Talk Shop: Emily Janak // Emily Janak Interiors
Photo by Lisa Flood Photography
ABOUT EMILY
Emily Janak’s design sensibility is rooted in classical principles, brought to life with a touch of whimsy and the unexpected. Her portfolio spans elegant coastal homes, Western ranches, and London flats — each space layered, collected, and deeply personal. As a mother of four and wife to an architect, Emily brings both practicality and soul to her work, blending rustic charm with quiet sophistication.
Through her firm, Emily Janak Interiors, she creates timeless rooms that honor the past while feeling entirely right for the present. Whether she’s entertaining at home, exploring the outdoors with her family, or deep in a British design book, her thoughtful, lived-in approach to interiors is always evolving.
Read on to learn more about Emily’s design philosophy, her favorite sources of inspiration, and the pieces she returns to again and again.
Photo by Lisa Flood Photography
Describe your style in three words or less:
Personal, enduring, unexpected.
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
I’m inspired by the manicured horse country where I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, the layered interiors of England—my favorite place to visit—and the vast and mountainous exteriors of the American West, where I’m raising my family.
How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:
I started my company out of my garage in downtown Jackson Hole when I was 6 months pregnant with my first child. I felt an internal pull to break out on my own and take control of my future and creativity.
It feels hard to choose one favorite thing about what I do — the people I work with and for are a huge part of the joy this work brings me. I don’t feel like my mind ever stops so it energizes me to come to the office and put those ideas on paper.
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
I love living in a small town because it reminds me of going to a small college where even freshmen hung out with seniors. I am constantly learning from so many brilliant people around me and feel lucky to have exposure to truly influential people. I am always honing in on how the tech CEO operates, as well as the stay-at-home mom who skis every day. In my own life, I have taken pointers from so many and have figured out my own balance.
Photo by Tuck Fauntleroy
What does your home say about you:
My current (and hopefully forever) home represents our treasured and all-too-fleeting stage of life with young children. When I was pregnant with my twins, who were baby #3 and 4, we moved down the street into a storied 1967 chalet for more space. The interiors are pristine and have not been touched since the house was built. I don’t even consider myself a “mid-century girl,” but I adore it. We have big dreams for it, but for now it functions perfectly for our family - linoleum, shag carpet, and all! I think it says a lot about how people’s needs and tastes evolve, and that the cobbler’s kids don’t have shoes.
Where do you find inspiration:
Textiles, vintage books, and I wish I could delete my Instagram, but it feels like there’s too much to see!
Photo by Lisa Flood Photography
Photo by Jacob Snavely
Who are your style icons:
Trying to channel the Princess of Wales by way of Blanca Miró—but most mornings, just getting dressed feels like a win.
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
My key ingredients for entertaining: Candlelight, unfussy food plated beautifully, and a bartender serving both high- and low-brow options.
Do you collect anything:
It could be easier to list what I don’t collect, but the following are top of mind: art, julep cups, place settings, anything one-of-a-kind.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
@isabellopezquesada, @sean_anthony_pritchard, @thomasprestoninteriors, @maxsinseden
Photo by Tuck Fauntleroy
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
Truthfully, I’m not sure I ever follow rules. I was trained in the field and rely on my passion and gut instincts.
What are you working on right now:
Several ground-up projects in Jackson Hole, a townhouse in London, a legacy ranch in rural Wyoming, and a lake house in North Carolina. Listing our current roster makes me realize how family places feel so near and dear to the work we do. I am grateful to contribute to places where multiple generations make their memories.
Wardrobe staples:
I keep my wardrobe pretty simple, but shop all year for the retro Christmas Party my husband and I throw annually.
Photo by Lisa Flood Photography
Favorite fabric/wallpaper:
The provenance that comes with Pierre Frey cannot be matched. Touring the archives in Paris is a must.
Best interior advice you ever received:
You’ve got to include things from the past and the future for a space to feel current.
Best career advice you ever received:
Staying in the game even while raising young kids. I truly love what I do, and I think I’m a better mom because of it. My hope is that my kids see my passion and one day find their own to make a living.
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
I invest in fabrics and art. I try to save on upholstery by recovering quality pieces. Antiquing is a sport for me.
Your greatest extravagance:
Having help with household duties so I can enjoy my kids every minute when I’m not working.
Favorite places to shop for home:
Howe London, Fighting Bear Antiques, KRB NYC.
Photo by Lisa Flood Photography
Photo by Lisa Flood Photography
Most prized possession and why:
The drawings I commissioned of my children by Lucy Kent. I appreciate the tradition of portraiture, but love how mine feels less formal and captures their age so well.
Your interiors motto:
You need pieces from the past and the future for a space to feel current.
Your life motto:
Work hard, play hard.
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about whether we even need to define our style. Do we have to? I’d honestly rather be known as someone who brings a thoughtful, tasteful spin to a variety of styles. For me, the real fun comes from working with all kinds of people in all kinds of places—that’s what keeps it interesting.
Photo by Lisa Flood Photography
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Mexican
Drink: Dirty vodka martini
Film: The Parent Trap
Hotel: Singita Sasakwa Lodge in Tanzania
City: London
Bedding: Volga Linen
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Coffee. Drip with Almond Milk.
Playlist: I typically turn to Slow Roads’ playlists
Weekend Activity: Camping with my kids
Design Book: David Hicks Scrapbook