MEET RAE ROCKWELL STUDIO

For Rae Rockwell Studio, a blog has been on the docket for awhile. Blogs are an intimate dive into discoveries, experiences, recipes, disasters, “ah-ha” moments and creations for creatives alike. And, well, we want in.  It’s a way that our studio can connect with you and geek-out all things interior design. So, welcome to the Rae Rockwell Studio blog. I’m Camryn, Rae’s Content Manager, and now blog writer, and I’ll be taking on these beautiful digital love notes from us to you. So, without further ado, let’s get to know the head-creative. 

Meet Rae Rockwell.

Where did your love for interior design begin? 

One may say it was The Sims - I spent many hours of my teenage years designing my dream homes in that world! When I was 12, my mom let me design my bedroom - [it was a periwinkle nightmare but] it was exciting to pick out the paint, carpet, furniture, and make it my own space. And even further back, I can remember collecting countertop samples from Home Depot - I always had to find the aesthetically pleasing item in what was [at the time] a boring store to me.

As a teenager, I knew I was drawn to design but I didn’t know to translate it to interior design quite yet - so it first manifested in fashion. I worked in retail, then went to school for Fashion Merchandising, studied abroad, and moved to NYC to continue working within the industry. It really was honed in when I was working for Sam Edelman. I was Sam’s Executive Assistant - he sparked my love of boutique hotels, finding trendy restaurants, scouring travel magazines for the best of the best for each city he was traveling to. He taught me it’s not just about what you wear but where you eat, drink, stay and the interiors of your home - fashion is a lifestyle.  I traded in my Vogue for Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and AFAR. Sam also introduced me to Kelly Wearstler and artists like Cy Twombly as he was renovating his homes. I started to take notice of interiors everywhere I went and then traded in my travel magazines for Architectural Digest and Dwell. 

It wasn’t until my first home renovation that it all clicked that this is what I was working towards all along; a culmination of fashion, travel, and interiors. And that all of my experience up until this point was preparing me for this industry.

If you started in fashion, how did you get to where you are now?

I left NYC because I was completely burnt out - on the city, the lifestyle, the fashion industry, everything. I needed a shake up. I started by taking a break and traveling for six months, around the States, Colombia, and backpacking through Europe.  I ended up moving to Los Angeles with no job, so I picked up some sporadic freelance work because I wasn’t ready for corporate life again. I quickly found that having multiple jobs just meant less money and working more hours - I needed to find something more stable. So naturally, I went with the least stable option possible - I started my own business.

I launched a creative agency, Meraki Narrative and a photo studio in DTLA, Bookha Studios. Both fun and exciting, but I still wasn’t fulfilled creatively. I then discovered my true passion as I was working on my third venture, Flamingo Social Club - an Airbnb near Joshua Tree, CA. Taking my experience from the fashion industry and a background in content creation, I launched Rae Rockwell Studio that thrives on creating spaces for many people to enjoy, create memories, and relish in the attention to detail.

Tell us about your quarantine experience and how that shaped where you are now?

Up until lockdown was announced, I was working insane hours on my creative agency and reaching [yet another] burnout. In February 2020 we launched our short-term vacation rental and in March, quarantine was put in place: I lost 90% of my creative agency business overnight and my photo studio & short-term vacation rental were not allowed to operate. I had tied my identity to my businesses so it was quite a low time. Once I divorced my identity from my work, I started to think about what I really enjoyed and what made me happy - this was the start of the interior design seed, which didn’t bloom until nearly a year later. 

It really shaped what I find important and cherishing the people in my life. I’ve learned to take better care of myself, incorporating pilates, taking breaks when needed, etc. As many did, I had to go through some soul searching of what my next moves would be and what would be the best path for my career and overall well-being. It was quite the rollercoaster to get to where I am now, but grateful that I took the time to figure it out and work through it all!

What’s one of your favorite parts of the design process?

I love mixing old ideas with new ideas and making a space an experience. And, one thing I’ve always taken note of in my travels and stays are the details of design–that’s what is memorable and that’s what takes my experience to the next level. Since I can remember, putting the finishing touches on a space, an outfit or a hand-written note has been something I love to do. And as an interior designer, the hunt for the perfect details for a space is the best scavenger hunt I could ask for, whether I’m looking at tile, paint swatches or decor items. I love to order samples of materials so I can play with ideas at home to create a story. 

What’s your go-to place to source inspiration?

From home, Pinterest is my favorite platform for inspiration. For sourcing items, flea markets and antique stores - I love finding that one piece that brings character and inspires the rest of the room. And for overall inspiration, I love boutique hotels because it’s bringing it all together and creating an experience by showing their personality depending on the location and feeling they want to evoke.

And now, for some rapid-fire, fun questions: Of all your travels, what’s been your favorite place you’ve visited and why?

I have far too many answers for this… but for the sake of the topic of design, I would say Lisbon, Portugal. The buildings are covered in intricate tiles, it’s absolutely stunning and inspiring - I’d cover my house in tile if I could!

If you had to choose one: skydiving or deep sea diving and why?

I’ve been skydiving once - in the Swiss Alps out of a helicopter. It was a euphoric experience that was decided on a complete whim in the moment. I don’t think I’d ever do it again, but at least I did it once and it was incredible! I have a deep fear of the ocean/most large bodies of water, so I can’t see that ever happening in my life…

And to wrap this up, what’s your favorite season?

Autumn, without a doubt. I love the crisp air, the changing colors, the fashion, and that everywhere in the world is at its best during this time of the year [in my experience]. 

xx

Team Rae Rockwell Studio