LA-based interior designer, Kelly Wearstler, recounts the journey from creating and selling crafts in her youth to building her namesake global lifestyle brand. Along the way she's worked waiting tables, battled painful shyness, and become a hockey mom. She also describes her closet in mouth-watering, vivid detail.

What can we say about interior designer, Kelly Wearstler (besides that she's one of our favorites!)... Well, we can start by mentioning that she’s much more than just an interior designer - she’s grown the Kelly Wearstler empire into a global lifestyle brand that encompasses lighting, furniture, home accessories, jewelry, residential and commercial interiors. Wow.

You may be familiar with some of her statement boutique hotel designs like the Avalon Beverly Hills.

She also hunts the flea markets and vintage shops around the world for objets d’art to use in her designs or as inspiration.

“You become a better designer when you see how things are made.”

— Kelly Wearstler

She’s also released 4 books including Modern Glamour: The Art of Unexpected Style, and most recently, Rhapsody. Her work has appeared in design magazines such as Elle Decor, Wallpaper, and Architectural Digest. Not to mention, her fashion statements are as bold and stylish as her interiors… and she tells us all about her dreamy closet, and we got her to cough up some pics:

Swoon.

Aside from work and design, she’s also a hockey mom and a wife.

See more of Kelly's work on kellywearstler.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

If you want more Clever, sign up for the newsletter to get notified of new episodes as they're released. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And most importantly, please spread the word to anyone who you think would dig it.

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, SoundCloud, or subscribe using our feed: http://clever.libsyn.com/rss via your favorite podcast app. And please, if you like us, give us a rating!

Special thanks to Chris Modl of Yore Studio for editing this episode.
Music in this episode courtesy of El Ten Eleven—hear more on Bandcamp.
Shoutout to Jenny Rask for designing the Clever logo.

Keep Listening

Featured

Ep. 211: The Soulful Renovations of House of Rolison

Co-founders of House of Rolison, Amanda Leigh and Taylor Hahn, grew up on opposite coasts but were both self-described angsty teens. Both had a deep love for art and architecture, choosing different professional paths before they met online and their fates intertwined. Their first date turned into a road trip and then quarantine-based cohabitation. Since starting House of Rolison, they’ve renovated a number of forgotten old homes into warm, elegant, modern beauties. Their complementary strengths and deep reverence for their crafts and trades crew, ensures that each new project has room for magic and a whole lot of soul.

Ep. 210: Marva Griffin Wilshire on 25 years of SaloneSatellite and Showcasing Creativity

Frequently referred to as the godmother of Italian design, Marva Griffin Wilshire, grew up in a large family in Venezuela, reading House & Garden and rearranging the furniture. Drawn to Italy in the 1970’s, she landed a job as a secretary for Piero Busnelli, founder of B&B Italia, which opened up her entire world. She was introduced to architects and designers, getting a first-hand look at the inner workings of Italian design. Since then, she’s committed herself to giving young designers a chance to showcase their creativity – most notably by founding the wildly successful SaloneSatellite which welcomes emerging designers worldwide.

Ep. 209: Holly Howard on Business Growth for Creative Entrepreneurs

Polymath Holly Howard has lived many lives. A former professional ballet dancer, bassoonist, medical researcher and board-certified music therapist, she’s pulled from science, art, and design to create a one-of-a-kind path for herself. Now, she runs the successful culture-first business consultancy, Ask Holly How, to help creative entrepreneurs grow personally and professionally, and better understand that business and creativity are more powerful when wielded together.

Ep. 208: ICRAVE’s Lionel Ohayon on Designing the Las Vegas Sphere and Other Brave Ideas

Lionel Ohayon was born in Canada to a family spanning Morocco, Israel, and Spain. This multi-cultural upbringing armed him with the ability to synthesize different inputs and understand complex topics from an early age, and an innate appreciation of hospitality. He founded ICRAVE as a design-build startup in 2002, and several ground-breaking projects later, is now leading the charge in reinventing hospitality experiences like the immersive and otherworldly Las Vegas Sphere, and the anxiety-reducing Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Ep. 207: Creative Pep Talk’s Andy J. Pizza on ADHD, the Heroine’s Journey, & Invisible Things

Illustrator, graphic designer, speaker and picture book-maker Andy J. Pizza grew up in the Indiana suburbs, the child of two diametrically opposite parents - dad in corporate finance and mom an artist. Often feeling out of place, he learned to cope by drawing and smoking cigarettes, before finding indie music, and from there gig posters and graphic design. Now, he’s a wildly successful illustrator and beloved podcaster who remains exceptionally honest, open, and real about the inner workings of being a neurodivergent creative.

Ep. 18: Kelly Wearstler

Keep Listening

Hear every episode with one click.

Resources

Listen

Ep. 18: Kelly Wearstler

Keep Listening

Ep. 19 Clever Extra: Tony Salvagio, Street Photographer

Ep. 17: Kevin Greenberg

Hear every episode with one click.

Resources

Listen