Thanks to a career spanning the worlds of fashion magazines, the red carpet, and now running her own interiors brand, Louise is a true maven of style from wardrobe to home. So, what she doesn't know about upcoming design trends probably isn't worth knowing. From working for glossy fashion titles, such as Vogue, Glamour, and InStyle, Louise moved from the UK to Los Angeles in 2009 to work in front of the television camera on shows including MTV’s makeover show Plain Jane, and as a red-carpet correspondent at the Oscars, Golden Globes, and Emmys for NBC's Access Hollywood.

It was there that she met her husband, the TV director Mackenzie Hunkin, while working on shows like TLC's Style by Jury, before the couple decided to return to the UK in 2019. Now based in London with their two young daughters, the British designer Louise Roe has taken her great taste, honed while covering fashion’s front rows for more than a decade, and turned it into an elegant, timeless and nostalgic, yet modern homewares collection called Sharland England, named after her great grandmother, launched in late 2021.

From bamboo armchairs to rattan decorating ideas, like aperitivo side tables, to embroidered table linens and curvaceous terracotta jugs, Louise has drawn on historical references, childhood memories, and artisans using age-old techniques to create pieces with a sense of relaxed luxury and classic timelessness.

Here, she shares how she stays grounded and calm, juggling the busy life of a self-funded entrepreneur, wife and mother.

Homes & Gardens: What Does Home Mean to You?

Louise Roe: My style is very much informed by having grown up in the English countryside, where our home was filled with antique chintz, rattan, cane and antique wooden furniture. I have tried to bring the same warmth, tradition and nostalgia evoked by those pieces into my own home. Pieces aged with time, upholstered ottomans in classic ticking stripes, and shelves lined with books (their spines creased from being read to death), bring depth, character and soul to a room. So do colours derived from nature, like the Edward Bulmer shade of reddish-brown Sang de Boeuf that’s on our living room walls – it's also where my desk is – that makes me feel enveloped in an elegant coziness. It makes home feel like somewhere I can shut the door and leave the craziness of the world behind.

Homes & Gardens: How Would You Describe Your Style at Home?

Louise Roe: We don't have an open-plan house, but you can see at least one other room from wherever you're standing, so the colours complement each other as you move around. Browns, different shades of green – from Farrow & Ball Lichen in the bedroom to a darker racing green in Mackenzie’s study – all colours that you see in nature, but were also used historically. If you live in an older house, it feels right when they go on the wall. I love wallpaper too, especially in bathrooms, because they're playful, like Veere Grenny's coral-inspired Folly for Schumacher (Wallpaper Warehouse) and Living Quarters’ pretty prints. I am a maximalist, and I err towards a layered look where I'm quite happy to have print next to print, next to print.

Homes & Gardens: What Inspired You to Start Sharland England?

Louise Roe: After we moved back to the UK, I wanted to shift gears in terms of doing something more creative but on a smaller scale, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what that was, so this was a wonderful project to focus on, especially during lockdown. The idea to make rattan furniture came to me like a bolt of lightning, inspired by my great grandmother, Marjorie Sharland, whose beautiful furniture, from rattan and cane chairs to beautifully patinaed desks, had surrounded me as a child.

Homes & Gardens: Why Were You Particularly Drawn to Designing With Rattan?

Louise Roe: Marjorie had lived in Buenos Aires, and my mother describes her as a very magnetic character with a beautiful home and a real flair for decorating and entertaining. Slowly the idea came together because I am obsessed with rattan as a material – it's timeless, charming and elegant but also informal and it is also very romantic. When I think of rattan, I think of the glamour of the 1920s Riviera, where I imagine writers like F Scott Fitzgerald and Hemingway drank absinthe out of beautiful glasses while lying on a rattan lounger in someone's garden.

Homes & Gardens: Do You Have Any Rituals For Starting and Ending the Day?

Louise Roe: I start every morning early, enjoying a cup of tea at my desk before everyone else wakes up. It's quiet and I feel creatively productive at that time of day. In the evening, I keep a massage roller (like this one from Amazon) under the bed to stretch out and soothe all my muscles before going to sleep.

Homes & Gardens: How Do You Create a Sense of Calm During Your Day?

Louise Roe: To distinguish between the end of the working day and family time, I light a candle, put on some chilled jazz and pour a glass of wine. I have an essential oil that I'll put on my wrists, which I then breathe deeply in; I do four-two-four breathwork with the girls, too. My youngest calls it ‘slide’ breathing – she says ‘your breath goes up the slide and then waits at the top and then it goes down the slide again'. But then I think a glass of red wine also does the trick.

Homes & Gardens: What About Your Skincare and Selfcare Routine?

Louise Roe: Sheet masks and under-eye patches by 111Skin are brilliant – I put them on and then do something like watch a movie and forget about them. It has to be easy, otherwise I won’t do it. I add a spoonful of Wild Nutrition’s collagen powder to an ORS electrolyte drink (Amazon) – incredible for hydration – and I find magnesium in the evening very calming. I try not to overdo it on supplements, I’d rather eat oily fish, fresh vegetables and pulses to get the goodness that way and I do reformer Pilates for an hour once or twice a week.

Homes & Gardens: How Do You Juggle Being an Entrepreneur With the Demands of Family and Relationships?

Louise Roe: If I have a great morning, feeling like everything is in balance, I have to accept that by the afternoon it might all be falling apart, but that’s OK because that’s life. My first and forever priority is always family, so if things like my social life or working out fall off the radar, that's fine, too. I try to spend one-on-one time with the girls – even if it’s just grabbing a hot chocolate after school – and with my parents, too; I have breakfast with my Dad once a month, when we talk about absolutely everything; and go on special outings with my mum to concerts at the Royal Albert Hall or an exhibition. And if I’m lucky to grab a quick walk and a coffee with my friends, these are often more precious moments to me than going out with them for a big dinner somewhere fancy.

Homes & Gardens: What Makes You So Good at Taking Risks – From Moving to LA to Work in the Cut-Throat World of Television in Your Twenties to Starting Your Own Business in Your Forties?

