there any stories or moments that you can share as the collection came together? Like, I think people often think about, you know, starting a textile, and it just sounds so daunting, which, of course it is. But what was that process like over the course of the year, plus that you worked on it from, you know, the beginning until, you know, it became physical and real?
- [15:44]
B
You know, I think patience, patience, patience. Yeah. I think I did go into a little bit into it a little bit naively, which is maybe a good thing, thinking like, oh, I'll design this, and in a few months, like, it'll be in a showroom, and I'll be selling it. You know, you think you can just mock up a pattern and then tweak a color and you're done. But in reality, there are rounds of sampling, scale adjustments, color corrections. You know, you envision this thing in your head, and then you see it printed, and it's not quite right. And if you're a super OCD exacting person, like I am, then you go back to the drawing room.
- [16:20]
A
Most designers are right.
- [16:23]
B
And so you refine it again, and that sets you back months. But there was a moment when I finally saw the first strike offs printed correctly. And it was the first time, I think, that it really felt real, like holding it in my hands after over a year of back and forth. And that was. That was really satisfying. And I will say that was only, like, a couple months ago.
- [16:42]
A
Yeah, I mean, I feel like I just. You recently just started posting about it, so I feel like only in the last few weeks did I know about it, but when I saw the branding and the logo, I mean, it just stopped me in my tracks. It's so considered and different and very holy. You, which I love. Are there any favorite pieces from this first collection?
- [17:01]
B
I have a soft spot for one mural in the collection called Fortuna, which I feel like is especially special to me. It is designed as sort of like a build your own composition, because it's made up of four distinct panels that can be mixed and matched in different ways.
- [17:17]
A
That's so cool.
- [17:18]
B
One of the panels features this really incredible column, like, running the length of it, and I just. I love the idea of people integrating it into the architecture of their homes in unexpected ways. My best friend is already hounding me about installing it in her House and the front, having it flank the doorway, which I think is such a cool idea. It can anchor a wall or create a sense of structure where there really isn't any. And it also has this beautiful sort of like lime washed background that gives it a lot of depth and softness. And so I think it feels aged and architectural at the same time. I'm really excited for people to see that one.
- [17:54]
A
I love also that you did wallpaper and textiles at the same time, because together it tells such a complete story and they can kind of bounce off each other and. And we're so excited to use them at aoi. They're really stunning.
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B
I cannot wait to see how everyone uses them.
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A
I know that must be like the most fun part, right?
- [18:11]
B
I think it's going to take a lot of paint because it's like you launch this thing, then people get the samples, then they have to propose it to their client, then you have to order it, then it gets installed. I'm like, okay, I've. I have to sort of now re ground myself to realize that I'm not going to see those images for like a year again.
- [18:29]
A
But it'll be so gratifying when they come in. Let's chat a little bit about design because you are still designing in addition to this, which is amazing. And I love seeing you sort of branch out into different categories, but also maintaining your design business. And your style is, you know, you. You describe your style as warm, layered, and personal, which I wholeheartedly agree with. What do you feel, what each of those words means for a room?
- [18:53]
B
You know, when I say warm, I think I really mean like, inviting. And to me that means a space that feels like someone really lives there. And then also warmth often comes from materiality. For me, like, I use a lot of natural materials, cerused oak, unlacquered brass, plaster, cork, rat me. That creates a lot of warmth. And then layered, I feel like, you know, dimension, patina, mixing vintage things with new things, playing with scale and pattern, combining texture so that a room doesn't feel flat, but feels collected. And I feel like that actually relates to personal, which, you know, I think a room should reflect the person who lives there. Their history, their collections, their quirks. And I feel like all of those things really create spaces that feel lived in and, and lasting totally.
- [19:43]
A
I agree with every single thing you just said. I feel like in today's time, people don't realize how important the personal piece of it is, and they're sort of like just chasing what they see on Instagram or Pinterest and trying to recreate that at home. But it's like leaning into the quirky things that you enjoy yourself and collect and have. Or have inherited or whatever that there may be, and, like, weaving them in, because that's what makes it look like, you know, a real person lives there.
