Crush Lust Stalk with Dixie

Another week and another “Crush – Lust – Stalk” where I am harassing peeps in the Interiors world. Living in Edinburgh, one of the first questions I’m asked is if I miss NYC. I’ll be honest, Edinburgh is one of those bloody brilliant small cities, at every turn there is stunning architecture – Edwardian, Georgian, Victorian. Homes are packed full of period features, ornate woodwork and heavenly craftsmanship. Interiors wise, I’m going to rub people the wrong way, it’s all a bit too traditional for me. Of course, this is a massive generalisation (Is it?!).

Remember I’m a transplant from NYC, a melting pot of design where anything & everything goes. Then I stumbled upon a gem – Catalog Interiors and its owner Dixie. In a town where tartan plaid and traditional design rules, Dixie is going against the grain and her independent interiors shop is a refreshing haven for contemporary design. I LOVE IT! It’s like a who’s who of the super cool – Hay, Knoll, Kartell, Vitra, Woud, Norr, Fiam, Pianca, Flos, Secto, I could go on & on. Uptight, not in the least bit. Untouchable, far from it. Iconic, definitely. Let’s just say she makes high design very accessible. Get ready to drool, here’s my edit.

Let’s get into the good stuff … what Dixie’s got to say …

CRUSH – Giant indoor trees, Dixie says “I think I’d like a fiddle leaf fig – the bigger the better!”

LUST – Dixie is seriously lusting after a few cushions & a throw from Araminta Campbell – in the softest British alpaca. They’re wonderfully luxurious yet understated & timeless.

STALK – Ilenia Martini Stockholm photographer and creative guru. She is just so effortlessly cool with great taste & great work projects. Her insta-stories have inspired us a lot of late.

Dixie says her home feels a little unfinished – “can I still blame the baby, now 3?” –  but her husband & business partner (Ralph) assures her that it’s because they have very high standards! She does love this little corner of her kitchen though and says “the table has been FABULOUS”. “An indestructible ceramic top. Perfect for grubby little fingers and any crafting activity”. (I know the feeling Dixie)

Dixie is headed stateside and says “I recently saw this house – in Houston – it’s like a dream space to me. The clean lines, polished concrete floor and minimal detailing of this build are the perfect backdrop for a mix of modern & antique pieces. I just LOVE this mix. So inspirational.”

It was designed by architect Michael Viviano for his parents to become ‘Family HQ’. His mother is an antique collector and like all mums, she was heavily involved in the design process. You can read more about this beautiful space here.

 

Obsessive about interiors, yeah that describes Dixie. There’s more to it though. Her upbeat attitude is infectious as she spreads the love for good design. Every time I pop into the shop, Dixie is bursting with ideas & proudly shows off new cool pieces that just came in. She also loves whipping out the latest Hay catalog (no pun intended), who she knows I adore. That’s part of it or maybe its because her high design low key shop reminds of me of some of my fave haunts in the West Village or Brooklyn.

What’s next for the contemporary duo (Dixie & Ralph) – a website revamp is underway –  the Edinburgh shop is getting a fresh new look by months end – new products are on route – the Trouva online shop has been updated too – and of course there is the annual pilgrimage to Milan in April to spot new trends and soak up all the latest & greatest designs at Salone del Mobile. Dixie & Ralph are definitely ones to watch.

That’s a wrap for this week’s Crush – Lust – Stalk. Thank you Dixie for playing along. Hope you all have a FAB weekend. Come back next week to see who I’ve cornered into playing – will it be an artist or a designer? If there is anyone you’d love to see, just message me!

Cheers, Liz xx

 

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