Louise Roe: My dad is an entrepreneur, and I remember when I was only about eleven, he said I’d have my own business one day. I didn’t agree but he was right. I have that drive to work for myself, and while it's scary, I enjoy it. There's an adrenaline rush, where the highs are higher and the lows are probably lower, but I would never swap it.

Homes & Gardens: What Are Your Feelings About Ageing?

Louise Roe: I get such a buzz from my business – keeping my mind active and my body on as top form as possible is far more important to me than trying to look like I’m still 25. I now approach things like exercise not out of vanity but longevity – I want to be the most active granny I can be when that day eventually comes.

Homes & Gardens: Where Do You Look For Creative Inspiration?

Louise Roe: Something that helps me switch off and dream is reading through old, usually out-of-print interiors books. I hunt them down on Etsy, eBay, car boot sales. It’s great because I’m not looking at a screen and I’m also not looking at a picture I've seen on Pinterest or Instagram.

Homes & Gardens: Tell Us About Your Recent Collaboration With Crate & Barrel’s Crate & Kids?

Louise Roe: Sharland England for Crate & Kids launched in October, and I’ve designed everything from beds, drawers, and chairs to throws, rugs, and curtains. It was a real joy, partly inspired by a sweet little set of vintage Brambly Hedge children’s books (at Amazon) I found, which follow the lives of little mice who live inside trees, but with the most gorgeous interiors you’ve ever seen. It shares the same charm as the aesthetic and feeling I’ve tried to give Sharland England, and I wanted it to be of good quality, so that the pieces last. You could easily take the Crate & Kids Crosby desk with its faux bamboo legs from childhood to university.

Homes & Gardens: What is Your Biggest Luxury?

Louise Roe: It's time. If you gave me a day where I wasn't allowed to work, I'd probably spend a good chunk of it on my own going to a gallery or a National Trust house I haven't yet visited. To just mooch around without being rushed would be a true luxury to me.

Louise's Essentials For a Calm and Balanced Life

This interview is part of the My Ritual series from Homes & Gardens, which explores the ways that leading tastemakers find calm and connection in their busy lives. Part of our wellbeing and sanctuary content, you'll find plenty of tips and nuggets of wisdom as well as product recommendations to help you create your own daily wellness rituals, for a healthy body and calm mind.

After founding her eponymous studio in the British idyllic coastal county of Norfolk in 2008 – where she lives with her husband Nick and daughter Scarlett – Monica Vinader has gone on to open stores across the UK, US, Singapore, and Hong Kong, as well as heading up a booming global business online.

Her sculptural pieces, inspired by the shapes and textures of nature, modernist architecture, her travels and antique finds – dotted with delicate diamonds and candy-hued gemstones – are an A-list and royal favorite, boasting fans from Princess Catherine of Wales to models Bella Hadid and Kendal Jenner, singer Kylie Minogue, and actors Dakota Johnson and Selena Gomez.

An art school graduate who followed her passion for jewelry, inspired by her mother’s vintage collection of cocktail rings, Monica Vinader creates multi-generational pieces that stand the test of time. Pebbles, shells, coins, flint, hearts and stars inform the sculptural silhouettes and motifs of her ever-evolving range of earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings, imbued with an organic, textural tactility that comes with the feeling of having been ‘touched by a thousand thumbs’. Here, she tells us what keeps her inspired and grounded.

What Drew You to Making Jewelry?

I was inspired to replicate a cocktail ring from my mother’s jewelry collection that had been stolen. She’d had these massive 1920s Van Cleef rings that were quite full-on but fantastic. My mother was a huge influence on me – she was an antique dealer with incredible taste and confidence in her ideas, always way ahead of her time in everything that she did – so I learned a lot about jewelry through her collection. When she gave me one of her 1940s rings to wear as an 18-year-old, I appreciated the boldness of it, how it made me feel, the craftsmanship, the design, the quality of the materials, and their meaning. That piece tied everything together for me and taught me you can wear whatever you want, however you want, whenever you want.

Why Do You Think Your Designs Have Such Wide Appeal?

My aesthetic has always been cross-generational – it appeals to my mother, my sister and now my daughter – because I think my style is quite simple, classic and not trend-driven. Good design endures through the ages, whether it's made by IKEA or Bottega Veneta, it doesn't matter to me. Proportion is proportion, care is care, craft is craft – so we have always appealed to many generations because we've always focused on quality, on the integrity of the materials, the integrity of the design. The same guy who cut my first gemstone – a large piece of labradorite into an oval shape for a big cocktail ring – still cuts my gemstones today.

Describe Your Style at Home?

We are currently in the middle of a big renovation. For years, we were really busy with work, and there was never any time. We had restored the pond and the terraces, but eventually the roof, the heating, and lighting needed redoing, and the bathrooms weren’t quite right. Now we’ve created a big kitchen, a really lovely home office for Nick and I, with bookshelves, a laundry room, and a larger boot room. We've moved some furniture around and hung lots of new paintings – some inherited, some collected – and it has transformed the house. It’s like a new beginning, and yet people come around and say it feels like it's always been like this.

What Do You Love to Surround Yourself With?

I love to be in an environment I find aesthetically pleasing – at home, we are surrounded by collections of antiques, beautiful fabrics, books, Buddha heads, pebbles, crystals and fossils I've gathered from my travels over many years, and artworks. Everything has meaning – reminders of when we lived in Mexico, when we went to Italy. I know a lot of people find too many objects overwhelming, but I find it inspiring and anchoring. My home is my refuge, a place for gathering family, kids, and lots of dogs.

How Did You Start Monica Vinader?

After focusing on sculpture, drawing and decorative arts at London’s City & Guilds Art School I thought I wanted to be in the art world, but with my first job at a jewelry company, I started to learn how to produce and market jewelry. I left to travel to places like India, Patagonia and Mexico, where I started to build a network of artisans, and in 2008, I launched my brand from my kitchen table, working with my sister Gabriela, who was living in London. I first sold my designs privately before opening a small studio in Norfolk.

How Do You Keep Yourself Creatively Inspired?