- [20:11]
B
It's funny because. And I'm. I'm curious if you feel the same, but I feel like a lot of designers feel like the easiest clients are the ones who come to the table with just, like, nothing on. Like, you know, no preconceived ideas. And they're like, you execute your total vision. I actually feel like the best clients are the ones who come to the table with, like, good ideas.
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A
Yes. And specificity.
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B
Yeah. And they have cool things that they've, like, come with, like, and collected over years. And you're like, oh, how can. Okay, like, this is a very specific starting point that gives me a direction and makes me understand who these people are 100%.
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A
And I think those projects always end up turning out the best, because it doesn't look like you just, like, put your thumbprint somewhere. It really looks like that person is expressed through, you know, their environment. Is there a favorite element about the design process for you? Like, where. Where do you kind of lock in the most and enjoy the most?
- [21:05]
B
And I feel like this will not come as a surprise to you, but I love the last layer. Like, those finishing touches, which often for me happen at the photo shoot if. If it gets to that point, but, like, adjusting, editing, accessorizing, I feel like that's the moment when the room shifts from finished to feeling, like, alive to
- [21:23]
A
me, a hundred percent.
- [21:25]
B
And it's also the moment that all of my stress melts away. Like, I feel like once everything is in place and the proportions feel right, and I'm like, I can finally excel. I can, like, see sleep at night again.
- [21:37]
A
I agree with you. That is when it feels alive and finished, and you can actually, like, celebrate the work that you've done versus, you know, up until then. It's, like, really just not done.
- [21:47]
B
It's unfortunate, but I feel like there are clients who don't get to that last layer because they're burnt out at the end of the project. And the nice thing about having a photo shoot is it really forces you to finish it. And then, you know, at the end of the photo shoot, usually the client comes in and they're like, oh, this is like a whole different ball game. Like, yeah, I buy all these accessories and live with Live this way forever, you know?
- [22:10]
A
Totally. I mean, we've rarely had a client not want to buy everything after a shoot because it just looks so much more complete at the end.
- [22:19]
B
I mean, it's like out of a magazine at that point.
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A
100%. Is there a design rule that you tend to always follow or one that you think is made to be broken?
- [22:28]
B
The rule that I always follow is proportion, because I feel like if the scale is wrong, really nothing else is gonna fix that. The rule that I think is meant to be broken is symmetry. I love it. It's very satisfying. But I also think that breaking it and introducing, like, one unexpected element is what can give a room its magic. Like, slightly weird room.
- [22:52]
A
Yeah. I mean, that's like Mika's, like, rule, you know? It's like her, like, special sauce is, like, breaking the symmetry in a really weird, cool way.
- [23:00]
B
I feel like I see stylists say that too. Like, put on one weird thing or.
- [23:05]
A
Yeah, no, it's true, because it. When you break the symmetry, I mean, sometimes the symmetry looks great, but when you break it, it, like, becomes almost more alive or activated in a way that it doesn't. When it's exactly the same everywhere. What do you think? And you've learned from some of the best. What is some of the best advice for designing interiors that you've received and from who? If you feel like sharing.
- [23:27]
B
I really admired Tom's perspective on decorating. Tom Shearer, you know, I feel like he just was always like, we're not doctors. This is not life or death. This job should not consume your entire life. You know, there are definitely times that I can get caught up in, like, the stakes of it all, like, the budgets and the details, and I'm, like, having nightmares at night, but at the end of the day, I think that, like, this is work that's supposed to bring joy, like, not just to us, but to the clients, to everyone involved. And I think that that can get lost in the intensity of a project, and I just try to consciously circle back to that reminder.
- [24:03]
A
Yeah, I love that. And it's such a good reminder for all of us, myself included. You know, it's true. I mean, this is the. The main point of engaging with a designer on your home is to, at the end, be so happy every time you walk in the house. And so the whole process should feel that way, too.
- [24:20]
B
It's a hard one.
- [24:22]
A
I know it is. Let's talk a little bit about you. What do you think your home says about you? Your beautiful apartment, which is so stunning.
