Design Talks with Joyce Downing Pickens

Q & A—

1. How and why did you get into the design Industry? Where did you study, did you study, etc.? I was always interested in interior design at a young age but thought it was an older person's job- like something you did in your 50s, but I left college (UT Austin) and didn't know what to do next, so I decided I could go to design school (FIDM) and always use that knowledge at a later date. I got an internship with a designer in LA and fell in love with the whole thing and decided to stick with it!

2. When did you first hear of Lawrence of La Brea? Through a designer friend ages ago!

3. How would you describe your style? A Mix of modern and traditional, earthy and hopefully timeless! A little modern, a little english countryside.

4. When designing a room what is the most important factor for you? The rug. It's the best place to start and build the room from there.

5. How do you combine beauty and function with interior design? Performance fabric and wool rugs really help. Your upholstery and rugs take the biggest beating, so if you can master those in terms of durability without having to sacrifice the overall look that's key. Vintage rugs are great for that. They have already lived a lifetime so you know they can sustain another!

6. What inspires you? Do you have any philosophies in both interior design and life you live by? Timeless is key. Bright colors, overt and cold modernity, and "trendy" design elements don't stand the test of time, but vintage, earth tones and old world pieces do so that's what inspires me; A collected old world and timeless feel.

7. What is your favorite project you’ve done with Lawrence of La Brea to date and why? My Hancock Park project. This rug we bought from Lawrence was ginormous and really grounded the room. I wouldn't have been able to find anything so large anywhere else.

8. You’ve had quit a successful career and we are so honored to have the opportunity to work with you — what advice would you give to a young interior designer? Get the experience working for another designer and try and choose someone whose aesthetic you align with. Otherwise, just immerse yourself in design, look at it all day long and develop your palate.

9. What do you see for the future of interior design? It's definitely opening up to a younger generation of designers and I am excited for the design industry to feel more inclusive and hopefully build more of a community.