Dana's daytime job is filled with shooting interiors and food, but as with many woman in our industry Dana also has a side job, as co-founder of Kitchenrepertoire.com with her longtime friend, food editor Frances Boswell. I love that their food they create is in sync with their lives with children and work, often having to change gears on a dime to deliver, easy and incredibly tasting food (healthy goes without saying!) – I recently made the “Summer Seafood Tangine” which I loved!
You live with?
Imogen just turned double digits at the end of January, she’s 10! Biscuit the dog who is all sugar and Lucy the cat who is all sass....
How long have you lived there?
I bought our current house in August and had the contractor in on the day of my closing. We did a quick (partial) makeover so I could get us in as soon as possible. I have MANY projects and adjustments to make but with the help of my good friend the talented architect Oliver Freundlich, I was able to get 2 floors ready for living in a few short months.
I hear that you are a serial renovator (a person after my own heart!). How many homes have you renovated. Whats you favorite part?
This is my 4th renovation. 2 country homes and 2 city homes :) My favorite part is always finding ways to make a renovation look like it belongs to the house. I love finding things that seem like they should have been there in the first place. And my number one focus is always making it comfortable and homey for Imogen. Keeping the best elements of a home and adding to them in a way that feels natural is exciting and fun for me.
How would describe your style?
I like a little bit of everything. I’m an equal opportunity design lover. Hi/Low - doesn’t matter. I’m not a designer snob when it comes to picking items up from flea markets, junk shops and antique stores etc (which is where I find a lot of pieces). I’m as happy to find something great designed by Ikea as I am to find a great vintage item. Good design is good design in my book.
If you could buy/have anything for your home what do you covet?
Right now I’m dying to have my backyard landscaped. I didn’t get to it in the fall and so I’m chomping at the bit to get plants back there. Its a blank slate right now.
I love Imogens room – did she have strong opinions about what she wanted – love the artwork, can you also tell us about the artist?
Imogen is a born stylist. She is constantly rearranging her room and coveting beautiful things (like her Two-Dawson linens!). She loves designing houses in Minecraft and she’s also downloaded a few interior designer apps that she loves to make houses with. She loves looking at home catalogs (seriously, I did this too when I was her age) and picking out things for the house.
The artwork in her room is from the artist Barbara Reiser- who is awesome and super talented. You can find her and her work on Instagram @thesearemylittlepictures I want everything she posts!
Favorite interior shoot and why?
I’ve shot so many places I loved its hard to break it down to one house alone but a few top stories that come to mind were for House & Garden- I shot LA LOUVE, Nicole de VeSian’s house and garden in Provence.
Both the garden and the house were like a dream- completely inspiring in every way.
And on another note, I loved shooting Peter Beard’s house in Montauk for Mirabella Magazine (I miss that magazine too!). He was a crazy free spirit making art everywhere. Teepee’s and art making going on all over the place with an amazing view of the ocean and a total eclectic happy mess.
Do you remember your first photo that really inspired you?
I think it might have been a Duane Michael’s photograph from the 80’s. I remember when I discovered him that it was a turning point that brought me to photography.
Favorite Two Dawson Linen?
Hands down the white linen duvet with Hot Pink piping! It just says HAPPY to me and who doesn’t want to wake up happy…...