- [24:31]
B
So I moved about six months ago. So, you know, everyone had seen my apartment that was in Domino and also, like, I don't know where else. It was very overexposed at a certain point. So this has been really exciting for me and I'm shooting it in a couple of weeks. But think my home says that I care very deeply about aesthetics, but I also live in real life. You know, it's layered, it's textured, it's full of pieces I've collected over years and will continue to collect. And yeah, it's designed around my family. I consider my kids when I decorate, but I don't believe in limiting myself to disposable or temporary things. Like, I have clients all the time who are like, I have young kids. Like, so, like in five years I'm going to change all of this out. That's just not right.
- [25:16]
A
And that's not how it should be. I agree with you.
- [25:18]
B
Yeah, I mean, I want my kids to grow up around beautiful objects, textiles, art, and to learn how to live with them and respect them. And I never really baby proofed, but I also have two girls different, you
- [25:33]
A
know, I have two girls, but they are wacko sometimes. So I did have baby proof, but
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B
I just like, you know, I don't know, I never put like plastic corners on things or. Yeah, you know, them from having art on the walls and things. It's sort of like, okay, that I agree with.
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A
I think it's like you. That's what makes your home feel special and that's how they create the memories of their environment growing up as a kid too. So if you remove the personality from the space, they don't. They're not engaging in the same way with, you know, what's around them also.
- [26:06]
B
Yeah, I would say my biggest issue is clutter, but, you know, I can do.
- [26:11]
A
There's so much clutter between the kids and also myself because I am like, I buy so many interior design books and I hoard them. And then my husband is like, we don't have any more room for them. And then, you know, you find like a piece of pottery or whatever. I think designers have this. All designers have this problem.
- [26:28]
B
And that's why I have an office on the east side which you've been to completely filled with stuff. And once a year I have to sell it all.
- [26:34]
A
Which you have the best sale when you do that, by the way? Yes, I have the same problem. I also have like a deluge of rainbow looms all over my house at the moment.
- [26:42]
B
Oh, yeah. Rainbow loom is a big one and it's little rubber bands and. Yeah.
- [26:46]
A
And they've. They. They're everywhere. Where do you go for inspiration? Where do you find inspiration? I know you. You travel a lot too.
- [26:53]
B
Yes. Honestly, I feel like everywhere. You know, I. When I walk on the streets of New York, I'll take a picture of, like, a freeze on Park Avenue that has these little carved scallop shells. Yeah. And I'll save it for later. I like going to Casa magazines where they have like, all those offbeat shelter magazines. Like, I like to Through Neptune or ones that just feel like slightly outside of the mainstream.
- [27:17]
A
Yeah.
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B
And I travel a lot and you're gonna laugh, but I was just at Disney World with my kids.
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A
Oh, my God.
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B
I was on It's a Small World. And I swear to God, there are some, like, very Joseph Frank esque moments. I was like, taking some pictures and I was like, this ride is kind of chic. I'm dead.
- [27:35]
A
That's like the most you thing I've ever heard.
- [27:37]
B
And also, I feel like inspiration doesn't have to be so precious. You know, it's just about sort of training your eye to notice things, like, wherever you are.
- [27:46]
A
Totally. I always think about in the September issue documentary about where that scene where Grace Coddington's in the car and she's talking about how you always have to keep your eyes open when no matter where you are, if you're in the car instead of closing them and taking a nap, like, look outside and just sort of always be looking and open because you will find the most beautiful things when you're a little bit more perceptive as you're moving through the world. Yeah.
- [28:09]
B
And I mean, don't get me wrong, like you said, my husband and I are drawn to going to very far flung places.
- [28:14]
A
And I'm so impressed by your travel. You go to, like, like, very far flung places and your kids are like, around my kid's age.
- [28:21]
B
Yeah. They don't come on those trips.
- [28:23]
A
I know it inspires me, but I
- [28:25]
B
do try to prioritize, like, once a year or at least every other year. Going on a trip, a solo trip with my husband.
- [28:32]
A
Yeah. No, it's so important.
- [28:34]
B
You know, we were just. We were. Last spring, we were in Bhutan. And to like, circle it back to the three fates thing. I took dozens of photos of patterns painted on walls in homes and temples. And all of that imagery has really stayed with me and will definitely future collections. You know, so when I travel, I sort of think about, okay, how do I not just bring this thing back but now interpret it for myself?