I'm about to get a kiln because I've started learning to throw pots on wheel. I'm getting two so I can do it with someone else, and I'm going to put it all in one of the buildings by the studio, so the team can use it, too. Jewelry is like little mini sculptures, and we look at ceramics quite a lot for inspiration; we did a small collection of dishes with the ceramicist Florence St. George four years ago, and she inspired me so much, listening to her talk about how pottery was so good for her mental health (she discovered her love of clay after suffering from postnatal depression), so I've been going to lessons to learn the basics and then let’s see where it takes me.

What Was Your First Piece of Jewelry?

I had a big cocktail ring made in India from laboradite and a pinky, cloudy ruby, cut in unusual facets – that didn’t really exist at the time – to fit something I had designed. That was the height of what I really wanted to do, and those large-scale pieces are still filtered through the collection. They're not for everybody, I recognize, but to me they are still, in a way, my trademark.

Why is Jewelry Such a Powerful Accessory, Especially When Buying for Yourself?

When I started out in jewelry, there was either Cartier and Tiffany & Co, or costume jewellery. There was nothing in between, so I started designing things for myself, things that were missing from my jewellery box. Buying something for yourself is empowering because it means something to you. Like my Goddess coin – you're wearing it close to your skin every day, you’re touching and playing with it, it's a thing of beauty, it makes you feel happy and protected.

How Do You Bring a Jewelry Piece to Life?

We start with drawings, or sculpt in wax, which we then put into CAD and then send through to a 3D Printer, which comes out in plastic. We then look at it, to see if we like it, how it feels, and if it is the right scale? We then cast a master in silver, which the team then works on, carving, shaping, and refining it. We take inspiration from everywhere, from flints found on nearby beaches, the pebbles I bring back from holiday in Menorca, antique artefacts like old coins and sculpture, by the likes of Henry Moore, Brancusi, and Barbara Hepworth. Another side of our constant exploration draws on modern architecture, and my obsession with Carlos Scarpa.

You've Made Sustainability a Key Part of Your Business – Can You Tell Us More?

When my sister and I started the business, we made a very clear promise to each other to 'do the right thing' – to run a business with integrity, to create a business that could reach a lot of people without compromising on the quality of the materials, how we design, the product that we put out there, and the service that we give. It’s important to share this ethos with our customers, too – not to show off but to help them understand why we don't work with certain materials, why we don't do certain things, and what we do is very purposeful. It's the culture of the company, and every year we feel we're doing better and better and better.

What Techniques Do You Use for Focusing Your Mind?

I love to draw from nature, especially striking striped and heart-shaped pebbles. This is my meditation – I find it very peaceful, taking in the lines, the shape, the pitted surface. I only use pencil, and as I sit and draw, an hour, maybe two, might go by. I'm not doing it because I'm designing jewelry, I'm doing it to enjoy that connection from the brain to the hand, like when you write, it encourages you to look at things in different ways, which to me is so powerful.

How Do You Relax After a Long, Busy Day?

Relaxing in a very salty bath in the evening, washing away the day, is really, really important – I have my phone, a book, some water. I also love to spend time in nature, pottering around our garden, planting bulbs and digging weeds in our herbaceous borders – a new passion of mine, only in recent years – and going for a walk with the dogs to the beach.

What Are Some of Your Sensorial Pleasures in Life?

How the different rooms in my house smell is really important to me. I have about five go-to best home fragrances from Dr Vranjes Firenze: the smoky Milano is fantastic for the living room, Ambra for my bedrooms, Ginger and Lime for the bathrooms, and Giardino di Boboli (with notes of roses, jasmine, and green moss) for other sitting areas. They make me feel grounded and happy, like music can completely impact your mood and frame of mind.

What Do You Do for Self-Care?

I use facialist Marie Reynolds’ oils and masks day and night; and I'm religious with sunblock – after having a kidney transplant three years ago, kidneys that aren’t working brilliantly affect the way your body activates Vitamin D (I like Natura Bisse’s sunscreens (Bloomingdale's) because they don’t leave a sticky residue); and having buccal facial massage with another amazing local woman called Kyũshi which releases all the tension in my jaw (she also does amazing sound baths).

How Does Where You Live Enhance Your Lifestyle?

The big Norfolk skies, especially when it is bright and sunny, keep me sane. And the colours of the mud creeks as the tides come in and out – the browns, greens and greys – are so beautiful. That is a constant joy. We also treat ourselves to very good fresh, seasonal ingredients at home – fantastic olive oils, produce from the farmer's shop down the road and our local butchers, apples from our own trees (which we eat in all different guises, from grated into porridge to pies and big batches of apple and courgette soup), and salad leaves and herbs picked straight from my little vegetable garden at home. I grew up in San Sebastian, where my grandmother’s very wholesome way of looking at the quality of the ingredients was deeply ingrained in me.

What Are Some of Your Biggest Life Lessons?

My biggest lesson has been gratitude, for my family, but also for the opportunities that I have had. It is also important to be brave and bold in pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. From this comes resilience. If I could give my 19-year-old daughter Scarlett one piece of advice, it would be to have confidence in your instinct, your taste, and your convictions without judging others, especially in the social media age where it's so tempting to go along with the crowd. I’m happy with where I am – I've never really conformed. I've always been very comfortable just being me.

Any Regrets?

I never think about what could have been. I'm always thinking about what could be. I'm always looking ahead, there's still so many exciting things to see and do, how can anyone not be excited? The sun is shining, the plants are growing, how can you not be excited? I have an ability to see the silver linings quite quickly and I find a lot of things deeply fulfilling.

Monica Vinader's Essentials for a Calm and Fulfilled Lifestyle

This interview is part of the My Ritual series from Homes & Gardens, which explores the ways that leading tastemakers find calm and connection in their busy lives. Part of our wellbeing and sanctuary content, you'll find plenty of tips and nuggets of wisdom as well as product recommendations to help you create your own daily wellness rituals, for a healthy body and calm mind.

Businesswoman, female founder and creative, Penelope Chilvers values family, beauty, travel, and connection to keep her centred while running her eponymous footwear brand. Launched 23 years ago after showing a small capsule collection of beautifully crafted Spanish riding boots during Paris Fashion Week – taking orders from stores around the world on the back of an envelope – the brand now has a glittering fan base, including the Princess of Wales, Rihanna, Cate Blanchett, and Sienna Miller.

