In honor of Mother’s Day, we asked four of our favorite Southern design dynasties to recount what makes interior design not only a shared passion and profession but also a family affair.
produced by Margaret Zainey Roux
Circa Interiors & Antiques, Charlotte, NC, and Birmingham, AL
Cindy Smith (mother), Whitney Smith Johnson (daughter),
and Heather Smith (daughter-in-Law)
Cindy
Q: How long have you been in the design field?
A: 37 years
Q: Tell us about your daughter’s nursery and how it was decorated.
A: Whitney’s nursery was mostly white but was accented with pink bedding and curtains and lots of lime green. After all, it was 1974 and the era of lime green! I was into crafts at the time and made lime-green-and-pink-bargello-covered stools to sit under each of the windows. Thankfully, we moved after two years and left it all behind.
Q: When did you realize that Whitney was destined for a career in interior design?
A: Whitney has always been in tune with her own style, and she spent much of her childhood in the retail shop and going on jobs with me. I think her innate creativity and early exposure to design gave her a great start.
Q: What ran through your head when you learned that your son was marrying a fellow designer?
A: I was thrilled! Having that in common gives us lots to talk about.
Q: How would you define both Whitney’s and Heather’s design aesthetics?
A: Whitney leans more toward pretty and classic; Heather gravitates to darker, more dramatic looks. While their aesthetics are definitely distinct, they both appreciate good design from all periods—from the highly embellished pieces of the 18th century to the more minimal and contemporary looks of today.
Q: How do Whitney’s and Heather’s styles influence your work?
A: Their energy and passion are contagious and keep my designs looking fresh and feeling current.
Q: What have you learned from Whitney and
Heather about design?
A: Both are pros at layering and personalizing spaces. They are confident and secure in their own skin and brave in their choices. They both love the thrill of the hunt and have a way of finding anything. Their ability to edit out the “junk” and go straight to the good stuff is instinctual.
Whitney
Q: How long have you been in the interior design business?
A: I feel like I’ve been in the business my whole life! My mom started Circa when I was 5 years old, and I vividly remember playing in her shop after school and pretending the fabric samples were my dresses.
Q: What was your favorite room in your house growing up, and what made it so special and memorable?
A: The kitchen. It was simple and secure and an “unintentional” meeting spot. My friends and I would cook an entire afternoon feast before my mom even got home from work. That pre-dinner fix seemed to cure any teenage growing pains. Our family ate
dinner around the kitchen table every night, and everyone was invited. Even now when I go back home, the kitchen is still where everyone tends to congregate. I love watching my own children climb up on the counter and hang out just as I did.
Q: What is the best design advice your mother gave you?
A: Use the front door. Make an entrance.
Q: If you could teach your mom one thing, it would be …
A: That she’s always right!
Q: How would you describe your mother’s design aesthetic?
A: Timeless, edited, and inviting. Most of all, it’s confident.
Q: How does your mother’s style influence your work?
A: She has a very discerning eye and has the restraint to hold out for that one perfect piece. This has made me become more patient and selective.
Heather
Q: How long have you been in the interior design business?
A: 18 years
Q: What was your initial impression when you first visited your
in-laws’ home?
A: I grew up in a small town with limited exposure to design
until I went to college and began traveling. I’d always experiment with my style but didn’t relate to the limited resources around me. Seeing Cindy’s home for the first time felt like walking into a space I would have created myself if I had known how. Her dining room is in the foyer, and I thought that was so clever!
Q: What is the best design advice your mother-in-law gave you?
A: Avoid trends. The best styles of each period are timeless and can be mixed to stay interesting and current.
Q: If you could teach your mother-in-law one thing, it would be …
A: To take more time out for herself. She’s incredibly giving of her time and talent.
Q: How would you describe your mother-in-law’s design aesthetic?
A: Pretty with an edge.
Q: How does your mother-in-law’s style influence your work?
A: Living and working alongside Cindy has influenced me in
many ways, but I am most touched by the comfort she brings to living beautifully. She does so with such ease, and it’s something
I strive for.
