ALL IN

Committing to color is a definite design power move—and at The Vanderbilt, a storied mansion-turned-hotel in downtown Newport, Rhode Island, we leaned all the way in. During our recent renovation, we crafted an immersive experience by saturating each room in varying shades of a single hue.

We eschewed the usual accent walls and contrasting trim, instead drenching walls, ceilings, moldings—even the window mullions—in one rich, unified color. By playing with different finishes on the drywall and woodwork, we created subtle depth and texture while keeping things intentionally monochrome.

Then came the layering: sculptural furnishings, rich textiles, and custom carpets—all in the same palette—adding drama and an almost cinematic quality.

The result? Spaces that feel utterly transportive. Perfect for a dreamy escape—if we do say so ourselves.

The Heart of Retail

In a world where everything is just one click away, in‑person retail offers something algorithms never can: it makes people feel something.

BRONICA ETRS (120MM), KODAK GOLD 200

Shooting with film allows us to slow down and engage more deeply with each moment, creating images that feel timeless and emotionally resonant. Its organic qualities—grain, texture, and tonal depth—bring a warmth and honesty that digital rarely replicates. By embracing the subtle imperfections and nuances of analog photography, we offer a process and a product that are both artful and enduring.

In our studio, pattern is never treated as mere decoration—it’s a visual language: coded, layered, and quietly expressive.

Patterns allow us to tell stories without words, embedding meaning into surfaces that are seen, touched, and walked through, becoming a subtle but powerful thread in the narrative of space.

At The Driskill, a historic landmark in Austin, we designed a custom event room carpet that draws from both the building’s storied past and its surrounding environment. The pattern intertwines renditions of the Mexican free-tailed bats that find home beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge, the sinewy presence of Texas rattlesnakes, the historic hotel’s “D” crest, and the native flora of Central Texas. These natural elements are framed by ornamental motifs inspired by the sculptural, folk-inflected geometry of tramp-art carvings—a nod to the layered craftsmanship found throughout the interiors.

For Perlen House, nestled in the Pearl District along the San Antonio’s lush riverwalk, our pattern work took a quieter, more archival turn. In the event room, the design draws inspiration from turn-of-the-century German woodblock textile prints, interwoven with regional avian references—the Yellow-crowned Night Heron and the Black-bellied Whistling Duck—commonly sighted along the water’s edge. These primitive, natural forms float within a repeat that feels both timeless and site-specific.

In the corridor, we stitched together cultural heritage through pattern. Classic German Fernweh quilt motifs converse with the angular logic of an American sawtooth star quilt, framing a monogram of the hotel’s initials—rendered with the warmth and permanence of an heirloom.

Our approach to storytelling is layered to create spaces that speak with quiet intention. Together, these patterns form more than surface—they become storylines, subtly guiding the eye and grounding each space with depth, locality, and meaning. Every detail is considered, every choice made to deepen the narrative. Explore more of how we build meaning into every surface and discover the full visual language of our brand work.

SHOP SWOON LAUNCHES THE GALLERY:

A Bold New Art Space

This April, just ahead of the Dallas Art Fair, Shop SWOON introduced The Gallery, a salon-style exhibition space located adjacent to the shop.