ERICA TANOV - Design by nature: creating layered, lived-in spaces inspired by the natural world

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Making this book was a momentous endeavor for me, full of many firsts. There are so many people who supported me throughout the process for whom Im forever grateful and owe my sincerest thanks.

To my husband, Steven Emerson, for pushing me to give my all, and lifting me up when I was doubting myself. And for putting up with my taking over the house for the past year and a half (and maybe always). Your patience, love, and understanding mean the world to me.

To my dad, who ignited my love and appreciation for nature with our weekend hikes and instilling in me a keen sense of observation. My mom, who has always believed in mesometimes embarrassingly too much. And my stepfather, John, for his constant support and questioning.

To my sister, Eden. My big sis who has always taken care of me and remembers everything. Thank you for reminding me of some of the sweetest memories.

Ngoc Minh Ngo, who gave so much of herself to this project. Your gentle manner and sensitive eye were paramount to the book. I truly admire and appreciate your tireless energy and the soulful photographs you take. I cherish the time we spent together on our shoots and the deep friendship that blossomed.

Endless gratitude to the intuitive and gifted Anisse Gross, who helped put my thoughts, ideas, and musings into words. Your humor and deep understanding somehow made the writing process bearable.

To the Ten Speed team for believing in this book, and especially my editor, Jenny Wapner, who understood my vision and calmly held my hand through the process, offering great insight to make the book even better. And Emma Campion, who worked so closely with me on the design of the book, hearing my ideas and wishes and then taking them beyond my hopes and dreams. And to Jane Chinn, for making sure the materials were perfect.

To my agent, Kitty Cowles, who enthusiastically spearheaded the book and guided me through the process with her expertise.

To Leilani Labong, my coconspirator in conceptualizing the book and crafting the proposal over many iced teas together.

To Remi Abbas for listening, brainstorming, and offering your words of wisdom.

To Coralie Langston-Jones, my publicist, friend, and muse who makes my clothing look so good. Your poise and grace are an inspiration.

To Gabrielle Stiles and Lauren Ardis, my studio dream team, who held down the fort while I was away on shoots and entrenched in writing. You two are my beautiful anchors whose talent and dedication are deeply appreciated.

I am eternally grateful for my brilliant store managers, Eline Johannessen and Caroline Jurovic, who kept the stores sailing smoothly while I was deeply immersed in the project and couldnt give my full attention. And to the rest of the ET family for your enthusiasm and devotion. Each one of you brings so much to the company. I could not do any of this without you.

To Alayne Patrick, Anne Marxer and Chris Heine, Caroline Seckinger and Gustave Carlson, Coralie and Brett Wickens, Erin Hiemstra, Katy Grannan and John McNeil, Max Gill, and Melissa Gomes and Michael McEwen, who generously opened their beautiful homes to me.

Boundless love and appreciation to artists Emily Payne, Caroline Seckinger, Kelly Ording, Lena Wolff, Ann Holsberry, Janelle Pietrzak, and Sierra Reading, who shared their studios and creativity with me and opened me up to the rich world of collaboration. Ive learned so much and am deeply inspired by you all.

Thank you to my dear friends Liz, Birdie, Emily, Caroline, Missy, Nan, Hannah, Alayne, Rae, Jessie, Erin, Katy, Nel, and Amy, who offered so much encouragement and always lent an ear or eye.

And, of course, Hugo and Isabelle, my greatest pride and joy and always a source of true inspiration. You two put everything into perspective. I feel extraordinarily blessed to be your mother.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erica Tanov launched her eponymous label in 1990 after earning a BFA in fashion design from Parsons School of Design. Her collections of clothing and lifestyle goods, sold at her three boutiques in California and her online shop, epitomize relaxed luxury. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Elle Decoration UK, Undecorate, and The New Bohemians. Actresses including Maggie Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton, and Vera Farmiga have donned Tanovs enduring pieces.

CASE STUDY

LIFE CYCLE OF A PRINT

Most of this book is about how nature inspires me, sometimes literally but often loosely, and the abstract correlations between nature and my designs. There is, however, a necessary translation of inspiration to object, and here Ill walk you step-by-step through the stages of one of my printsfrom first sight to sketching to choosing colors and fabrics to the final productsso you can see how nature directly informs my design process.

Inspiration

Im obsessed with ferns. There is something otherworldly about the way they unfurl and extend their furry brown fronds and delicate green tendrils. Im always amazed at the way theyre able to grow out of tree trunks and stone walls, and am enchanted by the lacy patterns they make on the ground when light shines through them. Ive planted dozens of different types of ferns throughout my yard, each one offering its own miraculous shape, color, and growth pattern.

Ive always seen the ground as a stage for the shadow play of plants and trees. I love the way ferns cast themselves on surfaces, their dark silhouettes swaying lazily against the rich brown earth. I have a group of potted plants on my front porch, mostly succulents and ferns mixed with a boronia and Michelia platypetala, both incredibly fragrant when in bloomI love how the shapes and textures blend with one another. There is one particular fern, an Australian tree fern, that creates a beautiful shadow against the concrete surface of the porch. Each morning, I admire the ferns shadow. It lasts for only a couple of hours and then disappears. One day, I decided to finally sit down and draw it.

Exploration

I went outside with a large piece of paper, setting it down directly on the stoop so the shadow would fall upon it. The shadow created such a bold silhouetteone I thought would translate beautifully onto fabric. Once I had traced the intricate outline of the fern, I colored it in with pencil, to mimic the actual shadows form.

Orientation

I wanted this print to be rich and sultry but also a bit bold and graphic, all while maintaining the delicacy of the outline of the fern. I knew keeping the actual size of the fern (about 11 inches long) would give the impact I was after. In choosing colors, I didnt necessarily want to be literal, like green on a brown background or even black and gray as, at first glance, the fern shadow appeared on my porch. Instead, I wanted to capture the richness and depth of the shadow the fern made; not the fern itself. I chose earthy, subtle colorsecru, dark chocolate, and amber to offset the bold size and pattern.