At the heart of the family-run brand lies craftsmanship, integrity, and sustainability, imbued across the Penelope Chilvers collection, which encompasses everything from boots, espadrilles, and Mary Janes to bags and belts. This season, the designer also debuts a neat and chic Penelope Chilvers clothing collection called Chapter 2. When not working, walking, riding, or travelling, Penelope finds comfort in snuggling with her young grandchildren and exploring the world in search of inspiration. Here she tells us how she stays calm and grounded.

What inspired you to go into making shoes and boots?

It hasn’t been a conventional journey – I began my career as a painter then later moved into designing interiors and fashion. I was always drawn to the tactility of things handmade, to colour and heritage, and to stories woven through craft, but it was while living in Barcelona, riding regularly in the Collserola Park with a friend, that led me to commissioning the perfect pair of riding boots from a talented artisan whose clients had included famous bullfighters and Hollywood film stars in the Seventies.

How did that kickstart your brand?

They were my dream boots, made to my measurements, and on return to London, all my friends wanted to order some. It kickstarted me into designing a capsule collection of six equestrian-inspired boot styles with the same Spanish maker, which led to opening my first shop in 2004 in Notting Hill as a destination for women looking for beautifully crafted, timeless footwear with a strong sense of individuality and provenance.

How has your creativity helped build your brand?

It means I generally have a positive attitude to life and find things normally work out better than expected – but this isn’t to say I don’t doubt myself. Talking things through with my husband always helps to restore faith in myself.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

What began at my kitchen table when my daughters Gemma and Africa were little, now 32 and 35, has grown into a business I’m deeply proud of, and they’re now both invaluable members of the team. I also feel a strong sense of responsibility to my team – watching people within the business thrive, grow, and flourish is one of the most rewarding parts of running my own business. It never feels like ‘just a job' – it feels like a privilege.

How does working with multiple generations inspire your work?

The team ranges in age from early twenties to sixties – a true reflection of a footwear brand that speaks to women of all ages. My daughters keep me young with their energy and fresh perspective, ensuring the business stays relevant in an ever-changing world, whilst remaining true to what we believe in. We collaborate with trailblazing women, like India Hicks and Alexandra Tolstoy. It’s important to stay curious, adaptable, and authentic.

What lessons have you learnt from the footwear business?

Footwear isn’t an easy craft. It’s complex, precise, and time-consuming – learning directly from artisans who’ve honed their craft over generations has taught me the value of strong, long-term relationships built on trust, patience, and mutual respect. Their unerring dedication and skill have taught me everything I know.

And when it all goes wrong?

My tonic is to surround myself with positive people and to try not to dwell on regrets. Disappearing into my Cotswolds garden is my way to reset. As I wander through the paths – deadheading blooms, pulling weeds, breathing in the green freshness – I feel my senses awaken again.

What makes your house feel like 'home'?

Home is where everything comes together, and the kitchen is very much at the heart of that. I recently designed my dream country kitchen with Neptune – it’s intimate, cosy, and perfectly suited to our farmhouse. I designed it as a space where we can create countless family memories for decades to come, especially with little details like cabinets hand-painted with butterflies that the grandchildren will remember.

What things at home make you happy?

I love collecting textiles, many of which inspire my work in the studio. For example, I invested in some curtains made in a beautiful brown striped merino wool designed by Tori Murphy who I met years ago at the Chelsea Flower Show – they not only remind me of traditional Spanish donkey blankets, but I like surrounding myself with pieces made by people I know because they hold greater meaning while connecting back to craft and tradition which is what makes my home feel truly special.

Where do you find sanctuary in your day?

My Cotswolds workspace is where I surround myself with favourite textiles, objects, and memories that spark new ideas. Having that balance between a lively, open home and a private escape for reflection gives me both comfort and energy.

How do you find peace of mind?

Walking is my daily ritual. Whether I’m in London or the Cotswolds, I make time to walk every day. It’s when I think, plan, and reset, while also fitting in some exercise. When I’m working in Spain, I always stay a little distance from the factory so I can walk there and back each day. It’s why I added walking boots to our collection – walking connects us to ourselves and our surroundings in a way that boosts our creativity.

And when you’re not working…

I’ve always travelled with my daughters, often back and forth to Spain, but now they are older, our journeys take us further afield. Last January, we collaborated on Safari riding boots with Ride Botswana – to be able to experience riding through the raw beauty of Africa was extraordinary – and a few years ago, we partnered with Suján safari camps in India to support a Rajasthan rewilding project. It’s rewarding to be able to use my business as a platform for exploring the last wildernesses of the world, finding inspiration in them, and then giving something back to protect them.

What about your skincare and self-care routine?

I’m a big fan of Trinny London skincare and make-up, which I use every day. For me, self-care is also about movement and stillness in equal measure. I practice yoga regularly to support both my body and mind, giving me space to breathe, reset, and find balance.

What does 'luxury' mean to you?

Time is the true luxury: time to be generous, time to share kindness, and time to laugh. It’s also in the simple things – making a delicious soup, drinking a glass of good wine with my husband by the fire, or enjoying cuddles with my grandchildren (being ‘Iaia’ – Spanish for granny) has brought me such unexpected joy.

What can’t you live without?

I try to find joy in the small things: a magnificent sunrise, an intimate conversation, a drive in my car with the radio on loud. But for naughty indulgences, I can’t say no to Mochi ice cream or toasted sourdough slathered with Marmite.

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Don’t let fear hold you back. Be brave, take the leap. It’s always worth trying. Some of the most important moments in my life and career came from trusting my instinct and stepping into the unknown. A quote by the Spanish poet Antonio Machado – ‘Traveler, there is no road; you make your own path as you walk’ – has become something of a quiet mantra for me and a reminder that life isn’t mapped out. You create your own journey one step at a time.

Shop the Pieces That Contribute to Penelope's Daily Rituals

This interview is part of the My Ritual series from Homes & Gardens, which explores the ways that leading tastemakers find calm and connection in their busy lives. Part of our wellbeing and sanctuary content, you'll find plenty of tips and nuggets of wisdom as well as product recommendations to help you create your own daily wellness rituals, for a healthy body and calm mind.

