City Guide

The new 2021 Lexus IS is designed for people who know the value of going all in on their passion—and that nothing ignites creativity like the thrill of exploring something new. Even for those less nomadic, simply reimagining your design choices can have a transporting effect. Inspiration can come from near—a checkered tablecloth at your neighborhood diner—and far—a trip to a state park—but it’s how those places affect you, and encourage you to bring them back into your personal space, that’s most impactful. These six American designers find inspiration in the interiors, architecture, gastronomy, shorelines, and natural environs of the cities they live in. Here, they share the ways in which exploring their surroundings shapes how they think about spatial relationships, intimate details, color, and light.

MIAMI

AUSTIN

ATLANTA

MOBILE

Bay Area

DOMINO GUIDE | Lynn Kloythanomsup, Designer

A visit to an artist’s studio—like David Wilson’s garage in Oakland, Jonathan Anzalone’s home and work space in San Francisco, and Rafi Ajl of the Long Confidence’s industrial workshop in Berkeley, opens up a portal to this community and allows a glimpse into the different places and examples of architecture where they practice their craft. Not everyone in San Francisco works in tech. We are a multi-hyphenate city full of many dimensions—just with a bit more expanded lexicon when it comes to tech terms.”

A lifelong Californian, Lynn Kloythanomsup has spent the past decade working in interior design; at present she is a principal at Landed Interiors & Homes. Inspired by a house’s architecture, her projects often link their history to their present beginnings. And though she credits the frequent cross-country trips of her childhood for her appreciation of classic American design, her life on the West Coast informs the majority of her work. “Bay Area living takes place outdoors,” says Kloythanomsup, who splits her time between her home in Berkeley, her work projects in San Francisco, and her northern escape in West Marin. “We’re known for being active and taking advantage of our close proximity to the beach, snow, and forest!”

Bay Area, CA

HEATH CERAMICS

Small Pitcher in Fog and Stillwater

L.L. BEAN

Discovery Sport Binoculars

AMAZON

The Sea Ranch: Fifty Years of Architecture, Landscape, Place, and Community on the Northern California Coast

JENNY PENNYWOOD

Everyday Napkins

The Goods: Bay Area

Go all in, or not at all

The New 2021 IS. All in on the sport sedan.

Words: Sarah Moroz | Illustration: Grace Lee | Art Direction: Brit Ashcraft | Market: Julia Stevens

Six designers on rediscovering—and finding inspiration within—the cities they call home.

HAS

THE

In Partnership With

EYE

TRAVEL

has never been greater.

immerse ourselves in fresh contexts

most in present times, the desire to

though travel has been minimized for

inspiration is at our disposal. And

Even contained within our own spaces,

“I’m endlessly inspired by the outdoors—even after 15 years, I still discover new corners of Golden Gate Park. One common approach we take when designing floor plans is making sure that the view to the back of the house and to the backyard is as unobstructed as possible from the front of the house. Ideally, from the moment you step foot in the front door, your eye should travel to the greenery outside.”

“Once you’ve lived in the Bay for a while, you get intimately familiar with the Victorian homes, mid-century modern Eichler communities, and Beaux-Arts buildings. I love them for all their quirks.”

“Point Reyes, Samuel P. Taylor State Park, and the Nicasio Valley [in Marin County] are where I spend my days walking, swimming, reading, and enjoying Tomales Bay oysters and very spotty cell service,” says Kloythanomsup, who has used West Marin trees—specifically redwood, cypress, and walnut—as a sustainable local source for design touches. Recently she incorporated a reclaimed-maple dish-rack shelf by local artist-woodworker Jonathan Anzalone into a home remodel.

JACOB MAY

Cooper Bread Boards

Everyday Napkins

Discovery Sport Binoculars

The Sea Ranch: Fifty Years of Architecture, Landscape, Place, and Community on the Northern California Coast

Cooper Bread Boards

Small Pitcher in Fog and Stillwater

Bay Area

AUSTIN

MOBILE

ATLANTA

MIAMI

OUTDOOR VOICES

Women's Moab 2 Mid OV Eco

GARZA MARFA

Saddle Leather Chaise

BLOOMSCAPE

Prickly Pear Cactus

BYGEORGE

Austin Field Guide

AMAZON

Franklin Barbecue Sauce

The Goods: Austin

“From Mayfield Park to Wild Basin Preserve, Austin is full of outdoor spots with less crowds. But, the bustling Zilker Park (and nearby Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum), Barton Springs, and South Congress showcase the best of what Austin truly was—and is.”

“Whenever I feel the need to take a break from the chaos of work, I hop in my car and drive the 10 minutes to the Greenbelt, a natural body of water that travels,” says Zinnecker. Roaming the area as a kid—building forts, finding rocks, and collecting flowers—has translated into a sustained love of incorporating natural materials into her work.

“While most people think about Austin’s outdoor scenery, the University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture’s buildings are exquisite. Going to college there, and taking classes in those very structures, was truly inspiring.”

