Designer Crush: Parlor Interiors
Author:Lindsey ShookTaylor Anne Abess’ passion for design flourished at an early age while trailing alongside her interior designer mother on job sites and in showrooms. Born and bred in L.A., she was exposed to a deluge of culture and arts that inspired her to pursue a creative career path. Her first successful foray into design began in fashion when she owned and ran a multi-line showroom in New York City that focused on furthering the careers of young talent.
While fulfilling, she gradually realized that her love of interior design was central to who she is, inspiring the launch of Parlor Interiors, a bi-coastal, full-service design firm that allows her to explore the practice in both L.A. and Miami. Here, she shares more about who and what helped find her destiny.
–How did growing up in L.A. shape your design perspective? I think the most advantageous elements in L.A. are the inherent exposure to culture and welcomed eccentricity. It allowed for me to develop a design language with minimal parameters. Also, the geography inspired me to consider design in terms of the various climates and landscapes. From the beach to the mountains and urban sprawl to desert, the different surroundings greatly influence color, texture, scale, textiles, architecture and more in my work.
-How do you define your aesthetic? Authentic. For me, it’s important to fully understand how a client wants to dwell in a space. Listening to them throughout the process defines the DNA of the project. But as a studio, we do have a common thread running throughout our style. We strive to curate fresh, timeless interiors by balancing antiques, vintage finds and work by contemporary artists and artisans together.
–Which designers or creatives have inspired your career? Tony Duquette for his theatrics. I love how he designed interiors as if they were a set. On the flip side, I look to Axel Vervoordt for restraint and balance and swoon over his legendary muted spaces that have loads of frequency. At the risk of sounding cliché, I have to say Kelly Wearstler has been a HUGE inspiration.
–Any brands or artists you are currently obsessing over? A few of my L.A. favorites include Thomas Hayes Studio and Stahl and Band. I always go to Apparatus and Lindsey Adelman for lighting. And love discovering new work at Una Malan, The Future Perfect, Blackman Cruz, Garde Shop and Gallery Half.
–How have you shifted your business during the pandemic? In 2020, we had to play a lot of defense. Our clients have reexamined their lives and concentrated on their homes, and as a result, we have never been busier. A few clients enlisted us to rethink their open living spaces and create divisions from their common areas in order to have a successful transition to working-from-home. Another big shift of note is that we work most with clients in California and Miami and have seen a huge influx of Californians moving to Miami, which has given us a leg up. We thank our lucky stars every day, especially during a time where so many are in precarious positions at best and don’t know where their next paycheck is coming from.
LIGHTNING ROUND!
-All-time favorite design book? All the designers I mentioned above have fabulous books. I love anything from Taschen and the Art & Architecture series editions 1946 – 1954 by David Travers.
-Favorite hotel in California? Hotel Bel Air
-Who would you most love to design a home for? Timothee Chalamet and for the no longer living, Hunter S. Thompson or Anais Nin would be outrageous.
-If you weren’t a designer, you would be? This is my second career after fashion. No doubt it would be something creative.
