It began with a vanity. When West Elm reached out to Emma Chamberlain to see if she’d be interested in designing a collection, the answer was an automatic yes—and she knew right off the bat what item she wanted to start with. “I loved vanities when I was a kid and I’d always wanted one so badly,” she remembers. “I felt like it was my duty to make one.”
Launching today, the 78-piece collection spans furniture and decor. It’s Chamberlain’s first interior design initiative—though fans will definitely remember (and have probably bookmarked) her Los Angeles home, which she decorated with Proem Studios. Fitting, then, that that was the jumping off point for her project with West Elm; the brand itself was one she first came across when looking for special pieces to fill her new space with. “I really used my house as inspiration,” says Chamberlain. “Not everything is from the same decade or era—but it all works together.”
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Courtesy of West Elm
Courtesy of West Elm
Her vision, she explains, combines mid-century and futuristic styles; everything is vaguely inspired by vintage pieces she has in her own home, and was created to avoid fitting neatly into one aesthetic. She pulls off this mishmash well. Warm woods and plaid upholstery blend effortlessly with slick chrome and glossy lacquer. Eggplant purple, sage green, mustard yellow, and icy blue shades feel at once modern and rooted in the ‘70s.
“I would say it’s eclectic, inviting, and lighthearted,” Chamberlain continues. “There’s a lot going on at once, which is very much my decor philosophy, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously.” Those looking for solid investment pieces to ground a room will find a polished dining table and a comfortable couch in a classic silhouette (inspired by the very one Chamberlain naps on every day). Of course, it’s also peppered with tongue-in-cheek decor, like a pigeon-shaped pitcher and a bird-footed fruit bowl.
Courtesy of West Elm