“Restaurants and concepts are constantly popping up across the city with inventive and delicious takes, from enjoying French-Vietnamese food at Elizabeth Street Cafe’s bright blue bar, to dining on smoked meats under Franklin Barbecue’s wood-paneled ceiling.”

Austin-based Claire Zinnecker designs affordable spaces with clean lines and Southern touches—a product of her Texas upbringing. “Growing up in an eclectic and diverse town with plenty of opportunities to be in nature shaped my design aesthetic,” she says. “I love incorporating vintage and traveled pieces and bringing in warm, natural finishes.”

DOMINO GUIDE | Claire Zinnecker, Designer

Austin, TX

2MODERN

Menu Plinth

LUMENS

Lakmos Table Lamp

CAMPO DE' FIORI

Aged Urns

KNOLL

Barcelona® Chair

GARMENTORY

Fredericks & Mae 2-Arm Iron Candelholder

The Goods: Mobile

“We are a quick drive to New Orleans, which is the perfect getaway for antiquing, jazz music, and lots of food. I love Hotel Peter & Paul with its reverence for the past; the quirky interiors make your stay feel truly like an escape. Plus a leisurely walk through the Garden District to admire the historic grandiose homes, uneven streets, and lavish gardens is a favorite Sunday morning adventure.”

“The soft white-sand beaches and vibrant sunsets along the Gulf Coast have inspired me since childhood,” says Damrich. They are, in turn, reflected in the gauzy softness she often implements in her design projects: “I find myself leaning into airy, light interiors paired with historic bones and architecture.”

“We like to go to Fairhope, which is a quaint, creative town on the other side of the bay, to shop [for my home and for clients] at RF Antiques, Aubergine, and Page & Palette Bookstore, followed by a cocktail at Provision.”

“Charles Phillips Antiques is the ultimate escape on the weekend. It’s a quick drive out of town in the middle of nowhere, where you’ll find warehouses of antiques and architectural fragments from Europe and beyond.”

After beginning her creative career in New York City and living in Charleston, Elizabeth Damrich Elizabeth Damrich settled in Alabama with her husband and toddler. The interior designer and stylist, who moved into an elegant Revival home called the Rapier House, feels blissfully in sync with the Gulf Coast. “Mobile is a very celebratory town—Mardi Gras actually began here—so it’s part of the vibrant culture year-round,” she says. The city is “filled with historic homes and architecture, with beautiful oak tree–lined streets that remain green even in winter.” The romance of the regional setting funnels smoothly into a “feeling of grand simplicity.”

DOMINO GUIDE | Elizabeth Damrich, Stylist

Mobile, AL

ANN MASHBURN

Marketplace Round Suri Box

ONE KINGS LANE

Marceau Slipper Chair

DIXON RYE

Pineapple Jars

ELIZABETH LAKE

Matisse Dinner Napkins

OOMPH HOME

Easton Mirror

The Goods: Atlanta

Both agree on Little Five Points. “It's a very relaxed area, and a hub for diversity. It's spontaneous fun because there is always an array of vendors and outdoor events. The diversity ranges from food, stores and people. Little Five Points is a perfect representation of Atlanta culture in one neighborhood.”

Within the city limits, both love to visit the Atlanta Belt Line for a walk or to grab a drink with friends. “It reminds me of New York’s High Line,” says Forbes.

“Walking down the street, we can be inspired by one of the many murals we see in east Atlanta,” the pair notes. These urban visuals have been reimagined in residential spaces as hand-painted walls with matching window treatments, or a forest-themed nursery referencing Where the Wild Things Are.

“Piedmont Park is my number-one place to escape to,” says Masters, who is very much inspired by nature. “The highest hill in the park offers a serene venue, which helps to clear my head and relax.” Forbes, on the other hand, prefers to head east to Arabia National Park: “It gives me the effect of being outside of city life.”

Forbes + Masters, a full-service interior design team helmed by designers Tavia Forbes and Monet Masters, has an affinity for bold, eclectic designs. The two, who have been Atlanta-based for more than a decade, specialize in conceptualizing and planning spaces, managing projects and contractors, and sourcing and staging custom furnishings. “What’s so distinct about the aesthetics of our city is that they are so diverse. You can start in east Atlanta, which is very urban, then drive 10 minutes into North Druid Hills, which oozes Southern charm,” the pair says. “There is a lot of mentorship among our community, and, overall, the vibe of being Black in a Black-run city is powerful.”

DOMINO GUIDE | Tavia Forbes and Monet Masters, Designers

Atlanta, GA

DUSEN DUSEN

Dusen Dusen Towel

SMALLABLE

Clay Shell Decorative Box

MOMA DESIGN STORE

Color Accent Champagne Glasses Set

AMAZON

Creative Army Five Sugars PU Longboard Surfboard

LUMENS

Acapulco Chair

The Goods: Miami

“I want my design aesthetic to feel contextual and ‘Miami’ in the same way you look at something and think: Oh, that’s in L.A. Or: For sure, that apartment is in Brooklyn,” says Lores. That means “textures that feel ‘beachy’ (without feeling like Key West), whites and neutrals, sisal and rattan with pops of pastel or tropical color palettes, a little bit of Palm Beach, glass-block walls, and breeze-block screens” that can be found at some of her go-to local haunts, including Mana Contemporary's 777 International Mall, a mini mall in the middle of a block where individual shops were turned into small galleries/art workspaces, and eateries such as Over/Under, Niu Kitchen, and All Day.

