After many years of traveling the world, Tea co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Emily Meyer, has acquired an eye for worldly design. Her Palo Alto home, which she shares with her husband, Hilton and two children, Clement (6) and Georgia (4) is living proof! In their April issue, Family Circle featured Emily and her family in their eclectic space – Don’t miss her design tips!
With each trip Emily takes, whether it’s scouting inspiration for the next Tea season or visiting family abroad, she makes sure to find bazaars to search for treasures to bring back home. “I love pulling a design scheme together with exotic objects and textiles.” says Emily. Their home, built in 1908, has been transformed with a bold palatte, peppered with well-traveled finds – a Turkish Ikat pillow, a Mailan coverlet.
The kid’s spaces are where design takes on a life of its own. On Clement’s bed, she added a patchwork kantha quilt where a Tea Koi fish graphic hangs above it. The playroom is truly magical and lends itself to be a fully creative space with their original art hung and a unique Nathan Tan mural.
Georgia’s room takes on an elevated girlishness, a style that Emily hopes will last through the years. “It’s feminine, edgy and strong, just like Georgia,” says Emily.
The backyard space is open and inviting – perfect for sharing lemonade on a hot day. The neutral furniture is paired with bright cushions and throws from travels along with stools from Ghana. The kitchen holds the pièce de résistance – an antique Asian table that doubles as a place for the kids to eat and a work surface.
Emily’s Tips
- Sophisticated tones and fabrics in kids’ rooms look great and don’t need constant updating.
- Print wallpaper and patterned textiles add instant character.
- To keep to a budget buy inexpensive basics, then splurge on one item, like a glamorous light fixture or vintage tables.
- Display what you love – I collect teapots and canisters from everywhere I’ve visited.
- Find a useful purpose for unusual objects. I turned a sake barrel into a planter, and an old Indian elephant saddle works as a side table.
