How to Thrift the Pierce & Ward Look

Get the look of the A-list interior designers, but on a budget

As I have mentioned in the past, I am not into “dupes.” There’s a time and a place, sure, but overall, I try to support independent artists and makers over the factory-made pieces they inspire.

That being said, I realize not everyone can afford the expensive stuff and not everyone can afford to hire a professional interior design firm. But there are so many ways to get the look of a professionally-designed home without actually hiring a designer—and without resorting to cheap knock-offs. That’s the idea behind this new series I’m launching today: Thrift the Look, where I dive into a different design firm’s work, and offer my tips on how to get a similar aesthetic, simply by shopping vintage. First up: the icons, Pierce & Ward.

Josh Brolin’s Malibu home, photographed for T Magazine by Ryan James Caruthers

Design duo Louisa Pierce and Emily Ward create the most romantic, layered spaces. Their use of pattern, texture and color is incredible — as is their roster of celebrity clientele. (The spaces they designed for Josh Brolin and for Dakota Johnson are among my favorites.)

But perhaps most notably, they use a lot of vintage — meaning their design style is one that’s actually attainable, even if you don’t have the budget to hire AD100 designers.

Even by following my tips below, you won’t be able to replicate a Pierce & Ward space perfectly (the brilliance of these designers is that they also focus on the build-out of rooms, the paint color of walls, and manage all the little details, like kitchen and bath design). But here, we’re not focusing on the design, per se. We’re focusing more on the decor.