Tastemaker Q&A with Louise Roe
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Louise Roe likely needs no introduction, but for those unfamiliar, we fell in love with Louise over a decade ago while she was an anchor on E! News. Other notable TV personality roles include hosting on "Fashion Police" and her role as fashion expert on "Plain Jane." She has done red carpet coverage for Access Hollywood and was an on-air correspondent for E! during the royal wedding coverage in 2011. We loved watching (via the Gram) as Louise and her husband Mackenzie picked up and moved from LA back home to London in 2019.
Her love of all things British + home spurred her to start @louiseroehome and we've been at the edge of our seats watching as she has expertly decorated two lovely homes all while having two beautiful baby girls. When Louise started @sharland_england, offering beautifully crafted furniture, tabletop, and pillows she designed, we knew we wanted to carry her products at oakstreet shoppe. We are so thrilled to have access to these pieces and to bring them to our little store out in West Texas.
LET'S GET STARTED:
Q: Did you grow up in inspiring surroundings that fostered your passion for interiors or did you grow up in a Plain Jane setting that stirred a desire for more beauty?
A: I grew up next to the woods in a leafy part of England, surrounded by lots of antique furniture and pieces owned by my great-granny, Marjorie Sharland. The stories about her and those beautiful old pieces definitely fostered my love for interiors.
Q. Did you have any specific visual memories in your life that influenced your aesthetic? Or specific people or places?
A: For sure my great-granny, whom Sharland England is named after. She decorated beautifully and threw fun dinner parties - so my mum says - and it’s that joie de vivre and using the pretty plates and napkins and vases at home- rather than saving them for once a year, that informs the slightly nostalgic feel of my aesthetic.
Q. Sharland is exquisite and I’d love to know more about what brought you to creating it?
A: Thank you! I wanted to design pieces that could all be handmade by artisans, infusing the local techniques or styles that may have been passed down through generations. I love the idea that a piece has been touched by many hands before it reaches us, and we cherish it and pass it on to our children.
Q: Do you ever visit the States anymore? Where is your favorite place here that you have visited?
A: Oh yes lots! In fact I’ll be in New York next month. I’ll always have happy memories of living in LA, but I have a sweet spot for Charleston. It’s just so charming.
Q: Give us a brief list of your London MUST dos/sees.
A: The Soane Museum is my all-time favourite, I have been so many times and always find something new to discover. Chiltern Street is full of cool independent shops and cafes, Monmouth coffee there is excellent. Beaverbrook Townhouse is a lovely boutique hotel in Chelsea, very chic and discreet. But mainly, I’d walk! The bridges and the backstreets are so much fun to explore on foot.
Q: Any tips or mini thoughts for those looking to create the quintessential British style we all adore?
A: I like the idea of imperfection in interior design. A vintage vase with a chip or aged, patina’d wood to me, is all the more charming. There is nothing more fun (and British!) than scouring the flea markets and village antique shops for antique pieces. Warm colours such as terracotta, and layered patterned textiles are also nice touches. Bring on the chintz!
