Take a glimpse back to any point when Annie Fair was a child, and you’ll likely find the same scene: a young Annie marveling at the antiques found in her father’s Victorian home in Eden, NC. While her style today differs from the Victorian style she grew up admiring, Fair still credits those explorative years for jump-starting her love of interior design.
That love has propelled her to a successful career as both a designer and business owner. After graduating from the Parsons New School for Design in 2009, Fair worked alongside a number of high-profile designers, including Michael Smith and Kelly Wearstler. She then opened up Annie Fair Design, based in Charlotte, in 2017. She sat down with us to talk about her work, influences, and design tips.
How would you describe your individual style?
I’m an amalgamation. In short, I am California modern by way of the global South. The long version is my style is storied with a variety of influences: It’s absolutely informed by my experience and my surroundings. I’ve lived in North Carolina, New York, England, Berlin, and California. I love mixing the new with the old, the high with the low… Imperfect is my perfect.
I love mixing the new with the old, the high with the low… Imperfect is my perfect.
What inspires you and your work?
I’m inspired by fashion, art, architecture, and nature. Life with my family inspires and informs my work, too—it’s so great to understand life with young kids and how to design for that. When I am fortunate enough to travel, I love immersing myself in the local life. At the moment, I’m inspired by Banjara textiles, Eileen Gray, and Japanese courtyard gardens.
What services do you offer?
Annie Fair Design is a full-service firm. We design for residential and commercial clients. Our services range from design consulting to full-home design. I love having the opportunity to create custom pieces for a project, be it furniture, wallpaper, or tile.
What’s special about your interior design approach? What makes your company stick out from the rest?
Our approach to a project is to develop a narrative for the space. Through our process, we hone in on key descriptors that become our rules for the space. This narrative, along with key imagery, informs how the space will look, which also allows our spaces to feel cohesive, yet unique to the client.
What advice can you give to someone who may want to figure out their own home style?
List the requirements for your space. Consider how you want to live. From there, look to spaces you love for inspiration. Develop a vision board for your home and let this inform your choices in style, color, and function. Trends are fun, but try and step back to consider how your space will look in five years. Be willing to spend real money on that special something. It’ll inspire you to make something beautiful around it.
