Talk Shop: Elizabeth Lawrence
ABOUT THE EPISODE
We’re continuing our run of bonus episodes ahead of Season 6 with the return of designer Elizabeth Lawrence, partner at Williams Lawrence and longtime collaborator of the legendary Bunny Williams.
Since Elizabeth last joined Ariel on Talk Shop, she and Bunny have reached a major new milestone together: the release of their new book, Decoration, out now from Rizzoli. Bringing together nearly a decade of work, the book goes beyond a traditional project-by-project design monograph to explore how we develop our eye, understand what we’re drawn to, and create rooms that feel personal, layered and collected over time.
Elizabeth joins Ariel to talk about writing her first book alongside Bunny, how their partnership has evolved, and why the best way to become a better decorator is simply to keep looking. They get into everything from preserving craftsmanship and resisting trends to sourcing slowly, getting scale right, mixing old and new, and knowing where it’s worth investing.
Plus, Elizabeth shares her practical roadmap for tackling a room from scratch, why a beautiful home should still be a place where people feel comfortable actually living, and what she hopes readers will see differently after spending time with Decoration.
TAKE TEN:
Food: Sushi
Drink: Arnold Palmer
Film: A Room with a View — with Out of Africa and Sixteen Candles also in the mix
Hotel: My parents’ house — “the best hotel” thanks to the farm, beautiful meals, family time and grandparents
City: New York
Bedding: Casa del Bianco
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Neither — though an Arnold Palmer gets me some iced tea!
Playlist: Noah Kahan and Mumford & Sons, with my husband usually running the playlist
Weekend Activity: Spending time with my husband and daughter
Design Book: I couldn’t pick just one — but Ariel makes a strong case for adding Decoration to the library
