MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: ELIZABETH CRAIG

DESCRIBE YOUR JOURNEY TO DESIGN AND HOW YOU GOT TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY.

Interior design is a second (third?) career for me, after working on Wall Street and raising kids. I really wanted to do something creative and meaningful next, and realized that this was my opportunity to pursue a passion I had missed earlier. I spent a couple of years taking classes and learning as much as I could while the kids were in high school, and then got some experience working with my friend Amy Spiegel on her projects. Ultimately, I wanted to marry design with my other passions, animal rights and sustainability, and that’s what I’m working on now with ecc interiors.

WHO WAS THE FIRST INTERIOR DESIGNER TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION ON YOU?

My dad was a senior diplomat in the Foreign Service, and so I grew up in the most beautiful homes overseas, fully furnished by designers and then styled with our own art and accents by my mom. While I don’t know who those designers were, I certainly did develop an appreciation for living in gorgeous spaces!

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT INFLUENCE YOU, ASIDE FROM FURNITURE AND DECOR?

I really enjoy traveling, and I’m always inspired by the architecture and art in different cultures, foreign or domestic. I also am fascinated by nature and its vast variety of topography, plants, animals, textures, patterns, weather – all of it!

WHAT ARE YOUR GO-TO BASICS?

Art! A space just does not look finished to me without it. I’m always looking for great vintage pieces, as well.

ARE YOU SEEING ANY PARTICULAR STYLE REQUESTS TRENDING AMONGST YOUR CLIENTS?

Clients seem to be looking to infuse their homes with color and personality. Even if they want a clean, serene space, they still want it to feel like it’s theirs.

WHAT'S BEEN YOUR CAREER HIGHLIGHT TO DATE?

I worked with a couple who were downsizing from a grand 2,800 sf apartment to a modest 2-bedroom one, helping to select among their furnishings and treasures, and to plan out their new home. Even though the new apartment was tiny in comparison, it really was a jewel in the end, and the clients were so delighted and grateful.

WHAT'S THE MOST TREASURED ITEM IN YOUR OWN HOME?

My most treasured item is a painting that is a portrait of the Yugoslav artist’s wife. It’s in a Byzantine style and she has an enigmatic look on her face that just draws you in. The Vladimir Kagan coffee table has to be a close second.