- [29:01]
A
Yeah. So cool. Well, this season was sponsored by Shop My, which is really. Has been a really fun thing to chat about with everyone to, like, talk about their stores. You're a shop my queen. You're always adding new stuff to your Shop My. Which I love every day.
- [29:14]
B
I know.
- [29:15]
A
Isn't it fun? It's like shopping without actually spending money. What is currently on your wish list or in your seasonal rotation that's in
- [29:21]
B
your shop right now? I don't even know how to start with this, because I truly do add things every single day.
- [29:26]
A
And you love fashion just like I do.
- [29:28]
B
Yes. And I'm. It's so bad because I'm terrible at sharing the stuff that I add, but I am secretly using it as, like, running my own wish list.
- [29:35]
A
That's how I do it too. I know. It's really dangerous.
- [29:39]
B
I. I really thought we were done with winter, which was clearly optimistic. Mystic. So I then just went and bought a pair of boots that I had saved because I was like, oh, it's, like, late in the season, but now I'm like, no, it's not like we're.
- [29:52]
A
So I just bought a pair of Blundstones the other day. I finally caved and got them.
- [29:56]
B
Yeah. I just. So I bought boots, and then I'm also eyeing one of those little, like, triangle scarves that everyone's wearing, which.
- [30:02]
A
Oh, my God. I am too.
- [30:03]
B
I. Yeah, but, like, practical.
- [30:06]
A
I know. I was walking on the Upper east side the other day, and I think I saw, like, eight white women in that same. I don't know how to pronounce it, but it starts with a K. Like, bandana, cashmere scarf.
- [30:16]
B
I know which brand you're talking about. That. Yeah.
- [30:19]
A
But they're really chic.
- [30:20]
B
Yes.
- [30:21]
A
What's in your storefront right now that you're excited about?
- [30:24]
B
I've recently gotten really into tennis, so of course, I had to make a whole board for that.
- [30:29]
A
Love it.
- [30:30]
B
And I. I love the Wilson skirts because I think they're classic, but in my head, I am building a full Tori sport wardrobe.
- [30:38]
A
Everything. Tory sport is so amazing. I mean, even, like, for daytime, like, some of the Tory sports stuff. It doesn't even have to be for sport. It's so good. You know what I mean?
- [30:48]
B
I know. I feel like it's gonna be my summer uniform.
- [30:50]
A
Yeah. It's so good. What kinds of, like, category? I mean, I look at your shop. My. But for those listening and you can link. We're gonna link this in the show notes so people can go right to it. But what do you think about when you are adding stuff like what kinds of products? How do you kind of think about organizing it? What's in there?
- [31:07]
B
I try to curate as much interiors as possible just because I feel like there are so many strong catalog finds. Yeah. Out there in the world. And while decorating an entire home that way is not my approach, I do think that those pieces can be so useful when they're added thoughtfully, especially in kids rooms. You know, there's great product that I think is well designed and really accessible. So I love pulling from places like Creighton Kids, West Elm Kids, Green Row. I really comb through like the major retailers and highlight what I think is the best of the best so that you, the general you doesn't have to scroll endlessly. You know, I've essentially. I've done the editing for you.
- [31:44]
A
Yeah, it's great. And you have such a good edit on there. I love it.
- [31:47]
B
And then how I've organized my shop, it's just sort of divided by interiors, fashion and kids, which is basically how my brain is organized at this point.
- [31:55]
A
Me too. I think that's like sort of how we operate. It's like there's three categories and that's kind of it.
- [32:01]
B
That's all I can handle right now.
- [32:03]
A
Yeah, totally. Well, now let's get into our takedown. We. We do our rapid fire questions at the end of every episode. They don't really have that much to do with design, but they sort of do. But I always love hearing people's answers. So what is your favorite food?
- [32:16]
B
So this is easy. And I think I said this in my Q A with you when I was on the blog, because it really, truly doesn't change. But the roast chicken salad followed by the chocolate mousse at Bouvette is what my husband and I order every single time we have like a big life moment to celebrate. We go there at least that exact same meal.