In Homes & Gardens' My Ritual series, our editors delve into the daily practices of tastemakers and creatives, uncovering the personal rituals, from morning routines to evening wind-downs, that foster a sense of well-being and connection within their homes.

My Ritual also highlights how thoughtful design can support and enhance these rituals, whether creating a dedicated space for meditation, designing a kitchen for mindful cooking, or making room for a reading nook that invites reflection.

My Ritual explores how our tastemakers adapt their spaces and practices to align with the change in seasons, promoting a harmonious balance between their homes, their environment, and their well-being.

Bobbi Brown needs very little introduction as a globally recognized name and face of the beauty industry, thanks to a career in makeup artistry that spans four decades. Bobbi has worked with a glittering array of Hollywood and catwalk stars, while building two globally best-selling cosmetic lines (first her eponymous brand, and then in 2020, she launched Jones Road Beauty). A pioneering champion of natural beauty and clean cosmetics, she has authored no fewer than 10 books on the subject.

Not content with building billion-dollar brands, Bobbi has also turned her creative hand to transforming a historic Georgian Inn into a boutique hotel, The George Montclair in New Jersey, with her husband, Steven Plofker and writing her new memoir, Still Bobbi. I caught up with the irrepressible entrepreneur to find out exactly what inspires her to keep thriving and what essential daily rituals she relies on to keep balanced, focused, and driven.

The rituals that bring Bobbi Brown purpose and peace

Tell us a little about how you started creating beauty products and the journey to Jones Road...

It started with curiosity. When I first started as a make-up artist in the 1980s, I was making formulas for my own kit; in 1990 I launched ten natural lipstick shades, which I thought I'd sell 100 a month of, but instead sold 100 a day! After I left my first brand, Bobbi Brown, in 2016 (now owned by Estée Lauder), I could see there was a gap between what was already 'out there' and what I knew could exist in makeup. I kept asking myself 'why can’t makeup be both clean and high-performance?' So I created Jones Road to fit that vision. It really is my lifetime of beauty knowledge put into what are now my daily essentials: sunscreen, moisturizer, face pencils, bronzer, and a touch of miracle balm.

You’ve launched two globally successful beauty brands, written ten books, and re-designed a hotel. What makes you so entrepreneurial?

It comes down to self-belief and never being afraid to make mistakes. I see them as lessons because they teach you how to do it better next time. I didn’t have a business background in the beginning, but I learned as I went and kept adapting, trusting my gut and loving what I do. I’ve always believed in empowering women, especially through beauty. Jones Road is a collection designed for all ages, skin tones, and skin types that let you look and feel like yourself, just a little bit better.

What keeps you working?

I could have retired after Bobbi Brown, but what would the fun have been in that? Work has never really felt like 'work'. I’m always looking for the next project or idea (even if my to-do list is begging me to slow down). I’m not going to lie – the thought of creating another beauty brand was scary. Was I a one-hit wonder? But I put all my heart and soul into it.

What does home mean to you?

Home is anywhere my family is. My three boys – Dylan, Cody and Duke – grew up with my husband Steven and me in our big Montclair house in New Jersey, with seven bedrooms, lots of English character, a little Scandinavian influence, moldings, old portraits of dogs and presidents, and, honestly, a lot of stuff. It was cozy and full of life, always bustling with kids coming and going.

How has your home environment evolved in recent years?

After Covid, Steven and I renovated another home across town. It’s the complete opposite – Scandinavian-inspired, calm, soothing colors in every room, and much less clutter. It’s quieter, more peaceful, and feels like exactly what we need at this stage of life, but also warm and characterful, and it’s always the place everyone wants to come back to.

What brings balance to your daily life?

Comfort comes from routine and togetherness. By 9 or 9.30pm the kitchen is clean, dinner is done, and everyone is winding down. Sometimes we sit together with the dogs on the couch watching a show, or I’ll go upstairs and watch something on my own. I love Hacks and Shrinking, or a great documentary. And I just listened to Keith McNally’s memoir I Regret Almost Everything, which was fascinating

Describe your typical day…

I wake up every day around 6am, start with a scoop of AG1 greens and an espresso, and do some kind of workout. After a busy day of meetings or press, I hop in the car to see my grandkids. That’s honestly my favorite part of the day. It makes it all worthwhile. Later, I head home, have dinner with my husband, slip into a fluffy bathrobe, watch some shows, and then head to bed, ready to do it all over again the next day.

How important is family to you?

I’ve always brought the family into my world whenever I could. When the boys were little, I’d bring them to the office, and now I do that with my grandchildren too (just not for full days – let’s be honest, kids are a handful!). My granddaughter Lily currently stars with me in our ‘Beauty Stories’ campaign, revolving around people’s first makeup memories. My son Cody is my CEO, his wife Payal is the Senior Director of Brand Marketing). From book launches to events, my husband, my father, my sons and wives, my sister and sister-in-law are always there.

How do you look after yourself?

It’s all about good, simple skincare, plenty of water – it keeps me hydrated and alert – and clean makeup. I’ve done Sofwave ultrasound facial stimulation treatments, but no Botox or fillers. I focus on clean eating – my go-to quick lunch is fresh turkey on a rice cake, with a slice of tomato, mustard and cheddar cheese; for dinner, I love zucchini pasta with red sauce, Italian tuna and fresh parmigiana.

Is daily movement essential to how you look and feel?

Exercise is the best way to stay vibrant. Dancing is a serious joy for me. One day I thought that I worked too much and didn’t have a hobby, so I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do for fun and then it hit me. I wanted to take hip-hop lessons. It brings me great joy and I torch a bunch of calories. It’s my escape.

How do you feel about aging?

I definitely don’t look the way I did at 20, and that’s okay because aging looks a lot like living, and I’m still me, Bobbi. It’s important to remember that aging is a privilege. And while it’s not always easy, it’s something I’ll never take for granted.

What does 'luxury' mean to you in life?

