Designer Rachael Goddard on the Secrets to Livable Luxury

Rip & Tan: Do you find that you follow a typical process from project to project? If so, at what point in that process do you feel the design truly coming alive?

Rachael Goddard: I begin all of my projects on Pinterest gathering visuals for all of the spaces interior and exterior that we will be reimagining. Cultivating and curating imagery helps me decide what I feel will translate best. I then hand draw some of the spaces, and between my sketches and the visuals, I work in tandem with my renderer to bring the designs to life in a photo-realistic presentation for the client. If I were to hold up the rendering and the final product you would be hard-pressed to know the difference.

Rip & Tan: Can you speak more to your philosophy of design without compromise, especially in terms of homes with children?

Rachael Goddard: I don’t believe anyone should have to compromise aesthetics because they have children. You may need to adjust your selections and use performance fabrics and slipcovered furniture—and keep coasters and trivets handy. I have two teenage boys and I have had the same sofa for 15 years, always had marble kitchens, and it has not been an issue. My kids know how to use placemats, coasters, and eat in places where there won’t be any casualties.  They are happy and thriving and we love our home.  Everyone wins.

Rip & Tan: For this particular home, how did natural light play into the design?

Rachael Goddard: Sometimes we get lucky and have clients who value natural light as much as we do and are willing to make big changes in architecture to make that possible.  We worked with the architect and client to create monumental steel windows and doors all along the perimeter of the house to integrate the grounds surrounding the home.

Rip & Tan: There’s a distinct point of view in this space—what kind of requests, whether aesthetic or lifestyle-based, did your clients have? How did you achieve them? 

Rachael Goddard: This was not our first project with this client and there was a level of trust that only comes after the first successful install.  We also share the same organic modern aesthetic and understanding that the room is most impacted by the architectural framework it sits in.  She wanted large impact moments and a clean living environment while maintaining a warm and cozy family home.  There is a complete love of exterior design that is shared as well, and I was able to design the exterior which is symbiotic with the interior creating a resort type feeling.

Rip & Tan: From fixtures to finishes, so much of this home feels bespoke. Where did you source some of these pieces? Any tips for those on the lookout? 

Rachael Goddard: Garde Shoppe in Los Angeles for the Ay Illuminate dining room light fixture and the Pierre Augustin Rose Great Room coffee tables. Malibu Market Design for the sofa in the sitting room.  Most of the other pieces are custom-made.  Many of the pieces of artwork are from General Public which I love—Portia de Rossi curates the work of artists and makes their art accessible to the General Public through revolutionary printing processes. If you are looking for art I also love Tappan, Art Star, and Society 6 for affordable options.  

Since I don’t buy handbags or shoes, I buy art—I am always on my phone looking at auctions. If I’m getting something for investment purposes, be it for myself or a client, I curate through Artsy.  I buy one important piece every year. If you add up all that is spent on passing fancies you would be surprised what is available to invest in art.  

Rip & Tan: Do you have any advice for curating a space, much like this one, that feels aligned with the seasons?

Rachael Goddard: It’s all about the envelope when setting out to create a soothing space!  Authentic and warm wood or stone  flooring, the right white walls- crisp yet creamy, I love Steam by Benjamin Moore or China White if you like a touch warmer. Cashmere pillows are fantastic—you can change colors with the season or pick ones that are great year round.

Splurge on one or two majestic indoor plants with a great earthy stone planter—I’m terrible at maintaining them so my other advice is to marry someone with a green thumb if you are hopeless like me.  My husband made our fiddle leaf fig so happy that I had to use a fishing line to hold the branches up from the ceiling because it was enveloping our entire room.   

Rip & Tan: Can you offer any tips or tricks for designing or styling a “discreetly durable” space?

Rachael Goddard: Use performance fabrics, coasters, lots of wood and marble trays, coasters, and beautiful blankets placed on the back of sofas where everyone likes to put their hands. Area rugs and runners that are neither precious nor expensive for high-traffic areas. Keep the more expensive ones for under furniture or lightly used spaces such as a primary bed or bath. Use trays under soap dispensers to protect countertops. 

Rip & Tan: What is your approach to creating seamless indoor/outdoor flow?

Rachael Goddard: I spent my early childhood living in Key West, Florida.  I grew up experiencing every day feeling like a vacation.  I think that impacted my approach to design more than anything.  There was a symbiosis between the tropical trees, flowers and plants, the wood painted porches and louvered windows, the color palette of the cottages, the little pedestrian gates that, once entered, created a lush warm world of light and happiness. My approach is looking at each project to see how upon entering you can feel those vacation vibes by using a combination of authentic warm wood surfaces, soft cozy fabrics, and rich stones.

Rip & Tan: How would you define a timeless interior? 

Rachael Goddard: That’s a wonderful question.  If you travel to Europe or Cape Cod in America, you will see authentic timeless interiors everywhere be it a residence, hotel, small pub, or hotel lobby. I love to pull materials and concepts from different places of travel—I take pictures of doors, door hardware, floors, tile, moldings and millwork. Most valuable is remembering that feeling you have somewhere that soothes your soul. Take notice of your surroundings and really connect with that moment—if you can process that and recreate it every time, to me, that is what design is all about.  A feeling.