- [32:37]
A
Oh, I love that. I love that, like there's like a special, like specific celebration meal that's like really beautiful. I love that. And boo that time. So good. Favorite drink.
- [32:48]
B
I feel like I've mostly stopped drinking, but this is like so low brow I feel. But I cannot resist the allure of a frozen drink, which my friend can confirm. Like, I love a frozen drink. Even. The other day I went to watch the super bowl at a friend's house and she was like, I have frozen margs for you in the dead of
- [33:07]
A
oh My God, that's so good. I mean, there is something, like, treat like about them. You know what I mean?
- [33:12]
B
Yes. Yes. We all deserve.
- [33:14]
A
Favorite film.
- [33:15]
B
Just watched this with my kids the other day. Can't say 100% that it is necessarily appropriate for their age, but you've Got Mail is the perfect. Because I just feel like I, like, live in that movie. And then it ends at the end of Riverside park in this garden that's maintained by the community. And just. I just. I love it. I love everything about it.
- [33:38]
A
I love that movie so much. And also, you do. I mean, you literally live right there.
- [33:43]
B
Yeah.
- [33:43]
A
And, like.
- [33:44]
B
And, like, not that much has changed up here, actually. No.
- [33:47]
A
A lot of the same restaurants are still there.
- [33:49]
B
Like the one where, like, ours was in the movie. I was like, look at all the places that you guys go. Yeah.
- [33:56]
A
Favorite hotel.
- [33:57]
B
This is like choosing a favorite child. But I. I'll do it because I love to travel. I think I have to say the upper house in Hong Kong.
- [34:06]
A
You literally have been everywhere.
- [34:08]
B
Yeah. You know, we just. The funny thing is, though, it's like, we never just go on, like, a little trip to Europe or anything like that. It's always like, how far away can we go?
- [34:18]
A
You really. You track, like, you go far.
- [34:21]
B
It's cool, like the track. But yeah, I would say the upper House in Hong Kong. And we loved it so much that we bought the room scent, like, just to remind us of it. And sometimes we, like, spray it around her. Perfect.
- [34:30]
A
Amazing. I mean, it's amazing how scent can just like, immediately transport you to wherever you are too.
- [34:35]
B
Yeah.
- [34:36]
A
Favorite city, which I think I know what you're gonna say.
- [34:39]
B
New York City Forever. Forever and ever.
- [34:41]
A
If you ask a city girl that, I think you're always gonna get the same answer.
- [34:44]
B
Yeah.
- [34:44]
A
Favorite bedding.
- [34:45]
B
You know, I'm not a fancy sheets person, but I do live and die by this pick stitch quilt from John Robshaw. And I basically use it as, like, a top sheet and then my duvet at the bottom of the bed. Yeah.
- [34:59]
A
They have such great, like, layered kind of like kantha type of things that are so beautiful.
- [35:05]
B
Yes. So soft and fluffy.
- [35:07]
A
Tea or coffee? And how do you take it?
- [35:09]
B
Iced coffee with whole milk all year round.
- [35:12]
A
Favorite playlist or music to listen to.
- [35:14]
B
I have a playlist called the SLI Playlist that I started years ago on Spotify. That was the ambiance for my holiday house room. It has evolved into, like, my work dinner party, general vibe soundtrack. And it's public, so you should download
- [35:31]
A
it oh, my God. I love that. I'm gonna link it in the show notes, too. That's so good. I remember when I. When I did Holiday House, like, curating, because it's like a thing, like, you're, like, curating the music for the ambiance of the room.
- [35:42]
B
Totally. I was like, it's got to be a whole vibe in here.
- [35:45]
A
Favorite weekend activity?
- [35:46]
B
Tennis with my family every Saturday.
- [35:49]
A
You guys play as a four?
- [35:50]
B
Yeah, well, we play. My girls play on one court, and my husband and I play on another court.
- [35:56]
A
Oh, that's so sweet. I love that Saturday.
- [35:58]
B
And, like, we all look forward to it so much, and. Yeah, it's really fun.
- [36:02]
A
Yeah, it's so fun.
- [36:04]
B
It really is. It's the best.