Luxury, to me, is sitting in a lounge chair with a beach towel or cozying up in my massage chair with a soft Hermès blanket, and a good memoir. My guilty pleasure is Russ & Daughters caviar paired with Cape Cod Chips.

What are the most important things in life?

My family, my health, and having a purpose… as well as being by the sea or in water, walking in nature, going to the movies, and sharing a daily silly text with a friend.

If you could give your younger self any piece of advice in how to live a good life…

Don't drop out of typing. Do weightlifting, not just cardio. Get a math tutor. Give yourself permission to do nothing. It's okay to be exactly who you are. Master the at-home blowout. You're way cuter than you think you are. Make your bed. And chill out (I’m still working on this one).

Lean into Bobbi's rituals with these buys

This interview is part of the My Ritual series from Homes & Gardens, which explores the ways that leading tastemakers find calm and connection in their busy lives. Part of our wellbeing and sanctuary content, you'll find plenty of tips and nuggets of wisdom as well as product recommendations to help you create your own daily wellness rituals, for a healthy body and calm mind.

Hidden by a lush orchard and dense gardens, sitting high atop the hills of Los Angeles, Richard Christiansen and Aaron Harvey have transformed a 1940s Spanish revival house and extensive grounds into Flamingo Estate as a hub for hundreds of collaborators, farmers, growers, herbalists, makers, artists, chefs, even Pamela Anderson, who has recently launched a new pickle line with the estate, Pamela's Pickles.

Richard's philosophy in life is simple: wake up early, drink water, sip wine, take care of one another and the earth, eat well, eat everything, move your body, calm down, be grateful. Here he shares his daily rituals.

Richard Christiansen's rituals for positive vibes and a life meaningfully lived

How do you start the day?

I start with a cup of coffee as the sun rises above the garden, and the hummingbirds dart around. As I walk to the bathhouse at the bottom of the garden, I feel the sun on my skin and relish the blue sky before taking a long bath. The three-story bathhouse was inspired by the ancient Persian Alamut fortresses, where soldiers bathed and it features a poured concrete tub oriented toward sunrise, and blue and white stained-glass windows that open out to the birdsong and views of the neighbourhood below.

Afterwards, I love a breakfast of eggs laid by our estate chickens (they eat lots of watermelon and greens, so the bright orange yolks are the colour of a harvest moon), fried and drizzled with our olive oil.

Has bathing always been an important ritual to you?

Growing up, family conversations happened around the bathtub as our parents took turns to soak, and my twin brother and I listened to the tales of their day. Now, I find a bath – scrubbing clean with our estate soaps – is really good for lowering blood pressure, increasing heart rate, activating the immune system, burning calories, reducing tension, soothing anxiety, and lifting dreary spirits.

How did you find your Los Angeles home and transform it into what it is today?

I found the property when I visited the previous owner about installing beehives on his estate. It has been largely untouched for 60 years, previously home variously to a goat farm, vineyard, adult film studio, political action headquarters, pirate radio station and a pleasure garden. I felt like an archaeologist, unearthing a treasure buried under rubble, with a dusty, broken house engulfed by knee high grasses in need of love.

Out went the remnants of its past lives, and in came a kaleidoscope of colour and texture, designed in collaboration with StudioKO. I didn’t want beige or open-plan, I wanted to see the garden from every room, and I wanted it to be a place to indulge my senses and restore me while I worked to restore it.

How does your home make you feel now?

Someone once described it as a ‘happy jamboree of global references’, with its tactile mix of hand poured Venetian terrazzo (inspired by an old hotel in Rome), mottled Iranian marble, glazed Moroccan tiles, velvet against rough wood walls, plush rugs made in collaboration with Beni next to mirror, wicker and cork.

The house is drenched intentionally in colour to enliven our moods as we walk through it. The colour palette has been drawn from the outside: lavender, lemon, plum, strawberry, rose, hot tomato, mango, and shades of green inspired by the oleander, coyote sage, eucalyptus, avocado and prickly pear leaves in the garden.

How important is your outdoor space?

I wanted the gardens to be life-giving, transportive, full of raw, verdant life. Landscape designer Arnaud Casaus helped us to design it as a Noah’s Ark for plants – there are hundreds of drought-resistant varietals from around the world – with whispers of colour everywhere.

It was my dream to create a tropical oasis around the pool, a cactus garden on the hill, an orchard filled with figs, apples, peaches, apricots (to make my grandmother’s jam), olives and plums, and a citrus grove where our cocker spaniels Freeway and Daylesford can run. Among the Californian natives, like sage and poppies, there are frangipani, banksia, grevillea and golden wattle trees as a nod to my Australian home.

What has nature taught you?

For a long time, I felt lost and stressed but my life changed when I started looking around me and began paying attention to the seasons, the power of scent, the dawn and dusk, the song of insects and birds and the hum of the bees. I realised that there was more to life – life is meant to be lived, not just endured.

Do you prefer to go out or stay at home?

I’d rather stay home with my goats and watch them nibble on everything or make my grandmother’s lasagne on a Friday night for Harvey. I put on some music, open a bottle of red wine, slowly simmer down the ingredients for the tomato sauce (the longer it cooks, the better it gets), and use lots of butter, parmesan and ricotta. When it’s ready, I plate up a large slice, put it on a little rattan tray with a napkin and two forks, and we share it while watching a movie.

Do you have any other dining rituals?

I take great delight in setting the table. Nothing fancy – I light a candle, put some flowers in a vase, and only use nice napkins, proper plates (speckled green and white, collected on my travels in Puglia, Marrakech, and Kyoto), cutlery, and mismatched crystal glasses. Harvey sits facing the window; I sit with my back to the sink so I can lean back to turn the oven off or grab a spoon. These are scared memories for me, souvenirs of a happy life overflowing with moments of sensory joy. These are the things that I believe will flash before my eyes before I die.

Do you like to entertain?

Not to brag, but no one throws a party like we do! The Flamingo Estate team shakes cocktails in tuxedos; we have singers and brass bands performing live; hundreds of candles light paths through the gardens; and in between the fortune tellers and synchronised swimmers in the pool, there’s not a plastic cup or sensible shoe in sight.

Where are you happiest?

