Southern Home (SH): You’ve been based in New York and Connecticut for a long time now, but could you share how your Virginia roots still influence the way you decorate and live?
Bunny Williams (BW): In a way, I think I’ve become more Southern because there are so many things I miss about the South. Southerners are very comfortable entertaining, and there’s often a spontaneity to their hospitality. I miss those last-minute invitations for dinner, so I tend to do that as often as I can. I’m a big believer in keeping the house organized and ready. Then friends can drop by at any time, whether I’ve planned for it or not. And I want my house to reflect a welcoming attitude so that guests feel completely at ease from the minute they arrive. The bar tray is set up, and there’s a bowl of peanuts ready for grazing.
SH: What makes a room feel good to you as soon as you walk in?
BW: Knowing that somebody actually uses it. I love to see newspapers on a bench or a stack of books or a desk that has papers on it. I don’t mean that everything should be all thrown around in a mess, but I think you can immediately tell the difference in a room that’s used versus one that’s never entered—there’s a certain warmth about it.
