Liz Caan is the founder and principal designer at her eponymous firm, Liz Caan & Co. We're constantly inspired by Liz's relaxed luxury and new traditional style. Whether you are looking for a gut renovation or a small re-design, Liz's firm seamlessly fills your home with character and (colorful!) personality. Follow along to learn about Liz's firm and how she styled some of our fave Pepper pillows.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and Liz Caan & Co!
I am a mother of 3, a dog lover, a wife, and the owner of Liz Caan & Co. We are a boutique design firm with a team of six and we work out of a studio in Newton, Massachusetts. We specialize in residential design and love working with families.
You’re the queen of color! How do you seamlessly mix and match patterns and color in your projects?
I think of patterns and colors as individual personalities and I like how they can affect one another. For instance I love how a deep mossy green helps tone down a bright pink and grounds it. I love mixing patterns as well… it’s like getting dressed. A bold large scale pattern can work with a smaller scale if the colors jive and same with an organic pattern with a geometric. The key is to make sure they are at the same dinner table per se. I wouldn’t mix a bohemian print with a formal print.
What are some easy ways to refresh a room as the seasons change?
I like to move pillows and throws around and sometimes I move my art and change up the walls. The light changes as the seasons change and sometimes it’s nice to see your art from a different perspective.
Walk us through how you styled your living room and patio with our custom pillows!
I styled these sofas (one indoor and one outdoor) as playful, relaxed and layered space that has a lot of curiosities and patterns. I wanted a more bohemian vibe in the family room so it looks collected and casual and comfortable and makes you a little curious about where things came from.
On the outdoor patio, I loved how these prints worked with the bold stripes and made the space feel more casual and picked up on the colors in the vases.
When working with clients, what products do you recommend splurging on?
I think a great antique is worth the splurge. It brings so much to a space… patina, history, craftsmanship and soul. We also recommend splurging on a well made rug that will age well, wear well and be worth the investment.
Alternatively, what products can you avoid breaking the bank, while still maintaining quality and taste?
Pillows! Pillows bring a lot to a space and they don’t need to be really expensive. They don’t require gobs of yardage, so they can have taste and quality.
What current design trends are you falling for?
English Country House Style. I love the relaxed, layered, feeling. They usually have beautiful craftsmanship in everything from the linens to the silver to the furniture. They live and use their things every day and they aren’t overly precious. It’s more about living well and being authentic.
What changes are you seeing in clients in the wake of COVID?
I am seeing a change in how we work with clients. The process is the same but we are doing less job site visits and travel, which makes us more productive. I see clients definitely caring more about their homes and they want to fix what’s not working and also dream a little about how they can do more things while at home, so we are working on pool houses and cabanas, we are doing a lot of refresh work for existing clients and we are also taking on new clients that have purchased a second home or a third home as they want more real estate to travel to safely.
Favorite design book?
Rattan by Lulu Lytle
Favorite project you’ve worked on?
My recent renovation of my house
Where do you find inspiration?
Travel
Color crush of the moment?
Deep mossy green
Wallpaper or paint?
Wallpaper!