- [36:06]
A
Okay, I'm curious to hear your answer to this one, because I know you collect them as much as I do. What is your favorite design book?
- [36:11]
B
I think I gotta say Still Decorating, by Tom Shearer, which is his most recent book. It's really good. Beautiful. And I happen to have a very nice little acknowledgment in the back.
- [36:23]
A
So nice.
- [36:24]
B
Like, a handful of projects that I worked on that are meaningful to me are in that book.
- [36:28]
A
So that's amazing. It's really good. I was reading it. I got it, like, right when it came out, and I was reading it. I read them cover to cover.
- [36:36]
B
He's such a good writer, too.
- [36:38]
A
He's an excellent writer, and there's so much tactile information in there and just inspiration. It's an excellent book. At the end, we do our final few words. So obviously, 3ft textiles is the big news of the day. Is there anything else? Any other new projects you want to talk about?
- [36:52]
B
You know, I feel like I scaled my design practice back a little bit this year to really give the focus that I think three fates deserved. It's been a major priority, and I wanted to give it my full attention. But I am working on a handful of smaller client projects still, and for the first time, I took on some consulting work, which is actually really enjoyable. It feels lower stakes and just, like, more contained. Like, yeah, sort of in and out, shorter timelines. And so I've been having fun with
- [37:20]
A
that, like, expert style.
- [37:22]
B
I won't do virtual because I just think that's too hard. But, yeah, someone's in New York City. I will come over and sort of just like, spout all of my ideas at them.
- [37:33]
A
Yeah, I have found those types of, like, that structure to be really gratifying. Like, I have done a couple expert sessions this year. And I really, I find them so, like getting a lot out of just an hour, you know? Yeah.
- [37:47]
B
And I feel like my one rule about these consulting things is that I don't do the purchasing. So you're not like, bogged down in it. You're just sort of like, here are all these really good ideas and all my, all these vendors, if you want them. And. And then, and then you walk away.
- [38:03]
A
Totally. I know. It's really, it's been like a very, like, gratifying thing to do.
- [38:08]
B
Great.
- [38:09]
A
I love asking people this question. What advice do you have for someone looking to define their own interior style?
- [38:15]
B
I feel like people always say buy what you love, but I, like, don't really agree with that.
- [38:19]
A
It.
- [38:21]
B
But I would say look for the common threads more than buy what you love. You know, like, pay attention to what you're repeatedly drawn to over time. Like, I feel like if you looked at my Pinterest boards, if you looked at my saved Instagram, there are certain colors, there are materials, there are eras and like, proportions. Like, there's a through line that I see. So I think it takes some time to sort of figure out what that is, but I think, like, look at a lot and look for those common threads.
- [38:47]
A
Yeah. I think that's how people can really figure out what it is that they're actually gravitated toward versus being thrown willy nilly by the Internet.
- [38:56]
B
Right. It's like I could go on a website and just buy a random thing that I love, but it doesn't necessarily work in my apartment.
- [39:03]
A
Totally. Oh, my God, Sarah, this was so much fun and I'm so happy that we got to come on and celebrate you and Three Fates Textiles and talk all about it.
- [39:12]
B
Thank you so much. This is so exciting. This is like the first time I've been. You've spoken about it, done anything for it.
- [39:18]
A
That makes me so happy. And you also just are so knowledgeable and well spoken about interiors. And I think this is. I think people are going to love this episode. Where can listeners find more about you and your brands?
- [39:31]
B
For interiors, you can find me at saraletterman interiors.com and for three fates, you can find me at 3fatestextiles.com which officially launches today, the day this episode airs.
- [39:43]
A
Yay. Congrats, Sarah. Thank you so much for coming on. I'm so excited for you.
- [39:49]
B
Thank you so much.
- [39:51]
A
Thanks again to my guests today for joining me and to shop my for sponsoring this season of Talkshop. Head to the show Notes to create your free shopper account and explore the curated storefronts from this season's designers. We'll be back next week with more thoughtful discussions and amazing guests. Follow us on Apple podcasts, Spotify and YouTube so you never miss an episode. And of course, follow me at arielokun. See you next week.