Barely past the
trikes and scooters parked in the travertine entryway to her Soho loft, Christiane Lemieux pauses under an
antique pendant lantern that once swung from Toronto’s City Hall. “This is all going to be
changed,” she announces. Meaning tomorrow when contractors arrive to redesign
some of her family’s living space. It’s the first clue Lemieux, founder and
creative director of modern home décor brand DwellStudio, gives into her design
dabbling spirit. “It’s never done,” she says of her home, not with a sigh, but,
rather, a spark. “You tinker and tweak as your style changes. It’s an evolving
thing.”
Like a moving
target, Lemieux evokes a sense of constant motion when describing her
wanderlust work and lifestyle–evolution, process, progress
–all befitting of a Canadian ex-pat, wife, mother, and designer with a roving
eye for inspiration.
After graduating
from Parson’s School of Design and a two-year stint in the fashion and
home design industries, Lemieux launched DwellStudio in 2000, focusing strictly
on textiles because, as she admits, they were the easiest product a one-woman
brand could ship. Today, Lemieux’s initial vision of contemporary fabrics with
clean, graphic prints has become the cornerstone of her family-run company.
From nursery furniture to diaper bags, from duvet covers to headboards, her
home furnishings and accessories team has achieved its own signature
mid-century modern style. Lemieux often refers to DwellStudio’s philosophy as
“a natural progression,” giving clients the tools they need to be their own
decorator, their own designer, with a focus on personality, trends and
quality-for-value. And, as a parent and design consumer herself, Lemieux
applies the same thinking to her own living space.
A tour around
her family’s three-bedroom, three-and-half-bath apartment reflects her evolving
tastes and even her personal travels. A 14-foot mahogany dining table from
Paris’s Clignancourt flea market; wheat-colored silk carpets made in Tibet; a
coffee table found at Brimfield, Massachusetts’s enduring outdoor antique show;
a sparkling, fairytale-like chandelier rescued from an old movie theater in New
Jersey. If Lemieux had started out her career cautious about shipping, that
notion has evolved, too: “Show me a container and I’ll put some stuff in it,”
she grins, as she glides across rough-hewn oak floors handpicked from Amsterdam. “[The floors are] old, heavy, and
already dinged up, so they have personality,” she explains, adding it’s a
lived-in quality that makes them the perfect surface for scooter races between
her three-year-old son, William, and five-year-old daughter, Isabelle.
No far-flung
bazaar or dusty auction, however, has played as much a part in the apartment’s
look and feel as her family. Although, Lemieux likes to joke that her design
approach has been more an attempt “to slowly undo those little mistakes” she
and her husband made in an initial gut-renovation five years ago. Pregnant with
Isabelle at the time, Lemieux laments that she “literally had no idea” when it
came to considering kid-friendly features in home design. Case in point: linen wallpaper,
a perfect canvas for smudgy little fingers and the occasional crayon mural.
Luckily, the wall coverings are being replaced imminently. Another
work-in-progress ready for completion? A space off the main living area which
Lemieux and her husband once considered for a gym, then an office and now, a
play and computer room for the kids. “I’m glad we didn’t build out this room
until now because now we can actually build it out effectively,” she says with
resolve.
Other changes on
the makeover list abound: Isabelle’s cotton-candy hued bedroom walls are no
longer part of the master plan. “Her favorite color is red because pink is for
babies,” explains Lemieux. Should we expect crimson walls? Not quite. “I think
we’re going to pick something more versatile,” she laughs, though it’s clear
this mom takes the request seriously. “When kids get older they need downtime,”
she says, “So it’s really about giving them a space that’s more personal.”
Like her
daughter, Lemieux sees an opportunity to personalize the master bedroom, too.
To complement a sleek shelving system by mid-century Danish designer, Hans
Wegner, the vintage furniture buff is excited to design the other half of the
room in her self-described “modern luxe” style. A more minimalist Serge Mouille
fixture will replace a teardrop chandelier, and her DwellStudio upholstered
headboard – while she still loves it – is getting an update. “I like clean
lines but I like luxurious detail,” Lemieux says, evident in the spacious
master bath lined in creamy Carrara marble.
With all of this
redecorating underway, it’s not surprising that Lemieux has even
reconceptualized the word into something more appropriate for her design
philosophy: undecorate. In fact, she wrote a book about it. Published
last March, Undecorate: The No-Rules Approach to Interior Design
(Clarkson Potter) seeks to showcase a trend Lemieux spotted in her own life and
work. The book features 20 different homes around the country each with their
own take on intuitive and flexible décor. “All of our customers, all of the
bloggers we interact with, everybody in that kind of online, design sphere is
constantly tweaking their space,” she says, looking around. “My home is a
perfect example of that.”
And Lemieux
applies the same fluid thinking to her family life. As a working mom, she
manages to fit in travel (this year the family has already jetted to Mexico,
Canada, Miami and several other U.S. cities), trips to the Children’s Museum,
activities with Citibabes and meals at Chicca on Spring Street—the only place
her son likes to eat. “Give yourself a break,” she encourages fellow parents,
“You’re probably doing the best job you can, especially in New York.”
Last stop on the
tour is William’s bedroom. Just in time, the three-year-old rushes in from
preschool ready to talk dinosaurs. As Lemieux points to a framed polka dot
print over his bed, William interrupts: “But I don’t like that picture,” says
the budding interior decorator. “What do you want instead?” Lemieux queries. “A
dinosaur painting. Not that one,” he says pointing at the picture in question.
“That one’s kind of baby.”
Lemieux nods
with all the seriousness of a DwellStudio design meeting. Let the undecorating begin.
For more information on DwellStudio, visit dwellstudio.com.
Reprinted from the book Undecorate by Christiane Lemieux. Copyright %uFFFD
2011 by Christiane Lemieux. Photographs copyright %uFFFD 2011 by Melanie Acevedo. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc.
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Christiane Lemieux’s Five Must-Have Products For The Kids Room
Dots Multi
Mobile, by Frazier & wing for DwellStudio, is a modern twist on a classic
nursery staple. It comes in a range of fabulous colors for pattern coordination
and a streamlined presentation. No assembly required—simply unwrap and hang!
Tree Multi Large Rug combines comfy and cool in the softest, sturdiest of floor
coverings. This woodland-inspired design is suitable for both boys and girls,
and made from 100% hand tufted New Zealand wool.
The City Stamp Set is a timeless gift for any kids room—cherished by children
of all ages. This set features a cityscape motif for young NYC artists to
replicate on their medium of choice. Includes 6-7 stamps, 2 ink pads, 5
pencils, all in a charming pine box for easy storage.
The Savoy Glider, in a fabulously mod “dotscape” pattern, is cozy enough for
the nursery but stylish enough for the whole house. Custom made in the USA, this glider has decorative button
tufting and welt detail and is made of sustainable hardwood. The recycled steel
glide mechanism both glides and swivels.
An Orange Bus Frame completes any child’s room as a fun, festive way to display
family photos. Made of painted wood, this 4″ x 6″ frame includes a
stand for desktop placement and a wall hanging bracket.
