Best Dressed Home No. 03 - Elizabeth Cooper's Sag Harbor Project

Elizabeth Cooper is a wildly talented interior designer, based in San Francisco, New York and (increasingly) London. She has a photographic memory, keen eye for color and pattern and genius ability to distill what her clients say (and don't say) to create rich interior spaces that truly reflect the people living in them. She is also one of my closest friends and design collaborator. Knowing how she tends to deflect the spotlight, she'll probably kill me for highlighting her talent and work in this way. (Elizabeth, if you're reading this, I promise to take you out for a glass wine and some potato chips to make this up to you!) That said, take a look at these images, and you'll see why I'm excited to share her Sag Harbor project (featured in Lonny Magazine) as our BDH No. 03. 

While this effortlessly chic beach house reflects Elizabeth's self-described "patrician granola" style, she is a design chameleon, equally adept at curating art and furnishings for a sophisticated Manhattan apartment, rustic retreat in Montana, and apple farm in Sonoma. Regardless of the project, here are a few valuable ECID design lessons that can be fairly universally applied:

• When hanging a mirror, think about what it reflects. Elizabeth learned this lesson from Martha Angus (her mentor and former boss) and generously passed it along to me. When possible, hang mirrors to reflect a pretty view or architectural detail, not just another wall. 
• Avoid postage stamp-sized area rugs. As a general rule, a rug should cover most of the room with an even 3-6 inch border with cut outs around a fireplace or other projections. You may always layer a smaller rug on top for visual interest. That said, custom rugs can be expensive, so when in doubt, no rug is better than a too small rug.
• Go big with trim. A few custom pillows with contrast piping, trim tape, pom-poms or fringe can personalize a basic sofa, adding character and depth. Trim can also add visual interest to a tablecloth or even the walls, so don't be shy, even with 6+ inch variety!

I feel incredibly fortunate to have met Elizabeth twelve years ago through DIFFA's Dining by Design event, and it has been a thrill to watch her career evolve. Although she has deliberately maintained a low profile, I imagine that won't be easy to do much longer. Thankfully, I happen to know she has some truly special projects being photographed, so keep an eye out for more from this design superstar! XO, L

Images: Lonny, 2014.