For interior designer Leslie May, creating bespoke homes for families is what drives her. “I want my clients’ homes to be the cozy backdrop to life with family, friends, pets, and parties—fabulously bedecked, but, if you look closely, can stand up to real living,” May says. “I create spaces that embrace fun, boisterous living and all the chaos that comes with it, but are still chic, elegant, and completely cozy.” May says she begins every room with the fabric. “I love layering and connecting colors and textures.” She even started her own upholstery line. “I drew a lot of inspiration for the pieces from 1950s glam fashion and the overall aes - thetic of the decade—sculpted lines, tailored skirts, contrast - ing welts, and detailed trims.”
Travel is her other greatest muse. “Details from the gold medallions in the Sienna cathedral, a historic inn in the Italian Alps, and the colorful walls of Mount Vernon have made their way into my clients’ homes.”
It’s not about “foregoing the dazzling details” that make a space special. Rather, it’s about “layering them in where they are immune to the jostles of real life,” she says. “Because, in truth, family and good friends make every home more stylish.”
Addison Weeks Starburst Backplate / $74 / addisonweeks.com
Carvers’ Guild New Wave Mirror / to the trade / carversguild.com
The Urban Electric Co. Venetian Lantern / $3,543 / urbanelectric.com
Cole & Son Royal Palace Maze / to the trade / cole-and-son.com
Oly Studio Wren Coffee Table in Dark Shell / $2,900 / olystudio.com