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Thursday, October 7, 2010

The Style Files: Jamie Meares

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What can I say about Jamie Meares? Let’s see, she’s talented, has fierce style, and is hilarious! You’ve got to love a girl who can churn out fantastic design work with the best of them without ever taking herself too seriously. Jamie writes the blog, I Suwannee, which is usually filled with lots of eye candy and seriously funny anecdotes. She is also the owner of Furbish Studio, a retail shop with a fabulous variety of furnishings and home accessories. As if that weren’t enough, Ms. Meares also works as an interior decorator. Do you know what I love about Jamie? Aside from being a fun Southern girl, she has the vision to really create a signature style for herself. Sometimes I feel like I am all over the place, but when you look at Jamie’s store, you can totally see her personality in it. That my friends, is the definition of style.

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Name: Jamie Meares

Occupation: Interior Decorator/Store Owner

Hometown: Winston-Salem NC

Current City: Raleigh NC

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LDV: What inspired you to begin your career as interior decorator and shop owner?

JM: Getting a pink slip from my big girl job.

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LDV: What do you love most about it?

JM: Going to work each day and getting to do exactly what I want to, with whom I want to do it.

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{New Custom Trays Available at Jamie’s shop, Furbish}

LDV: What is the most challenging aspect?

JM: The most challenging part is remembering it’s a business, and not all fun and games and in the end design has got to be profitable in order to be sustainable.  If people want to continue to use interior designers they have to accept that not all facets of design can be democratized or we’ll all be out of jobs. Whoa, that just got preachy.

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LDV: Where do you find inspiration?

JM: BLOGS, Keila - my co-worker (having someone to bring a new perspective to the table is invaluable), the walls of Furbish’s bathroom, mags, visiting friends homes

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{Bedroom Designed by Mary McDonald}

LDV: Who are some of your personal style icons?

JM: Tory Burch, Mary McDonald, Nick Olsen, Lady Gaga

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LDV: How would you describe your own style?

JM: loud, graphic, southern, sometimes masculine, current

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LDV: What is the trait you most admire in a person?

JM: a sense of humor

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LDV: What is your principal weakness?

JM: I can be very quick to judge (but that’s also an asset).

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LDV: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

JM: Quit while you’re ahead.... no, just kidding.  =)

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LDV: What do you consider your greatest achievement?

JM: Taking a huge leap of faith to give doing what I love for a living a shot.

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LDV: What is your idea of living “la dolce vita”?

JM: Having a beach house that all of your friends can go to every weekend with approximately four dogs, lots of margaritas, clean sheets, some sort of rope swing over water ... or maybe a trampoline in the water, lots of bookcases, and really nice handsoap and guacamole.

 

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peonies max wanger mary ruffle {Photo by Max Wanger}

Bloom: Peonies because they are big and pink.

Food: Mexican

Drink: Coffee

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Thing to Wear: big ridiculous shoes

Destination: Barnes & Noble

Season: Fall

Meal: something at a fancy restaurant

Musician: Blink 182

Television Show: The Jersey Shore

Book: The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon

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Texture: Rowdy’s fur

Fabric or Pattern: loud chinoiserie

Color: pink

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Scent: mahogany candles by nest     

Extravagance: Rowdy, lampshades, and monogramming everything

Quote: “You know, times are changing. Ladies can do stuff now and you're going to learn how to deal with it.”

 

{All Images via Jamie Meares and Furbish Studio Unless Otherwise Noted}

14 comments:

Shannon @ What's Up Whimsy said...

This is one of my favourite Style Files yet! I love Jamie, her blog and her store and I find her story very inspiring! Thanks for sharing!

sylvie said...

i didnit think i could adore jamie any more, as i also am a loyal i suwannee reader, but her wit, charm and dreamy boutique now has her as one of my favorite blog icons. bravo, paloma!

xo,
sylvie of silver lining

Abby said...

winston-salem represent!! :) jamie makes me so proud!

kara@elements-interiors.net said...

Paloma...you are beautiful, your work is gorgeous and your site is amazing! As a Designer, i love to read your blog and as a newbie in the blogging world, your blog is an inspiration! LOVE IT!
xoxokpb
www.elements-interiors.net

Morgan said...

I absolutely love this post, thank you for sharing!!

Victoria from VMAC + Cheese said...

K, so, I loved Jamie before, but the fact that she listed the Outlander series as her fave book(s) means we're now BFFs for life.

If any of you need a page-turner, or are going on vacation, you MUST pick up the first few books in the series! SO GOOD.

Thanks for this fun profile, Paloma!

bluehydrangea said...

Great interview! I got to meet Jamie for breakfast recently and she did not disappoint! I have got to get to Raleigh!

A Perfect Gray said...

gotta love her...

Averill said...

Love Jamie, her style and her sense of humor. And I love that she's into Outlander, too (sometimes I'm embarrassed to admit it, but those books were superfun reads!).

Unknown said...

"...design has got to be profitable in order to be sustainable." Thank you, Jamie!

Sketch42 said...

Love Jamie and her shop! I want everything in the store!

Anonymous said...

The Husband has friends who live in NC. Have not visited yet, but I'm highly encouraging we go so I can visit her store.

Love that she listed sense of humor. Love funny girls and if people think I'm funny, I automatically like them. She listed Mexican food too. My favorite! Or should I say, Mi favorita comida.

bazaarofserendipity said...

girl after my own heart. she loves dogs, mexican food, and zig zags! ;-)

Julie @ Chapman Interiors said...

Love love love her! I was agreeing out loud with half the things she said! Inspiring!

Thanks for this lovely series :)

xo