Interior Designers’ Own Treasured Collections

By Marni Elyse Katz
March 2, 2011

Interior designers are hunter-gatherers, scouring design centers, auction houses, flea markets, and, of course, eBay, for the perfect pieces for clients. Unsurprisingly, many interior designers keep a cache of coveted home decor elements in their own houses. Whether—as in the cases below—it's pink Murano ashtrays, elephant figurines or Russel Wright pottery they can't get enough of, they often can't help but latch on to a particular design collectible and scoop it up at every turn. Even interior designers who are extreme minimalists have collections, albeit well edited, pared down ones. We spoke to four of today's leading home design talents about their personal obsessions, some of which were fueled by eBay.

Fawn Galli, New York City

Home Decor Collection: "Life size animals that add a bit of fantasy to my decor."

Background: "I grew up in Northern California, near the ocean and forest, so I'm attracted to all things in nature."

First piece: The stag in my living room. I purchased it from the flower market in New York City. It was painted white and intended to go in a garden; I painted it in a high gloss black and placed it next to my sofa.

Fawn Galli Interiors

Favorite piece: "My mushroom lamp from Wright Gallery Auction house in Chicago. It is magical and creates a wonderful soft light."

Covets: "A life-size sheep from Phillips Collection to graze my office space. Also, the bird bed sculpture by François Lalanne."

Get the look on eBay:

Roll over items for details

Sergio Bustamante Zebra Head Life Size

(buy it now price, $2,500)

New Black Rabbit Table Desk Lamp

(buy it now price, $129.99)

Orange Butterfly Salt & Pepper Shakers

(buy it now price, $49.75)

Interior Designers’ Own Treasured Collections

Kristen Rivoli, Winchester, MA

Home Decor Collection: "I collect the Russel Wright pottery pieces in chartreuse and grey."

Background: "I started collecting in 2000 and got everything off eBay, believe it or not. (There was a lot more [of it] available at that time then there is now.)"

First piece: "My first piece was a chartreuse dish. I had remembered seeing his stuff and thought I’d look him up on eBay to see what was out there. Then the flood gates opened. My husband thought I was crazy, but I love all design from the mid-century modern era."

Favorite piece: "A water pitcher in the straw yellow color. It’s just so beautiful and graceful and I love the straw yellow color. The same one is on display in the new wing of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, so I’m thrilled to own one!"

On display: "I display some pieces on my shelves in my kitchen/dining area; the rest are safely tucked away in my buffet."

Newest acquisition: "I haven’t bought any pieces in a long while. I had to stay away from eBay because I went crazy when I first started. I might have to start 'watching' some things again."

Get the look on eBay:

Russel Wright Iroquois Tea Pot

(buy it now price, $99.99)

Russel Wright American Modern Chartreuse Divided Vegetable Plate

(buy it now price, $54.77)

Russel Wright Bauer Sterling China Teapot

(buy it now price, $395)

Jill Goldberg, Boston

Home Decor Collection: "Elephant figurines."

Background: "I used an image of an elephant on the 'save the date' card for my wedding. After that, people started giving me elephants, which led to me collecting them too. It's not a huge collection (yet), but I think that certain collections should be kept in moderation."

Jill Goldberg Interiors

For sale: "I have a few vintage figurines that I’ll be putting on the sales floors at my stores [Goldberg has two Boston area stores], and I'll likely keep adding to them.

Get the look on eBay:

Solid Brass Elephants Set of 4

(buy it now price, $9.95)

Vintage Solid Brass Elephant Figurine

(buy it now price, $45)

Vintage Cast Iron Elephant w/Brass or Copper Finish

(buy it now price, $29.99)

Mary McDonald, West Hollywood

Home Decor Collections: "Pink Murano ashtrays, blanc de chine figurines, and vintage bone pagoda."

On display: "McDonald piles her jewelry in pink Murano ashtrays on the vintage mirrored vanity in her dressing room. There is a grouping of blanc de chine figurines on the nightstand next to her elaborate canopy bed, as well as in her green guest room. Two pieces from McDonald’s vintage bone pagoda collection stand tall on tables on either side of the sofa of her formal yellow living room."

Interior Design Client collections: "I have collected everything under the sun for clients. I’ve found a lot of it on eBay, including a series of wooden fish bowls from Hawaii, vintage croquet mallets, shells, and small mirrors for a breakfast room." (Photo Credit: Melanie Acevedo)