Oftentimes, it’s the interior designer or the architect who receives the credit for creating a beautifully designed space. While they undoubtedly play the lead role in defining the look and feel of a space, how about those who work behind the scenes, providing unique expertise and technical acumen, shouldn’t they be celebrated, too? As any designer will tell you, artisans and tradespeople are fundamental to the success of any project–and we wanted to know more about who they are.
Here, three local designers open up about the people they rely on to execute the details that make a difference.
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Rebekah Moore Murphy, Murphy & Moore Design
Interior designer Rebekah Moore Murphy cuts right to the chase when asked who she relies on most to help bring her projects to life. It’s Theiss Plating. “They are the backbone of our work and without them we can’t execute all the beautiful projects we do,” she says. “Often, we’re trying something new, a path that hasn’t been paved before. Tom Theiss and his skilled team help us figure it out–they’re almost like our engineers.”
During the restoration of a 20th-century Georgian home in Ladue, Murphy partnered with Theiss to create custom, range-hood brackets with an aged brass finish to match the existing kitchen hardware. Theiss perfected the finish and cut the cremone bolt hardware–sourced from 100- year-old homes–to match the precise height of the custom cabinet inset doors.
“Just as an oil painter might have different color paints, we as designers have our arsenal of tradesmen. He [Theiss] really works to understand our design vision and helps us figure out how to execute it,” says Murphy.
“We allow the designer to be 100 percent creative because our limitations are very few. There isn’t a lot we can’t do as it pertains to these brass, copper, and bronze pieces we make. Whether it be a pot rack, bistro shelf, range hood, countertops, we allow the designer to be creative so they don’t have to buy something off the shelf.” –Tom Theiss, Theiss Plating
Ellie Redders, Ellie Redders Interiors
Two years ago, Ellie Redders sourced a pretty wallpaper design for the powder room at her firm’s office in Ballwin. But the more she thought about it, she felt like the paper’s colors weren’t quite right and the tones a bit too strong for her liking. She called Sue Green from Paint Imagery to talk about her options. Soon, with the wallpaper as inspiration, Green sketched a design to Redder’s taste and specifications. The result? A mural with trees in shades of blue against an antiqued background.
“Sue interpreted the tile and ceiling color [in the powder room] and really understood the vibe I was going for,” says Redders. “She is local, easy to work with, responsive and does fabulous work. The best part is that when she’s done, you have something that’s one of a kind.”
“My work is for people with unique wants and needs. We bring distinctive qualities to many different styles of homes. We paint chinoiserie, traditional faux finishes like marble, granite, and wood graining, as well as murals that incorporate modern graphics and textures. We have a broad scope as to what we can do–even though everything is hand painted.” -Sue Green, Paint Imagery
Meagan Cooperman, Cooperman & Co. Interiors
Meagan Cooperman is currently designing a double-height primary bedroom for a client in the Tower Grove neighborhood. She envisions dressing the windows in beautiful, airy sheers, but before sharing fabric selections with the homeowners, Cooperman consults with Linda Robinson, owner of drapery workroom Fabricworks. “I explain the feeling and vibe I’m looking for and ask Linda what material could [help] make that happen. I start with her when things are really unique, and rely on her knowledge about materiality, the draping of a fabric, and the look after finishing.”
And Robinson’s expertise doesn’t end with drapery. She’s a source of knowledge about pillows, too. “If I pick a trim, but the pillow fabric is too thick for that application, Linda and her team will let me know. We’ll find a solution, a workaround, or another fabric option,” says Cooperman. “They’re not going to tell us ‘no.’ They aren’t going to say ‘That can’t be done.’ Instead, it’s ‘Let’s figure out how to make this happen together.’ When my vision is combined with Linda’s expertise, it’s the combined knowledge that makes for a really special end result.”
“A designer can’t know everything. They pick a fabric based on color or texture, but it might not be suitable for the window treatment style they want. Window treatments have to function properly, not just look pretty, and that is where our expertise comes in. Fabric selection, hardware choices, and even treatment style-designers learn to lean on us and our expertise and it really helps them avoid costly mistakes down the road.” – Linda Robinson, seamstress and owner, Fabricworks