“Little Haiti has a little bit of everything. The Center for Subtropical Affairs is an ecological learning center in Little River that hosts secret dinners and events, like concerts by Miami Jazz Booking. There’s also Nina Johnson Gallery; Locust Projects; and my favorite restaurants, Boia De and Jaguar Sun in Lot 6. Intermingled with residential buildings, are small pockets of warehouses in Little River where artists, woodworkers, jewelry designers, florists, and photographers work out of.”

“The Champagne Bar at the Four Seasons in Surfside feels like time traveling through 1930s Florida glamour/Cabana Row/the Amalfi Coast,” notes Lores. She loves to orchestrate a little time travel in her approach to conceiving interiors, namely: “a bit of ’80s laminate, a lot of ’60s and ’70s designs, and an Art Deco–motif fireplace.”

“Vizcaya in Coral Gables [is notable] for its old-school European design with immaculately landscaped gardens,” says Lores. The beauty of greenery is something she herself applies to her work: “I think that adding local plant life can really impact the design.”

“There are so many people who are contributing to the mosaic of Miami, maintaining their own cultural traits and mother tongue, beliefs, architecture, and cuisine,” says designer Carla Lores, who works at multidisciplinary design studio Deft Union and runs Hello Internet Furniture, a curated home goods marketplace. “You can feel the energy change as you drive through the neighborhoods, even from your car. I think a lot of what is assumed is true—many people do speak Spanish and, yes, there is a rich Cuban culture, but there are a lot of other cultures, too.” The city’s parties, galleries, contemporary art, and music are sprinkled amid Mediterranean mansions, pastel Art Deco buildings, stucco mini malls, and reflective glass high-rises. t

DOMINO GUIDE | Carla Lores, Designer

Miami, FL

MIAMI

ATLANTA

MOBILE

AUSTIN

Bay Area

Photo Courtesy of: Landed Interiors & Homes, Photography: Haris Kenjar, Styling: CJ Sandgren

Photo Courtesy of Getty, Photo by 4FR

Photo Courtesy of Unsplash, Photo by Thomas Mowe

Photo Courtesy of The Long Confidence / Rafi Ajl, Photo by Ryan Burroughs

Photo Courtesy of Getty, Photo by 4FR

Photo Courtesy of The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture

Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Street Cafe, Photo by Bethany Ochs

Photo Courtesy of Claire Zinnecker

Photo Courtesy of he UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum

Photo Courtesy of Charles Phillips Antiques, Photo by Kelly Bullington Photography

Photo Courtesy of Provision, Photo by Laura Rowe Photography

Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Damrich

Photo Courtesy of Unsplash, Photo by Arun Kuchibhotla

Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock, Photo by Songquan Deng

Photo Courtesy of Four Seasons, Photo by Christian Horan

Photo Courtesy of Nina Johnson Gallery, Emmett Moore, Danica Sunbeam installation view at Nina Johnson, Miami, Fl

Photo Courtesy of Unsplash, Photo by Jason Briscoe

Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock, Photo by CARLOS VILLALOBOS

Photo Courtesy of Chris Watkins

Photo Courtesy of Alamy, Photo by Mark Waugh

Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock, Photo by Iris van den Broek

Photo Courtesy of: Landed Interiors & Homes, Photography: Haris Kenjar, Styling: CJ Sandgren

Photo Courtesy of Getty, Photo by 4FR

Photo Courtesy of Unsplash, Photo by Thomas Mowe

Photo Courtesy of The Long Confidence / Rafi Ajl, Photo by Ryan Burroughs

Photo Courtesy of Elizabeth Street Cafe, Photo by Bethany Ochs

Photo Courtesy of The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture

Photo Courtesy of Claire Zinnecker

Photo Courtesy of he UMLAUF Sculpture Garden + Museum

Photo Courtesy of Charles Phillips Antiques, Photo by Kelly Bullington Photography

Photo Courtesy of Provision, Photo by Laura Rowe Photography

Photo Courtesy of Claire Zinnecker

Photo Courtesy of Unsplash, Photo by Arun Kuchibhotla

Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock, Photo by Songquan Deng

Photo Courtesy of Four Seasons, Photo by Christian Horan

Photo Courtesy of Nina Johnson Gallery, Emmett Moore, Danica Sunbeam installation view at Nina Johnson, Miami, Fl

Photo Courtesy of Unsplash, Photo by Jason Briscoe

Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock, Photo by CARLOS VILLALOBOS

Photo Courtesy of Chris Watkins

Photo Courtesy of Alamy, Photo by Mark Waugh

Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock, Photo by Iris van den Broek