Podcast, Episode 103: designer Amanda Lindroth

Designer Amanda Lindroth joined us all the way from the Bahamas to chat with us about her home collection, book, her interior design work, and all of the joys (and difficulties) of decorating homes in your favorite vacation spots. We even talk about the Dunmore Hotel where she used our upholstery pieces. You’ll be shocked to hear all that goes into maintaining this beautiful property!

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

• Trials of towels hanging on display where they don’t need to be, soapy stoves, crazy sinks and backordered rugs.
• Triumphs over a beautiful blue outdoor rug, sink and special chair finds.
• Amanda would have been a designer sooner if she knew that was a viable option!
• Amanda grew up living in a house with perfect mathematical scale, and that taught her about proportion right off the bat.
• What it was like for Amanda to grow up in South Florida in the 1970’s, and how it influenced her design now in the Bahamas.
• What people look for when decorating on an island home and resort. Warning — this will make you want to go on vacation ASAP!
• Amanada was intentional with learning about color, and studied it in a serious and motivated fashion.
• Why Amanda loves a pink wall, and it can be a neutral to go with everything.
• Why decorating for people’s second and third homes can often be easier, but they still may get sticker shock when it comes to tax and duties of the island!
• How Amanda navigates doing business in so many locations, and having a team all over the world.
• Setting a tone for using timeless antiques with a modern and contemporary touch.
• The places to spend money and really invest in great quality pieces, and what areas we can super glue it all together.
• Amanda’s thrift shop mentality suites life in the Bahamas well, and it’s not easy to replace things so she pays attention to every single thing she brings in and how she can reuse and recycle.
• Amanda’s book, Island Hopping, that takes us everywhere from Antigua to Cranberry Island.
• What we can expect next from the Amanda Lindroth product line, including lighting in early 2010.

Decorating Dilemma:

Hi Ladies!

 I love the podcast, you all are so interesting and I love that you all have fairly different styles, there’s something for everyone:)

I recently renovated the kitchen/floors of our Nashville ranch home.  The only remaining items in the kitchen are some open shelves and a live edge table top on the island (with a bigger footprint).  As always, now that the kitchen project is done, everything else seems to be not up to par.  We’ve cleared most of the furniture out of our living room that’s ajacent and are open to anything.  The only non-negotiable is the installation of a 60’s atomic cone fireplace (black, see photo) that will be placed with a gas insert where the TV currently is.  We won’t need the TV anymore so no worries on wondering where that will go.  We do have an extensive vinyl collection that we’d like incorporated and the accompanying turntable.  Our speakers are white and we’ll mount throughout the room. 

Our goal for this room is a comfortable place to lounge for our family (of three) and our friends (of many). 

Our style is pretty mid century but we tend to slide toward a more comfortable/neutral vibe than anything stiff or super modern/sculptural.  Our sofa and chairs/rugs can all be replaced.

Thanks so much!  Also, unsolicited advice but you all need your own Instagram with photos posted from the show.  I’m dying to see Karen’s basement! 

-Rachel

Amanda suggests putting the fireplace off in the corner, instead of in the middle of the room. Invest in shutters. We suggest adding an etagere (perhaps the Felicity Acrylic Etagere) to put your vinyls on. Something that would also look very cool would be to take your most colorful vinyl jacket covers and frame them! This would add personality and a pop of color. Other suggestions are to get a more mid century modern sofa, something low to the ground and as long as you can — something possibly with four cushions. Down the road, you can add some cool chairs — keep your eye out for the Ballard ‘Jonah’ chair, coming soon!

Show Notes:

• Daria Performance Rug
• Delta Pivotal Faucet
• Hartwell Sofa in Adena Pure
• Mazinda Rug
• Coventry Banquette

Please send in your questions so we can answer them on our next episode! And of course, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes so you never miss an episode. You can always check back here to see new episodes, but if you subscribe, it’ll automatically download to your phone.

Happy Decorating!

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