In the studio with influential and esteemed, kiwi-born interior designer Olivia Williams works at a global level, from a very grounded base.
Olivia Williams grew up on a farm in Aotearoa, so was always outdoors and in nature. “That is still what inspires me most,” says the Los Angeles-based interior designer, who runs a small studio making a big impact on the world stage. Her carefree childhood fed into
a love of design: “I was fortunate to be surrounded by creative people and had family in that world, which was eye opening and made me curious about furniture and textiles from an early age,” she says. The award-winning studio’s work has gone on to appear in magazines such as Architectural Digest and Est Living. Read more about Olivia’s journey below…
What motivated a move from New Zealand to the States? How has this impacted your life? Recently it occurred to me that I’ve lived in the US longer than in New Zealand — crazy since I still strongly identify as a Kiwi. Initially I moved to New York. I loved seeking out design boutiques and creative people making interesting things. After a move to LA, it became clear that interior design crossed over with many things I loved: textiles, food, gardens, travel. The timing felt right to start that path.
Which type of projects do you specialise in? Residential homes for international clients. Our studio is passionate about creating bespoke environments tailored to our clients’ lifestyles. Through these carefully considered spaces we hope to enhance their wellbeing. We love to connect our clients with our extraordinary network of international trades and talent to help build timeless collections combining the old and new.
How would you describe your design aesthetic? We approach each project with fresh eyes. Aesthetically the common thread is that we love to use natural materials and techniques. You can really feel the difference with something done by hand using quality materials or age-old craft. Travel is a huge source of inspiration. It pushes us to evolve through learning or sourcing rare items, or having a project in an interesting location that has led us to discover new things.
How do you manage these international ventures? Many hands — both in studio and our wonderful collaborators. We are so fortunate to work with incredible people globally. It truly takes a village to deliver some of these projects. We also stay current with ever-evolving technology, and have good systems and organisation. It still all gets very messy from time to time, as any creative space needs to.
What makes an interior decorating project successful? It starts with the client. We prefer to partner with those who understand the process and what’s involved. We collaborate with other advisors and specialists to help realise a project. The details are everything. It takes time; we like to ensure the vision and expectation are aligned from the start.
How do you strike a balance between on-trend/modern and timelessness? We go back to basics and look at books and old magazines. Our projects mix new and old always. We like to create spaces that feel comfortable and unique, and represent the clients’ interests and lifestyles. These days we are overloaded with info and imagery; something can become trendy overnight. It’s best to just go with quality classic items and designs.
Does your NZ heritage influence your work? Very much. So much beauty! I’m always inspired by the landscape, but also by the strong design and architecture there.
Where in LA are you based? Venice Beach. We walk to work and are close to all the stores and restaurants. There’s something nice about being on the edge of the Pacific, knowing that New Zealand is just on the other side. It helps me feel the gap is not so big.
What does a ‘regular’ day look like? Our days are full. Our team of five always has a Monday meeting to set ourselves up for the week. We push as hard as possible, and my gift is a visit to our local Friday farmers’ market. It makes me happy when I sit there to have a coffee and reflect on the past week.
How do you stay inspired? By showing up for the team. Learning is important. Inspiration can come from the smallest thing, but if your mind is too full or cluttered it’s not as easy to see it. Taking time away is just as important as working hard. Getting out and about is sometimes all it takes. Even if that’s just a long walk. More and more I feel like we can all find that good creative energy just by closing our eyes and being still.
If we visited LA, what’s on the must-do list? Dudley Market at Venice for dinner. LACMA. The Getty. RVR for dinner. Wednesday farmers’ market in Santa Monica.
oliviawilliamsstudio.com
Interview Alice Lines
Photography Hazel Redmond