The Tamesis
It all starts with vanity. When West Elm contacted Emma Chamberlain to ask if she would be interested in designing a collection, the answer was, of course, yes, and she knew immediately which product she wanted to start with. “Ever since I was a kid, I loved vanities and I always wanted one so bad,” she recalls. “I felt it was my responsibility to make one.”
The collection, which includes 78 products across furniture and decorative items, launches today. This is Chamberlain’s first interior design initiative—although fans will no doubt remember (and probably have bookmarked) her Los Angeles home, which she decorated with Proem Studios. Well, that’s where her project with West Elm began; the brand itself was something she first encountered while looking for special pieces to fill her new space. “I definitely used my house as inspiration,” Chamberlain said. “Not everything is from the same decade or era, but it all works together.”
Courtesy of West Elm
Courtesy of West Elm
She explained that her vision combined midcentury and futuristic styles; everything was vaguely inspired by vintage pieces in her home and was designed to avoid neatly fitting into one aesthetic. She pulled off the mashup very well. Warm wood and plaid interior blend effortlessly with sleek chrome and gloss paint. Eggplant purple, sage green, mustard yellow and icy blue tones give it a modern feel while still being rooted in the 1970s.
“I would say it’s eclectic, inviting, light-hearted,” Chamberlain continued. “There’s a lot going on at once, that’s my decorating philosophy, and it’s about not taking itself too seriously.” Those looking for sturdy investment pieces to dress up a room will find a polished dining table and a comfortable sofa in a classic silhouette (inspired by one of Chamberlain’s daily naps). Of course, it’s also full of tongue-in-cheek decorations, like a dove-shaped pitcher and a bird’s-foot fruit bowl.
Courtesy of West Elm
