..it's Emma from Emma Cassi

This is the beautiful house of the multi-talented French women (and mom to Anton) living in Richmond, near London ... Emma is a 'lace jewelry designer', an 'interior stylist' and 'still life kids stylist', maybe you have seen some work from her for Famille Summerbelle...
{Some of the beautful jewelry peices by Emma Cassi}
1. ) Can you tell us a little about your self,  your background, and how you started making gorgeous jewelry and being a successful stylist?I studies in Art school (Beaux arts) in France, I specialised in landscape drawings and installations inspired by my family history. Very influenced by the embroidery of Dries van Noten , I started to create bags and jewellery for myself. When I arrived in London in 1999, I started my business. I am selling my jewellery in Designers Guild in London, HP France in Japon and I am hoping to find a retailer in the US. In addition to my jewellery, I am a freelance stylist. I started by working for Country Living magazine, then assisting interiors stylists. Since my son Anton was born, I am working freelance.

Image: styling_sumerbelle.jpg
2. ) This styling project for Famile Summerbelle is amazing…do you always use a theme when working for a styling project or do you just start randomly and let the stage grow? What are the main characteristics of your styling projects?
It depends but generally it takes a few weeks to put the idea together, research and find what I need. Luckily, I am rarely restricted in my ideas even when I work on major projects such as catalogues for the likes of Laura Ashley. My style is evolving with trends, movies I’ve seen or simply outfits. And then the idea grows from there... For example at the moment I am thinking of using food as a background for a fairytale story like Hansel and Gretel .

{styling project with children}
3. ) Do you like to work with children and products for children…and if so what makes it fun?
I like to make things as well as using kids products. With children styling, I can paint (with Anton), make funny things. Recently, I had to make a world out of felt: backgrounds, cakes, hats, clothes for the toys catalogue of a big brand. I am always looking for toys, clothes and new things for Anton. Most of the time, my work doesn’t really feel like work but more like a fun project.

{Anton’s cars cabinet}
4. How does your styling work reflect in your own house, are you very focused on details here as well? Did you make this great colored cabinet yourself?
I would love to do more crazy decoration with more lace and wallpapers in our home but I am working here most days so I have to balance my adventurous ideas with more practical ideas. I opted for a fairly simple decoration but there are details everywhere, like jewellery hanging on the walls and mood boards. We have found the cabinet in a market and I have just painted it.

{Anton’s bedroom}
5. ) I really love the colors you use at your home and in your work, where do you get your color inspiration?
Most of the time, it is art; we often go to Tate Modern. I am also inspired by clothes and art shops where I buy tubes of paint for Anton.

{Anton’s bed and his books}
6. ) Where do you find all the nice pillows? Is your sweet boy, Anton, happy with his beautiful room and what does he like best in his room?
I  have found some cushions at Cath Kidston but all the other ones are handmade with Liberty or vintage fabrics. I like to change the decoration often and now he is asking me to surprise him with new things in his bedroom when he comes back from holidays. He loves his Brio train and he is changing the tracks all the time... and we have to be careful not to trip on them.
 
{the livingroom}
7.) Where do you live and what kind of house…and I couldn’t spot a television in your house, is it not there or do you have a perfect solution to hide this ugly monster?
We live in a split house and yes... we have a big grey tv. It is in a corner of the living room and no I haven’t found a way of hiding it. I’d like a small flat screen...

{livingroom with details}
8.) What kind of easy decorating tips can you give, so we are all able to create beautiful rooms like yours and how do you start creating the little accessory corners?
I like to match similar soft colours so I don’t feel the need to change them. I like to add personal things... Something new, something old, a touch of handmade and craft, the best is to read Isle Crawford, “Home is where the heart is”, she explains how to create a well balanced home.

8.b) What mistake do people often make when starting to decorate a room?
It isn’t personal enough. You can follow trends and borrow ideas but the end result should look like you.

9.) What kind of magazines and websites or blogs do you like to visit for inspiration?
I look for Milk, Vogue living australia and Marie claire maison and from time to time elle deco uk, cote est and ouest.
*web* 2dimanche,  tse-tse and TanteTini
*My daily read* Garancedore, designsponge, finelittleday and madamechacha
*My weekly* Lilouka, Liiviantalossa, Scout-holiday and Cerfapaillettes 

{kitchen front}
10.) Where did you buy that great cabinet for your plates above the countertop?
We bought it at the Conran Shop but Tse-Tse are doing the same one.

