How She Wears it with Lauren Buxbaum Gordon
HOW SHE WEARS IT
with Lauren Buxbaum Gordon
Partner, Nate Berkus Associates
I've been a fan of Lauren Buxbaum Gordon's work for years - she's the first and only partner at the AD100 interior design firm, Nate Berkus Associates. She has been a tremendous creative force behind the company's success for over two decades. Based in Chicago, she co-leads creative direction while managing day-to-day operations for the firm, which specializes in high-end residential and commercial projects across the globe. Lauren is best known for her refined design sensibility and expertise in antiques, textiles, fine art, and custom design. Mixing new and old, she's built a client roster that includes Karlie Kloss and Katie Lee.
And having followed her and her work in my personal life, I was thrilled when I saw she started following Sherman Field on Instagram. Soon enough, we started chatting over DM, and Lauren added a few key pieces from my collection to her wardrobe. Fast forward one year, and we were finally together in person, with Lauren hosting us in her beautiful home in Winnetka, Illinois.
Between visiting with her friends and getting to know her better, she graciously let me snap a few photos showcasing how she styles our jewelry in her signature way. And I made a new best friend. I found my kindred spirit in the Mid-West.
‘As the daughter of antique dealers, I grew up going on house-walks and buying trips…when most kids were busy playing with their Barbies.’
Sherman: How did you get into interior design and did your background and upbringing influence you?
Buxbaum Gordon: As the daughter of antique dealers, I grew up going on house-walks and buying trips, trying to guess which antiques maintained their original paint, when most kids were busy playing with their Barbies. The summer after my junior year at the University of Michigan, I interned for Nate. Three weeks into my internship, he offered me a job when I graduated, and the rest is history.
Sherman: What artists (painters, photographers, furniture designers) are you inspired by?
Buxbaum Gordon: Oh, so many…Gilbert Poillerat, Maison Jansen, Rene Prou, Jacques Adnet. Maison Ramsay, Jean Royere and Samuel Marx, to name a few.
‘We're more like siblings (Nate Berkus) with at shared passion that get along really, really well.’
Sherman: What is the secret of being a successful business partner?
Buxbaum Gordon: Nate and I keep our dialogue open and honest, and we don’t insert our egos. We have a similar work ethic, usually burning the candle at both ends but remain creatively charged because interior design is our obsession. We’re more like siblings with a shared passion that get along really, really well.
‘I have been heavily influenced by my upbringing, surrounded by mostly French and English antiques.'
Sherman: When approaching a new project (a home for instance), where do you start?
Buxbaum Gordon: I start by getting to know the client. Who are they? How do they like to function in their home? What resonates with them? Then we start pulling together inspiration which we share with the client before we begin to curate a collection of furniture for them.
Sherman: How would you describe the decor (influences) of your home?
Buxbaum Gordon: I have been heavily influenced by my upbringing, surrounded by mostly French and English antiques. I’ve also brought what I’ve learned in my 22 years at Nate Berkus Associates which is a mix of modern and vintage, including mid-century Italian and French furniture and lighting.
