We love Maria’s style, the way she connects so easily with others, and her sense of adventure. We are thrilled to set our communal table at her gorgeous + well-curated atelier in Newport Beach on Saturday 2/29/20. Although our lark communal dinner has sold out, we invite you to come along with this brief dive “below-the-surface” into her beautiful world of design.
Q. Where are you from–and where do you live currently?
A. I grew up in Pasadena and currently live in Laguna Beach. I have also lived in Santa Barbara and abroad in Singapore.
Q. What was your favorite subject in school?
A. Definitely Art!
Q. What was your most favorite occupation?
A. Obviously Interior Design.
Q. When did you realize you had a knack for Interior Design?
A. When I was about 4 or 5 years old. My dad had a construction company and I used to go in his warehouse and make doll houses for my weeble wobbles out of scrapes of wood, metal and glass. I was also obsessed with my moms Architectural Digest from a very young age.
Q. What is your favorite and/or most ideal project?
A. My ideal project would be a new build in Montecito, a modern version of a Spanish Colonial. That would be my dream house. Clean and timeless with lots of wood, dark metal and Spanish decorative tile, my absolute love. My favorite project is my own ongoing house. We live in an adorable tiny 1936 cottage in Laguna Beach. It is the quintessential beach cottage.
Q. You go on “buying trips” what are some of your favorite places?
A. My favorite place to go on buying trips is of course England where my husband Max is from. I love the old country antiques that we find there. They are timeless and the craftsmanship is amazing.
Q. What was your first trip like? Did someone take you–or did you venture out on you own?
- We always find time when we go back to England to venture out and source. Its so inspiring over there, whether we are in London at some cool old shop or in the countryside at a car boot sale. I have always just ventured out on my own. I have had tips from locals but its fun to wander and discover.
Q. Any regrets on an object you might have passed up?
A. I just passed up an antique Oushak runner a few weeks ago, and now its gone, it was the perfect size, color and price! But my worst regret is an antique Gustavian dresser that I found at an estate sale up by Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. I purchased it but sold it in my shop. I think about it all the time and how I should not have sold it!!!
Q. We love that you like to host/entertain is this something you’ve always done?
A. I think I started to entertain about 16 years ago when we bought our little cottage. We have an amazing front yard with 22 fruit and nut trees. Its small but its perfect for having intimate dinner parties or summer lunches in the garden. Its pretty magical.
Q. What is your most memorable meal?
A. I don’t know if I could say what is my most memorable meal, but I love food and my husband Max and I are vegetarian so when I find amazing vegetarian restaurants or meals I really remember them.
Recently we went to Double Zero in Venice and I had the most amazing vegan spaghetti bolognaise or as my husband calls it spag bol. It was made with mushrooms and walnuts and so incredibly delicious. I found a similar recipe, its take a long time to make it but soooo worth it!
Q. We feel food, conversation x design go quite well together, do you have any thoughts on this intersection?
A. Good food and design are both so creative and appeal to your senses. So of course they both individually and combined make great conservation! It’s the perfect mixture.
Q.. Do you have a favorite quote?
A. “Gratitude creates abundance’.
Q. Who Inspires you?
Q. Some of my favorite designers are:
Amber Interiors – She just rocks it
Nickey Kehoe – The perfect duo
Lauren Liess – Love her timeless sensibility
Kendall Conrad – Her fashion sense
Q. How do you envision your future of Isles Interiors–what direction do you most want to go?
A. For Isles Interiors we envision continuing with our full scale interior design studio. Expanding on our new builds and full remodels. We are also in the process of designing a new line of furniture by Max, 5 or 6 signature pieces, that we can’t live without! I would love to open a studio in Santa Barbara and eventually London.
Create. Collaborate. Elevate. Come on a lark with us!
Thursday, March 26, 2020 at Hello Kestan in Irvine, CA {details TBA soon}!