{Kitchen table and chalkboard}
11.) I noticed a little menu on the chalkboard, are you a cook yourself or do you pay more attention to the way it’s being served and decorated?
I love cooking. Even when I don’t have much time to cook, I do my best to make something. The most important thing for us is to eat together every evening. That’s what we’ve always done in France.
We make menus when we have guests we cook specialities from France and family recipes.

{office corner}
12.) You created a small office corner in your living room, I know many people like me find it hard to keep the clutter out of sight, what kind of tips can you give to keep this corner look nice?
It is difficult to have a clean space, every 2 weeks, I have to reorganise my lace and beads. The best way to keep it tidy is to put everything away. I love the vintage utility old drawers we found in a antique shop because I can have all my beads, sequins, lace and stationery and it is the perfect look for the living room. I like to keep things in old boxes, wire baskets... I think the best buy is the new white plastic lace basket from Skandium (originally made for bikes)  but they look great to store envelopes, papers or magazines.

{the Bedroom}
13.) Please tell us a bit more about this wonderful bedroom and it’s details, it’s so peaceful and tranquil a perfect place to sleep…? Is that just some wallpaper at the bed end?
The paint I have used is ”linen” from Laura Ashley, the wallpaper cut as the bed end is from Cath Kidston. I am using vintage linen sheets and vintage lace bedspread in the summer and quilts in winter.
I collect lots of handmade ceramics from Mint and I have just started to make white lace printed pots with self dry clay. I keep them on the shelves in the bedroom. I have hanged some of my favourite necklaces and I keep the colours all beige and of white...

..website..
..shop..
..styling information..
..blog..

{maybe you recognise this beautiful house ... Emma has been a guest of Grace and Ann over at Design*Sponge earlier this year and here you can find some more lovely images}

Comments

[ninainvorm]

Fabulous post! What fun, color and harmony!

[Cyriaque L...]

I really love Emma's work and house. It's a great pleasure to read more about it !

[Kate]

I recall this sweet bedroom from the ohdeedoh contest - it was my personal favorite (even though I entered too)!

[emmeline]

Oooo, what a wonderful bedroom (and house!). If only I could achieve something like that in my boy's room ... :)

[Jogirl]

Oh that is sooooooooooo weird..I was literally just,no joke, eating dinner and reading one of my fav mags that just came out today, and this article and pics where in it..gorgeous.

[Sara Duckett]

Absolutely beautiful!

[kellyt]

Can you tell me where the quilt came from in Anton's room? I've been looking for quite some time for an orange quilt (for MY son's room!) and can't find the perfect one. Also, the quilt looks bright orange in one pic and more muted in another shot (like a pumpkin color). Is it more on the brighter side or more muted? Thanks!

[Kristin]

Such a lovely home. Warm, inviting, pretty and chic all at once.

[Emma]

The quilt is bright orange, it is from Habitat.
Thank you!

[Kim]

I'm jealous of this house.

[Madame Chacha]

Amazed by the stylish way of life of my friend Emma, I feel so proud to be in her daily readings !!!
Congrats for this great interview with a great lady...

[kosenrufu mama]

wonderful house!!!!!

[Holly Becker]

Thank you for letting me know about this, LOVELY interview. I just let decor8 readers in on this too. xo

[andrea]

I have a question that maybe you could do a post on at some point? Hee hee, I would love opinions if it's not imposing. I personally love vintage, and I did when I was a child as well. I know that I was completely enamored with the things that my grandmother handed down to me and still love finding treasures in junk shops and antique markets FAR better than jumping out to a store to buy it the easy way. So my question is, how do you all feel about how your children feel? I had complete control until Rowan went to daycare, and now I am inundated with pleases for Star Wars, Diego, whatever the kids at daycare have. I loathe plastic and we don't have a TV on purpose, if I had my way, my son's room would be a glorious mixture of found objects and vintage toys and books. He sees my idea of a treasure as old and broken. Is it only the vintage stuff that goes on display for these photographs or do we just simply not allow the mainstream toys to find their way into the house? Is it fair to dictate what our children are allowed to play with to that extent? I am fighting his dad, grandparents and uncles with this one. My major issue is how there is no sense of value anymore. When my mother was young, the few toys she had were absolute treasures and she knew it. We were less protective as children, but the disposable toy industry of today drives me insane and I refuse to buy into it, but every day Rowan comes home wondering why I won't allow Disney in the household. :)

[chiara]

I love everything about this house. I too remember it from the ohdeedoh contest (and like Cyriaque L., I entered it also!), and really liked the garlands and lights over your little boy's bed!

[ann]

Emma,

Love the home. Where did you get the quilts (yellow and pink) in your bedroom?