The Style Files: Jamie Meares

What can I say about Jamie Meares? Let’s see, she’s talented, has fierce style, and is hilarious! You’ve got to love a girl who can churn out fantastic design work with the best of them without ever taking herself too seriously. Jamie writes the blog, I Suwannee, which is usually filled with lots of eye candy and seriously funny anecdotes. She is also the owner of Furbish Studio, a retail shop with a fabulous variety of furnishings and home accessories. As if that weren’t enough, Ms. Meares also works as an interior decorator. Do you know what I love about Jamie? Aside from being a fun Southern girl, she has the vision to really create a signature style for herself. Sometimes I feel like I am all over the place, but when you look at Jamie’s store, you can totally see her personality in it. That my friends, is the definition of style.

Name: Jamie Meares

Occupation: Interior Decorator/Store Owner

Hometown: Winston-Salem NC

Current City: Raleigh NC

 

LDV: What inspired you to begin your career as interior decorator and shop owner?

JM: Getting a pink slip from my big girl job.

 

LDV: What do you love most about it?

JM: Going to work each day and getting to do exactly what I want to, with whom I want to do it.

 

{New Custom Trays Available at Jamie’s shop, Furbish}

LDV: What is the most challenging aspect?

JM: The most challenging part is remembering it’s a business, and not all fun and games and in the end design has got to be profitable in order to be sustainable.  If people want to continue to use interior designers they have to accept that not all facets of design can be democratized or we’ll all be out of jobs. Whoa, that just got preachy.

 

LDV: Where do you find inspiration?

JM: BLOGS, Keila - my co-worker (having someone to bring a new perspective to the table is invaluable), the walls of Furbish’s bathroom, mags, visiting friends homes

 

{Bedroom Designed by Mary McDonald}

LDV: Who are some of your personal style icons?

JM: Tory Burch, Mary McDonald, Nick Olsen, Lady Gaga

 

LDV: How would you describe your own style?

JM: loud, graphic, southern, sometimes masculine, current

 

LDV: What is the trait you most admire in a person?

JM: a sense of humor

 

LDV: What is your principal weakness?

JM: I can be very quick to judge (but that’s also an asset).

 

LDV: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

JM: Quit while you’re ahead.... no, just kidding.  =)

LDV: What do you consider your greatest achievement?

JM: Taking a huge leap of faith to give doing what I love for a living a shot.

 

LDV: What is your idea of living “la dolce vita”?

JM: Having a beach house that all of your friends can go to every weekend with approximately four dogs, lots of margaritas, clean sheets, some sort of rope swing over water ... or maybe a trampoline in the water, lots of bookcases, and really nice handsoap and guacamole.

 

{Photo by Max Wanger}

Bloom: Peonies because they are big and pink.

Food: Mexican

Drink: Coffee

Thing to Wear: big ridiculous shoes

Destination: Barnes & Noble

Season: Fall

Meal: something at a fancy restaurant

Musician: Blink 182

Television Show: The Jersey Shore

Book: The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon

 

Texture: Rowdy’s fur

Fabric or Pattern: loud chinoiserie

Color: pink

Scent: mahogany candles by nest     

Extravagance: Rowdy, lampshades, and monogramming everything

Quote: “You know, times are changing. Ladies can do stuff now and you're going to learn how to deal with it.”

 

{All Images via Jamie Meares and Furbish Studio Unless Otherwise Noted}