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How to Decorate

Ep. 78: McMillen's Ann and Elizabeth Pyne

How to Decorate

Ballard Designs

Arts, Business, Design

4.2 • 785 Ratings

🗓️ 5 March 2019

⏱️ 63 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, we have mother-daughter design duo Ann and Elizabeth Pyne from McMillen Interior Design and Decoration, the oldest interior design firm in the country. They share why we should be fearless in design, the idea behind each room having a thesis, and a glimpse into what it is like to work as a mother-daughter dynamic. They also tell us about the three most important things to think about design wise when purchasing or renting a place, and rules for decorating with an infant. What You’ll Hear on This Episode: Why we should be fearless and courageous in our career paths. An example of what they mean by each room having a thesis. The differences in Ann and Elizabeth’s design style, and how they complement each other’s range of style to create a fantastic finished product. You have to deal with the space first, and the client second. What elements are classic and won’t go out of style, and what Ann and Elizabeth have seen stand the test of time. Their own individual spaces, and Ann’s description of her 8 totally separate rooms. McMillen’s reign of over 90 years as a trusted and established interior design firm. Why we shouldn’t be intimidated by auctions, and how to navigate them in a confident manner. The give and take Ann and Elizabeth have with their clients and artwork, and how they plan for new and fresh art ideas in a space. The three most important qualities of any place to live: light, proportions and layout. You do not have to have expensive things to make your place beautiful, and the Stark rug that changed it all for Ann. Why we shouldn’t discount the unifying power of a beautiful rug, and some powerful “rug rules” in design. Decorating with an infant - it can be done! The classic approaches to design, and why we should invest in pieces that stand the test of time. How to keep up with the evolution of lighting.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hi and welcome back to the How to Decorate Podcast from Ballard Designs.

0:03.3

We want to teach you how to decorate your home and unleash your inner decorator.

0:06.5

So we'll be interviewing interior designers, stylists, and other talents in the design world,

0:10.9

sharing the trials and triumphs of our own homes, and also answering your decorating questions.

0:15.3

I'm Caroline, I'm in the Ballard Designs blog, How to Decorate.

0:18.7

And I'm Terran and I'm in product design at Ballard.

0:21.4

And I'm Karen, and I had a branding at Ballard.

0:23.8

We're your hosts.

0:24.5

Hello.

0:28.8

We have a mother-daughter duo, design duo.

0:37.6

And Ann and Elizabeth Pine today.

0:39.4

They both are at McMillan interior design and decoration, which I came to find out is the oldest interior design firm in the country.

0:50.3

It was founded in...

0:51.3

1924, yeah.

0:52.7

Yeah, 1924.

0:53.7

And I mean, your work and the work of the firm has been featured in every shelter magazine,

0:59.9

all the ones that we know our listeners love.

1:01.6

And one thing that I found out that I thought was really interesting is that neither of you

1:05.2

have a background in design traditionally.

1:08.6

You were in art, and weren't you a teacher, I think.

1:12.8

I started out as a fifth grade teacher moving up to 12th grade English, and then I wrote a book

1:18.9

of short stories, and then I became a collector, and finally I decided to follow my mother

...

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