Podcast, Ep. 304: Wallpaper & Textiles with Caitlin McGauley

We welcome back Caitlin McGauley—incredible watercolor artist and textile designer—to the How to Decorate Podcast. Caitlin’s work has been featured by clients including Hermes Paris, the Ritz Paris, Christian Dior, Estee Lauder and many more. Prior to designing her own collection in 2014, Caitlin got her start in the industry as a designer for Ralph Lauren home. She talks about her journey to the wallpaper and textile industry, tips for adding beautiful textiles into your home, and also tips for designing a home studio.

 

What You’ll Hear On This Episode:

•  How working at Ralph Lauren Home was a fun and educational experience for Caitlin.
• Caitlin’s background in live portrait events, even working with Hermes.
• How Caitlin got into designing her own wallpaper.
• Caitlins love of open patterns with a really wide and open repeat, which lends itself better to window treatments than a chair.
• Her process of creating a mural.
• How have the home renovations gone for Caitlin?
• Caitlin talks about finding inspiration in nature.
• Tips for designing a studio.
• How she came into watercolor painting and learned on a limited palette.
• When you’re designing your patterns, is Caitlin thinking about other patterns that might play nicely or keeping it neutral?

Decorating Dilemma:

Hi ladies!

I have been binge listening to your podcast for the better part of a year attempting to absorb some design knowledge since my husband and I will soon be starting our own design project this Spring!

It has been two years in the making between architecture drawings, special permits, approval from conservation committees, and waiting in line for our contractor. But, at the 11th hour, my husband leans over to glance at the plans and says “what if we move the kitchen to the middle of the house and the family room to the back of the house so we can enjoy more of the view?”

I of course almost flipped my lid that he would suggest something so ludicrous, but then I realized he actually had a good idea and now I’m so confused what to do!

Our original plans are in black showing an L shaped, open kitchen to the back of the home with the pantry located in the middle across from what is labeled dining/sitting. His proposed idea is drawn in red showing a family room configured with L shaped sectional and kitchen across from the pantry which could either be U shaped with a peninsula (is that a 4 letter word these days?) or an L shape with a small island.

Thank you so much for indulging us with your delightful podcast and helping me with my dilemma!

Sincerely,

Lauren

Caitlin understands how daunting renovation can be! That being said, she does like your plan of having the kitchen in the back of the house. She also wonders if you are sitting in the dining area and looking at the deck to the left of the kitchen, if that could be the information seating with the L shape? That way, you could kind of have the best of both worlds. She also does love the idea of a really large island. That’s what she did in her kitchen, and it serves as a space for where they eat and where they gather when people come over.

We love the idea of combining the sitting area so that everybody wins. If you can delineate that other somehow and make it really special, that would be amazing.

Send us pics of what you finally decide, including the view!

Also Mentioned in This Episode:

• Ballard Designs Room Planner
• Caitlin McGauley: IG | Website 

Please send in your questions so we can answer them on our next episode! And of course, subscribe to the podcast in Apple Podcasts 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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