In the kitchen, where I find bliss and warmth in a place where we have laughed and cried with friends and one another, savouring its cacophony of smells: salty water boiling for Harvey’s Sunday night instant pick-me-up pasta, chickens roasting, coffee brewing, bread baking. The business we started together from our kitchen is fundamentally about taste and the pleasure it brings. Harvey is the butter on my bread, the pepper to my salt.

Is keeping fit important to you?

I go the gym and swim every day, but gardening and walking up and down the 69 steps from the house to the Goat Shed, back and forth all day long, keeps me in shape. The Goat Shed is our apothecary-like laboratory (with walls lined with custom de Gournay wallpaper featuring the estate’s animals and plants) – all our formulas and relationship with plants furthers and deepens here.

What is your philosophy for life?

It’s important to be grateful for being able to do something I love every day. My former university lecturer Dr Kerry Howells believes if you start the day with gratitude, you set the tone for the day ahead. Personal grown thrives in commitment – I realised that I just had to choose something I believe in and see where it takes me. With Flamingo, I allowed myself the freedom to play and to be curious rather than successful. Now I’m not afraid to try, fall over, fail, and get back up again.

Re-create Richard Christiansen's rituals with these mindful buys

This interview is part of the My Ritual series from Homes & Gardens, which explores the ways that leading tastemakers find calm and connection in their busy lives. Part of our wellbeing and sanctuary content, you'll find plenty of tips and nuggets of wisdom as well as product recommendations to help you create your own daily wellness rituals, for a healthy body and calm mind.

Color, nature, art, and adventure have always resonated at the heart of Louise Olsen’s work and life, as both a designer and painter of abstract art. Together with her husband Stephen Ormandy, Louise co-founded the jewellery and homewares business Dinosaur Designs.

'Both my parents were artists,' explains Louise – the late eminent Australian painter John Olsen and Valerie Olsen-Strong – 'and when I was growing up, they had an art school in an old bakery in Sydney. As there wasn't any childcare in those days, my brother Tim (now a leading gallerist) and I just went to art school from an early age, always being behind the scenes.'

Based in the Sydney suburb of Bronte, in Australia, Louise takes her inspiration for her collections from her natural surroundings, the human body, and the art world, 'as well as what comes from experimenting with the paint and resin we use to create Dinosaur Designs pieces,' she adds.

Dinosaur Designs has grown from a weekend stall at Paddington Markets in Sydney into a global enterprise, now with stores in Australia, London and New York, and celebrates its 40^th anniversary this year. I spoke to Louise about helps her to feel focused, energized, and balanced.

Louise Olsen shares the rituals that inspire and nourish her creativity

How do you kickstart your day?

I’m not a big breakfast person, so I start with water laced with lemon or apple cider vinegar before grabbing a coffee on my way to work. In the summer, I love walking to Bronte Beach near our home for an early morning swim. Water is so revitalizing, even just listening to the rhythms of the sea makes me happy.

Do you have particular ways to help you focus?

Transcendental meditation is always a great go-to, but not necessarily every day. I draw on it when I’m very stressed or I’ve hit a creative block. Twenty minutes a day helps me to bring peace and clarity to my busy mind.

As a family, you have always been a tight-knit trio (with artist daughter Camille, now 26). How do you like to spend time together at home?

We love to cook, particularly in the summer. We open up the doors and windows of the house, where we live in Bronte, Sydney – to take in the amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and to let the evening sea breeze flow through – and we fire up the barbecue, shuck fresh oysters, and make big salads. It's just lovely easy, breezy summer living.

What part does your home play in your creative process?

It is like a white canvas against which all three of us, joined by creativity, are constantly moving things around – hanging our paintings in different places, arranging our Dinosaur pieces in different ways. But then we mix in modernist designs by the likes of Harry Bertoia, Patricia Urquiola and Serge Mouille alongside indigenous Australian bark paintings. We juxtapose old and new, earthy and super slick, but it has to feel warm and worn, lived in and loved, and nothing like a showroom.

What materials do you surround yourself with?

At home, we mix leather and linens, woven baskets, wooden floorboards, and our own textured rugs, which we design in wool for Designer Rugs. The great thing about working in our studio is that there is a constant flow of ideas. We take inspiration from the shape, form and wonder of everything from chestnuts, bones, shells and clouds to wildflowers, river stones and watercolour paintings.

How does that translate into your resin pieces for Dinosaur Designs?

How something feels is very important – the resin we use for our homewares is a relatively modern material, but we work with it in a very hand-felt way. The more you touch them, the better the patina one of our salad bowls gets, from being washed by hand, rubbed with tea towels, covered in olive oil.

Color is fundamental to your work. How do you draw on it in your everyday life?

When you look at a color, you feel it too. Color is about the emotion and memories it brings. In my work, I'm often trying to find groups of colors that vibrate and sing together. My dad once said, ‘color rushes to our heads, it really exhilarates us, but then tone touches the soul.’ Too much color ends up looking like a fruit salad. Tone allows colors to really be themselves.

How important is scent to you?

I use fragrant natural oils by Ayu, founded by Sydney girls Alannah Quin and Madeleine Whitter ten years ago, and fragrances by my friend Saskia Havekes of leading Sydney florist Grandiflora. I also love the smell of the Australian bush, especially in the heat of the summer when the scent of eucalyptus and mimosa fills the air. And I always wash our Italian Society Limonta sheets in lavender linen wash and then put them out to dry in the garden, so when I get into bed at night, it feels like sleeping in the sun.

When do you carve out quiet time for yourself?

The hour-and-a-half drive to the countryside to my Dad’s old place in the Southern Highlands is a gift for listening to podcasts. I enjoy Bella Freud's Fashion Neurosis – I love that she hails from a family of artists and how she shares her life with her interviewees (Cate Blanchett, Kristin Scott Thomas, Christian Louboutin, Jonathan Anderson). She has an inquisitive mind, asking about the things we often overlook.

How do you feel about ageing? Do you fight or embrace it?

The most important thing is to look healthy. When someone looks well, no matter their age, their beauty emanates from their spirit and soul as much as how they look. I try to eat well, laugh, have fun and embrace this wonderful time of life I am in. And I am always moving – walking, swimming, dancing – because it brings out all the things inside me that makes my brain happy too. For my skin, I use Rationale skincare, developed over decades of research by a friend Richard Parker.

