10 Designers Share their Favorite Thing in Their Homes

From antique to whimsical to deeply personal, local interior design experts give us a peek into their lives.
By Ayn-Monique Klahre

They may be the ultimate tastemakers, but interior designers, stylists and shopkeepers are homeowners, too! We reached out to local design folks to share their favorite things in their homes, from art to wallpaper to furniture and collected objects. Here’s what they told us.

“My favorite thing is a 12 foot long sofa upholstered in Scalamandre’s iconic Le Tigre silk velvet. I scored it at a thrift store in Aspen and had it shipped to Raleigh, all for about 1/5000th of the retail price.” —Jamie Meares, Furbish

My home is filled with memorable collections from family travels. Two of my favorite collections are shown in this simple display in my kitchen; a collection of cutting boards and serving pieces made from a variety of wood species from around the world combined and a few of my autographed cookbooks from fun and fabulous eateries. I love incorporating pieces with personal meaning into the homes we design! —Vicky Serany, Southern Studio

This vintage sunburst clock belonged to my great Aunt Lucille. She never married, and lived her entire life in the small town of Mt. Airy, North Carolina. She was an avid baker and had a fabulously decorated MidCentury home. I have so many fond memories of sitting under this clock indulging in the cakes & cookies she’d always cook for us! —Niki McNeill, SingleBubblePop

My favorite things in our home are our many collections that remind me of travel, family, and things I love. From treasures, like the 17th century oil painting recently purchased on a trip to Avignon, collections of opaline, art, antique books, and original art from my grandmother. An open custom built-in cabinet in our family room is the perfect place to display these collections to invoke happy memories while we make new ones! —MA Allen, MA Allen Interiors

My favorite piece in our house is a Mid-Century Modern cabinet, as I love to mix up different styles in our 90’s traditional home. The textural cane mixed with the teak and clean lines just speaks my design language! Not to mention, it pulls double duty for toy storage! —Erin Wheeler, Sunny Circle Studio

I wake up every morning to this Fornasetti wallpaper in my bedroom and it always makes me smile.  Featuring mischievous monkeys on a Venetian facade, I love how it manages to be classic and whimsical at the same time.  —Robert MacNeill, Roux MacNeill Studio

My grandmother was an artist, and I found this painting she’d done of my Aunt Debbie in my parents’ attic just before we moved in. Aunt Debbie was physically disabled most of her life, but she was the fiercest, most confident woman I’ve ever known. I love how my grandmother captured her strong spirit in a soft backdrop of pinks, blues, and golden yellows, which became my color palette for the entire room. —Jourdan Fairchild, Spruce Creative Studio

The favorite thing in my home is this marble figurine of the Boy With Thorn, which used to be in my grandmother’s living room. As I child I loved hearing about her travels throughout Europe in the 1930’s where she picked this up from a street vendor in Florence. While it’s not my most expensive possession, its emotional value is priceless. Every time I see it I’m reminded of our many afternoons of adventuresome story-telling. —Patrick Casey, Green Front Furniture

My favorite thing in my house is a pair of vintage high back chairs. These are from the 50’s, they are so comfy and I love their timeless appeal. They’re my favorite reading chairs!  —Tula Summerford, Design by Tula

This antique Renaissance cabinet has been in my family for over 35 years. It lives now in my dining room and works well with all my less traditional furniture!  I marvel at all the hand carving and while the hinges are well worn I still am able to use it for functional storage. —Judy Pickett, Design Lines