In the BOH series What I Love, we’re asking designers to build us a mood board of what’s inspiring them right now.
Something old, something new, something brassy, something blue: Louise Copeland approaches her interiors like a wedding of sorts, layering fresh discoveries with cherished favorites to create elegant yet lived-in spaces that last. Witness the vintage wrought iron lamp in the shape of a snake, topped by a pretty pleated silk shade with a plummy block print. Or the studded, slightly steampunk brass tray beside the bewitching burgundy tendrils of a botanical wallpaper with a periwinkle background. It’s an unconventional union, but it just works.
“This mood board is a mix of my tried-and-true pieces—materials and patterns I’ve used and loved for years—[along] with samples that are currently pinned up in my studio, waiting for the right project,” says the North Carolina–based founder of L.B. Copeland Interior Design. Despite their striking differences, the selections share a common language, speaking to each other across times and styles.
“The scheme evokes a feeling of found yet tailored,” continues Copeland. “There’s a quiet, collected richness to it—rooted in tradition but full of energy.” Classic touches include an Arts and Crafts–inspired armchair with nailhead trim and a woven back, retro cutlery boasting visible rivets, and a substantial, square-cornered sofa with a tufted seat cushion and contrast welting. To counter the intrinsic masculinity of those choices, the designer added a frilly Murano glass chandelier, a rose-toned guipure, and a custom 1960s coffee table with a hand-painted enamel top portraying a pastoral scene.
“I picture this palette living comfortably in a casual city apartment full of character and light, though it could just as easily be dressed down for a colorful country getaway,” says Copeland. Here, she identifies the items in her eclectic yet considered marriage of materials.
1. BURTON’S SOFA TRAY BY HABIBI BURTON
“This amazing handmade Moroccan brass tray makes me so happy! It is the perfect size, and the detailing adds so much to any interior style.”
2. HEDERA WALLCOVERING IN ZFHDRWC-05 BY ZAK+FOX
“The pattern of this wallcovering is such a great scale; you get a lot of interest without the room feeling too busy. And the blue-burgundy color combination is elite.”
3. ATHLETIC CLUB ARMCHAIR BY HOLLYWOOD AT HOME
“The New York Athletic Club collection from Peter Dunham is an all-time fave. Not only is the quality exceptional, but the updated Arts and Crafts style is interesting and can fit right into any interior. Also, just in general, I love an upholstered seat and woven back on a dining chair.”
4. FABLE FABRIC IN FJORD BY A RUM FELLOW
“I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel like all the textiles from A Rum Fellow were made for me. Specifically this perfect plaid!”
5. TALISMAN LOOP SCONCE BY APPARATUS
“Super funky and unique. The agate beads are all different and bring in natural and neutral colors that go with any decor.”
6. VINTAGE FRENCH WROUGHT IRON SNAKE LAMP
“In real life, I am not a snake gal. But I do love a serpent in design. I have been eyeing these vintage French iron lamps forever. Sadly, they’ve sold. So I am now on the hunt for something similar.”
7. PLEATED SILK LAMPSHADE IN PLUM ON CREAM WITH MINT TRIM BY PENNY MORRISON
“Rarely do I finish a project without using a silk lampshade from Penny Morrison. There is a color combination for any palette, and it adds a hit of bohemian block print to spice things up.”
8. STONES OF VENICE WALLPAPER IN OCEAN BY MADEAUX
“This wallcovering combines two of my favorite things: trompe l’oeil and marbled paper. It gives immediate architecture to a room.”
9. CORAL BERRY CHECK BLANKET BY GREGORY PARKINSON
“Gregory Parkinson really gets it! Throwing one of his blankets on a sofa or chair, or at the end of the bed, completely transforms the spirit of a space. The color combinations are unexpected and beautiful.”
10. KNOT KNOBS BY BEATA HEUMAN
“Love at first sight. They are so elegant, exquisitely heavy and sophisticated.”
11. MARGAUX CRETE GUIPURE IN ROSE DE THÉ BY SAMUEL & SONS
“This trim has become one of my most-used materials. It looks great on the leading edge of drapery, the skirt of a sofa or the banding of a throw pillow. I love that you can see fabric beneath the open loops.”
12. WATER’S EDGE PAINT BY BENJAMIN MOORE
“My favorite paint color. It’s the expert balance of blue, gray and green and somehow seems to go with everything.”
13. LIBERTY GRANDIOSE MURANO CHANDELIER BY ERCOLE BAROVIER AT 1STDIBS
“Most Murano chandeliers are glass only, which is beautiful. But the mix of aged brass and glass is what takes Ercole Barovier’s style of lighting to the next level.”
14. VINTAGE GLASS NECKLACE
“This belonged to my mom. She picked it up many years ago while traveling in Italy, and I have never seen anything even remotely similar. Each tiny piece of fruit and leaf is handmade and delicately painted. It is hugely sentimental—and fun to wear.”
15. CHAN COFFEE TABLE BY PHILIP & KELVIN LAVERNE AT 1STDIBS
“One of my favorite duos in vintage furniture design is Philip and Kelvin LaVerne. The metal carvings and patinas on their circa-1960s enamel-topped coffee tables and consoles are unmatched in character.”
16. BLOCK PRINT OVERSIZED CUSTOM RUG IN BLUE AND GREEN FLORALS BY RUG & KILIM
“The Block Print collection from Rug & Kilim combines beautiful designs with the softest hand-knotted wool and silk. All the patterns and colors are real showstoppers.”
17. WOODY SOFA BY HIGHLAND HOUSE
“I love this sofa because it is very versatile. The lines are interesting enough that it looks pretty in a solid fabric with contrast welting or jazzed up with a wild patterned fabric and bullion fringe skirt.”
18. ARCHITECTONICS2 HANDMADE FIELD TILE in heather dynamic crackle BY WATERWORKS
“I haven’t found a tile line that has more depth than Architectonics from Waterworks. The colors are sublime, and they add unparalleled dimension to any space.”
19. CALACATTA TURQUOISE MARBLE BY BAS STONE
“Really, any marble with colored veining does it for me. This turquoise Calacatta is so special, and a great first material to select for a room. You can build in so many beautiful directions when you start here.”
20. BISTROT FLATWARE IN FAUX BUFFALO WITH VINTAGE FINISH BY SABRE
“I have been pining for Sabre’s Bistrot flatware, specifically in the Faux Buffalo handles and vintage metal finish. It is such a classic design, and the worn metal adds beauty that doesn’t feel too shiny and new.”