How does your painting process nourish you?

I love the way it sharpens my eye and makes me feel. It is like working with an orchestra: playing with all these wonderful notes – colour, composition, ideas, memory, the subconscious mind – which makes it such a great adventure. The reason I started Dinosaur Designs with Steve (and our then third partner, Liane Rossler) was to explore something else in another creative realm, away from the art world. I've always painted in my mind, even when designing something, but to have been more physical with it for the last 15 years, it feels like life has come full circle and I'm back to where I really belong.

What do you hope that your work brings to others?

I hope my work opens people up to the world in a creative or imaginative way, like music can. That's why I find abstract art so interesting – it pushes people beyond preconceived ideas, and whether inspired by nature, an object or a still life, it’s about how we play with it rather than worrying about what it should look like. Let's just get lost in it for a while.

And when the noise around you gets too loud...

Being in the studio, painting, listening to music, looking at nature, whispering to a full moon. There's beautiful bird life here in Bronte – I find it very calming to listen to them sing and watch them float across the sky. These are the things that give me strength and faith in the world.

Embrace Louise's rituals with these meaningful buys

Shop Louise's homeware and jewelry at Dinosaur Designs.

This interview is part of the My Ritual series from Homes & Gardens, which explores the ways that leading tastemakers find calm and connection in their busy lives. Part of our wellbeing and sanctuary content, you'll find plenty of tips and nuggets of wisdom as well as product recommendations to help you create your own daily wellness rituals, for a healthy body and calm mind.

From the sun-drenched vineyards of Napa Valley where she was raised to the busy streets of San Francisco she now calls home, April Gargiulo has mastered the art of intentional living. As the founder of Vintner’s Daughter – a cult-favorite skincare brand that counts Gwyneth Paltrow and Hailey Bieber as fans – she approaches her beauty business the same way her family approached winemaking: uncompromisingly. Each item in her hyper-curated product line takes weeks to produce, not hours.

'I move at the speed of quality,' says April. At home in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights, this ethos extends beyond the bottles: Gargiulo surrounds herself only with items she loves and focuses on time with family. Between running a B Corp-certified business and raising two children, Gargiulo has discovered that meaningful rituals, from meditative morning moments to family dinners, aren’t just luxuries, but a necessary part of life.

April Gargiulo shares exclusively with us how these grounding practices bring her back to what matters most

How has your Napa Valley upbringing and the blossoming of your Vintner's Daughter brand influenced how you approach creating comfort in your urban San Francisco home?

Napa Valley has created the lens from which I measure so much – the makers’, growers’, designers’, etc perspectives on quality, craftsmanship, and intention all go into my appreciation of what I'm surrounded by, from food to clothes to furniture and everything in between.

Tell us a bit about your home style. Beyond aesthetic beauty, what makes a house truly feel like 'home' to you?

I am an avid collector and love being surrounded by the pieces I have brought into the fold over the years. Each piece tells a story of the maker and where and when I found it. For me, that creates a grounding 'home' energy.

What daily rituals help you stay grounded amid the demands of being a founder?

Tea is a practice for me and something I cherish every day. It's a ritual that grounds and connects me to Mother Nature and her rhythms. My teaware is also part of the ritual and I use a cup from a Hella Jongerius + Royal Copenhagen collaboration that I bought in Copenhagen over a decade ago. I'm probably too attached to the set. I scour eBay for them all the time because my exact cup is no longer in production.

You're also a wife and a mother of two children… Are there any rituals you practice together as a family at home?

We eat dinner together every night. Sometimes it's homemade and sometimes it’s takeout and more often than not a combination of the two. We have a gratitude practice we share with each other each night as well. With everyone’s busy schedule, this is a beloved piece of our lives.

So many people use skincare as a ritual. As a beauty brand founder, how do you develop products that feel right for a ritual?

Uniquely, we begin every formulation with the world's most nutrient-rich whole plants. The process takes three to five weeks and is 66 times slower than the industry average. We are uncompromising in how we execute it because it is the only way to make formulas that can truly speak the skin’s innate language. Within this is not only a deeper connection to the skin but a deeper connection to the self because each formula application is done with intention. It's hard to explain, but there is a deep reverence for our formulas by our community and the place they hold in their self-care rituals.

Why do you believe rituals are important in your home life?

For me, rituals are grounding touchpoints in a day that at times can feel a bit hectic and rushed. They slow things down and allow for moments of appreciation, reflection and gratitude.

What simple home rituals would you recommend to someone seeking to create more calm and sanctuary in their living space?

No surprise, I'm in the ‘only keep what you love’ club. I used to have to be 70% love to keep it, but as I get older the bar is set higher. Now I have to be 90% love. If only I could get my kids past 20%.

What does 'luxury' mean to you in the context of having a ritual? You've said 'generosity is the essence of luxury' – can you elaborate?

Generosity, gratitude, and contentment are all pieces of luxury for me. These qualities suggest a place of abundance versus FOMO [fear of missing out], which I think drives a lot of desire for today’s high-ticket items. And it's only human, I am guilty of coveting the most fleeting of 'luxury' trends.

In your business you focus on 'moving at the speed of quality' and believe that 'less is more' – how does that influence your life at home?

We know our community at Vintner’s Daughter is made up of the most discerning women in the world who deeply consider what they bring into their lives. I am one of those discerning women and what I bring into my home must live up to a very high set of standards – design, respect, intentionality, material, sustainability, and more.

I believe in moving at the speed of quality and only buying or sourcing items that bring me joy. I also have no time for products that use fear or insecurity to convince me to buy them. I want to be surrounded by fewer, more truly beautiful things.

Vinter's Daughter is available at Nordstrom.

This interview is part of the My Ritual series from Homes & Gardens, which explores the ways that leading tastemakers find calm and connection in their busy lives. Part of our wellbeing and sanctuary content, you'll find plenty of tips and nuggets of wisdom as well as product recommendations to help you create your own daily wellness rituals, for a healthy body and calm mind.