In the BOH series What I Love, we’re asking designers to build us a mood board of what’s inspiring them right now.
Heather Peterson makes it look easy. Effortless. Laid-back and layered, with cherished knickknacks, retro mosaics, quilted tablecloths à la Grandma and a rosette print that dates to the dawn of the 19th century. Guided by her seasoned eye for captivating scenes, the Minneapolis-based designer—a former photo editor at Real Simple magazine—has styled chic interiors from Connecticut to California, including many homes throughout the Midwest. But whether the aesthetic is alpine, bohemian, country or coastal, it is always also comfortable.
“We aim for an easy, collected timelessness in our work,” says Peterson, who directs a team of three at her namesake design firm. “We like old things that feel refreshed, such as document prints in colors for today.” Visualizing a kitchen and bar that “leans a bit European,” she anchored her mood board around marbleized paper lampshades that recall the artisanal bookmakers of Florence, and a hand-printed trompe l’oeil wallpaper inspired by the coffered ceilings of Napoleon-era France—albeit cast in splashes of pink, blue and green. “Each of these items feels both historic and current,” she says.
Rosy hues also infuse the designer’s choice of tiles and a delicate, ditsy, floral-striped wallpaper, while verdant touches sprout up in the paint, moiré and velvet fabrics, even a vintage cluster of jade grapes. “Spring tends to come late in Minneapolis, and we were all craving a fresh, romantic palette,” she says. “We’re also color lovers and tend to incorporate it in places that might typically be overlooked.” To find out where, pour yourself a cozy cup of tea or coffee—preferably in a one-of-a-kind creation by a Minnesotan ceramicist—and settle in to survey Peterson’s selections. As she explains: “They’re for a space that’s collected more than built, with a unique personality and sense of story.”
1. COFFERED ROSETTE WALLPAPER IN COLORWAY A BY ADELPHI PAPER HANGINGS
“This hand-printed wallpaper was our starting point. Most Adelphi patterns are historic—this one is French, from 1800—but they come in a number of colorways that feel contemporary. I tend to like materials that create a sense of architecture, and the rosette design gives a bit of a tromp l’oeil effect of a coffered ceiling.”
2. AGNES FABRIC IN WARM GREY BY THE BODENNER COLLECTION
“Casement sheers are such a great way to add texture. I imagine these as a breezy ripple fold along a wall of windows.”
3. VINTAGE JADE DECORATIVE GRAPES
“A cheeky way to add natural stone to the mix. I love using faux fruit as a centerpiece in a kitchen.”
4. INTERIOR PAINT IN OLIVE COLOUR 72 BY LITTLE GREENE PAINT & PAPER
“Little Greene has the loveliest paint palette, saturated but just muddy enough to be very livable. This olive would be smashing on the upper cabinets or pantry.”
5. LYS WALLPAPER IN ROSE BY PIERRE FREY
“We are such fans of Pierre Frey’s sophisticated sense of whimsy. The latest collection blew us away. This wallpaper has a woven texture, and it’s vinyl! We see it in the back of the bar.”
6. FISH VASE BY ANIKA SCHNEIDER
“I tend to like when fancy things are dressed down (and vice versa). This piece by local Minneapolis ceramicist Anika Schneider takes the idea of a Chinese fish vase and boils it down to a hand-built slab with a fish drawn on each side.”
7. FLOWER PAGODA QUILTED FABRIC IN LIME PARCHMENT FROM THE ROSE CUMMING ARCHIVE AT WELLS ABBOTT
“My grandmother had a very old-school decorator who had an outsized impact on my taste. It’s so fun to see old-fashioned techniques come back, like the quilting of this Rose Cumming fabric. I’d use it as a heavy tablecloth or on chair seats at the kitchen table.”
8. CRISTINA FABRIC IN FELCE BY BROCHIER
“This cotton-linen velvet is sturdy and luxe and comes in a million colors. As upholstery on a banquette, it would just get better with age.”
9. BRASS RING BY CHIBA METAL WORKS & DESIGN at ŪMEI
“Isn’t it nice when practical things can be simple and beautiful? Towel rings tend to be so bulky, but this one, made in Japan, is as minimal as it gets.”
10. CARD LAMPSHADE SAMPLE IN MARBLE TAN BY VAUGHAN
“Marble paper makes me think of old endpapers and the books you can buy at the flea market in Florence. These made-to-order lampshades from Vaughan are great on wall sconces.”
11. FROSTED GLASS BY GLASSART DESIGN
“Frosted glass is making a comeback. It feels sexy as cabinet doors, especially when set in a metal frame.”
12. SHADOW STRIPE MOSAIC IN PINK BY ARTISTIC TILE
“The tumbled quality of this marble mosaic seems old-world, while the plaid layout is oddly preppy and new. It provides the base of our imagined kitchen, and it would feel wonderful underfoot.”
13. REGIA FABRIC IN JUNIPER BY ANNA FRENCH at THIBAUT
“Moiré is another textile that makes me think of my grandmother; I had sage moiré tablecloths at my wedding. Anna French recently came out with a million colorways. Overall, I like to use colors that are not quite matching to add depth and interest to a scheme, like the various shades of green in this mood board.”
14. GRAND RUG IN LEO BY NORDIC KNOTS
“Against so much texture and pattern, I love the relief of a field of color! These rugs from Nordic Knots are dense wool and come in a range of gorgeously saturated tones.”
15. STAFFORDSHIRE CERAMIC CUP BY GINNY SIMS
“Local pottery star Ginny Sims looks to history when creating her unique ceramics; her Staffordshire cups and pitchers in particular have a narrative thread. This cup makes my morning coffee extra special!”
16. FIELD TILE IN COLORWAY 708 BY NORTH PRAIRIE TILEWORKS
17. FIELD TILE IN COOKIE DOUGH BY CLAY SQUARED TO INFINITY
“We are lucky to have a number of artisan tilemakers here in Minneapolis. I’d love to use the slick burgundy option for the bar and this speckled pink tile in 5-inch squares as a countertop.”
18. PEPPERWOOD BURL BY CERTAINLY WOOD
“Wood veneers present such a great opportunity to introduce pattern and depth in an organic way. I would use this burl on the cabinets in a hidden bar.”
19. METAL FINISH IN VINTAGE BY THE URBAN ELECTRIC CO.
“In my parents’ sunroom, the coffee table and other metal pieces have a verdigris finish that’s unchanged since the early ’90s and feels timeless and European. Urban Electric has a very sophisticated version that I picture on pendants over an island.”
20. VINTAGE BRASS CATCHALL
“This brass seashell adds an organic shape and is great for corralling all the little things that tend to gather on a countertop.”
21. ENAMEL PAINT CHIPS IN ASSORTED COLORS BY REJUVENATION
“I like to sneak color into a scheme in unexpected ways. Rejuvenation recently came out with metal shades in a wide range of hues for its light fixtures. I love the versatility and the price point.”
