Gates - Elements of Family Style: Elegant Design for the Imperfect Life

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AN IMPRINT OF SIMON & SCHUSTER, INC.

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Copyright 2019 by ERIN GATES

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Atria Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Atria Books hardcover edition April 2019

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Interior design by Jennifer K. Beal Davis

Jacket design by Jennifer K. Beal Davis

Jacket art by Michael J. Lee

Spine illustration by Sarah Mason Walden for Peacoquette Designs

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.

ISBN 978-1-5011-3730-3

ISBN 978-1-5011-3731-0 (ebook)

ALSO BY ERIN GATES: ELEMENTS OF STYLE

For Henry, my sunshine, my only sunshine.

S ince the publication of my first book, Elements of Style: Designing a Home & a Life, in 2014, a lot has changed in my world. My business has grown to include more clients from across the country. I launched my own line of rugs and home accessories. My husband, Andrew, and I completed two additions on our home. And of course, the biggest change of all: we finally had a baby!

If you follow me on my blog or other social media channels, you are well aware of my son Henrys existenceIve pretty much documented every move hes made and outfit hes worn since his birth. Its possible that if he had his own Instagram account hed have far more followers than I do.

While I have to admit that even though the tiny jeans and miniature sneakers are positively adorable and fun to photograph, the added bonus of having Henry in my life is that hes made me a better, more thoughtful designer. Ive always thought of my own home as my laboratory where I can try out ideas and fabrics and furniture in private, on my own dime. I dont like to experiment too much when my client is writing the checks! Finding out that a certain fabric does NOT repel chocolate chip cookie stains made by sticky little hands is a discovery Id prefer to make myself.

These days, whenever Im designing spaces for people who have a baby or are expecting, I can speak knowledgeably and with confidence about what is a smart choice and what is something they may regret or need to get rid of as the baby grows from immobile infant to fearless toddler and beyond. And when it comes to older kids, I have an ever-expanding arsenal of lovely but tough-as-nails textiles and finishes that can stand up to their shenanigans, as well as a long list of tried-and-true tips for keeping family spaces tidy and chic.

Heres the best part: making child-friendly choices doesnt mean that you need to give up on having a stylish home. In fact, most of the homes I showcased in my last book WERE designed for families with children. The assumption that we have kids now, so we need to hide all of the nice pieces and cover our sofa in plastic is not true! Sure, you dont want to upholster your sofa in silk, but honestly, who would? Im far messier than Henry in many regards (Im looking at you, red wine stains on my rug), and our two dogs get the blame for messing up a duvet cover or six... so we cant blame it all on Henry.

However, you do need to make concessions and plan ahead when living with littles. From finding a place to store the 1,568,345 Lego pieces strewn across the living room floor to seeking out dining chairs that are easy to wipe up after a spill, there are some things that you do have to think carefully about or change when your family grows. Luckily for us all, the marketplace has responded to these needs in a big way, and there are far more fashionable choices that are also durable and easy to care for than there were even just a few years ago.

That said, I also want to teach Henry to respect his surroundings, including our home. We live in a society that seems to defer to children and cater to their every whim and I dont think that is necessarily healthy or appropriate. Its okay to tell Junior that no, he cant eat his peanut butter and jelly in your bed or use water guns in the house. My hope is that by establishing sensible boundaries and sticking to rules that apply within the home, Henry will develop a greater sense of responsibility for the world at large, and I think that can only foster a heathier respect toward adults. No matter how much we want to give our kids everything (and avoid meltdowns), I believe its crucial for them to understand that they cant have everything.

By far the most important thing Ive learned through designing homes for dozens of loving families and my own is that a house is only a home when its filled with the people you love. No place will feel as special as the one thats full of laughter and love. Ive also discovered that even the most pristine, swoonworthy spaces wont be fun to live with if you cant live in them. Like our families, our homes are always evolving and must be adaptable and functional as well as beautiful. Thats what makes life interesting and pleasurable.

I hope this book inspires you to create the kind of home that you can feel not only proud of but also comfortable in, surrounded by the people who light up your world.

ERIN GATES, 2019