Running an interior design business and managing a popular blog are each arguably full-time careers in their own right, but Houston-based creative Paloma Contreras isn't content with just one. The designer has been delighting clients and readers alike on La Dolce Vita since 2007, long before it became de rigueur for a certain set of tastemakers to have a blog. On the site, Contreras offers readers a glimpse into her fashionable life and the design world at large, posting profiles on fellow creatives like Nicki Clendening and John Robshaw as well as shopping, style, and interior advice. Inspired by her keen eye and unique style, AD shadowed Contreras for a day to see how she manages it all. One thing we learned? While it might be a sweet life, it’s certainly a hard-working one too.
6:30 A.M. I wake up and lie in bed for a few minutes as I scroll through Instagram and check my email. Then, I shower and get dressed. The day’s schedule usually dictates what I will wear. I like getting ready with The Today Show on in the background so that I am up to date on the news and overnight developments.
7:30 A.M. I go downstairs, have a light breakfast with an iced coffee, and take my dog, Tate, on a walk. I share a photo from a recent installation on Instagram and then reply to comments and questions on my blog, La Dolce Vita.
8:15 A.M. I check my email again and get started on the day’s to-do list.
9:00 A.M. I join Amanda, Devon, Michelle, and Ashton from my team in our office. We have our weekly client updates meeting to review our calendar and all of our active projects. We assign and prioritize tasks, then get to work on making it all happen!
10:00 A.M. Amanda and I visit a job site to review some details of a remodel we are working on in the West University neighborhood with the contractor. I wore flats today, knowing we would be on a job site. The electrician was just there yesterday, so all of the lighting is in and looks fantastic. The wallpaper, Toile de Nantes by Pierre Frey in blue and white, just went up in the powder room and the very sight of it makes me so happy!
11:00 A.M. We stop by the flower wholesaler to pick up flowers for a photo shoot at our client’s home tomorrow. The house is traditional in style with Chinoiserie accents, a palette composed of various shades of blue and green, and beautiful textiles from Rogers & Goffigon, Zoffany, and Heather Chadduck along with pretty new tape trims from Schumacher. We pick out pale pink dahlias, white peonies, green jumbo hydrangea, white roses, white tulips, and blue delphinium to complement the textiles.
12:00 P.M. We pick up salads and iced tea for everyone from one of our favorite restaurants, Tiny Boxwoods, on the way back to the office and then I eat while I work my way through my email inbox.
12:30 P.M. I have a little time until my next meeting, so I start working on tomorrow’s blog post, a Style Files interview with textile designer John Robshaw. I love writing this series because it is such a great way to learn more about people in the industry whom I admire. Everyone always asks how I manage to run a busy design firm and write my blog five days a week. While it requires some of my time during evenings and weekends, I try my best to work it into my regular workday whenever I can. At this point, the blog and my design firm are symbiotic, so it all serves a similar purpose. With the rise of social media, clients are finding designers in different ways than before. Clients who found me through my blog, Instagram, and even Pinterest have hired me to design their homes in Houston as well as in places like the Hamptons, Santa Barbara, and Chicago, so the time I spend managing my social media accounts is important for my business.
1:30 P.M. I have a conference call with my book editor at Abrams to discuss the details of some upcoming photo shoots for my book, which will be published in fall 2018.
2:00 P.M. I meet with Amanda and Devon to discuss fabric selections and renderings for a new project we are working on in Hong Kong. Our client purchased two flats on top of one another, which we will combine into a larger, single residence. We are excited to work on our first project in Asia!
3:00 P.M. We head to a client’s home in nearby River Oaks to present the design concepts for their home. The house was built in the 1930s and has great bones. The family is young and vibrant, which is reflected in my design for the interiors through a mix of modern and traditional pieces with some great touches of color and pattern.
4:45 P.M. We’re back in the office after our meeting. I check my emails again and reply to an inquiry from a potential client to set up a meeting. Email is one of my biggest stressors because there are always so many and I feel like I have to stay on top of it constantly. Afterwards, I finish writing tomorrow’s blog post.
6:00 P.M. I go to a Pilates class at a studio near my house. It feels good to focus on my breathing and not think about emails or to-do lists for an hour!
7:15 P.M. My husband, Fabian, is home from work. We catch up on our day and enjoy a glass of rosé while we discuss what to make for dinner. We’re both tired, so we settle on something quick, easy, and healthy—grilled salmon and veggies.
8:30 P.M. We watch the Nightly News with Lester Holt—I love him! Then, I switch gears, or in this case, channels, and enjoy my guilty pleasure—The Real Housewives of New York, while I surf Pinterest on my laptop, scroll through Instagram, and check my email again. With so many decisions to make, problems to solve, and people to keep happy every day, it’s nice to enjoy a little mindless television for a bit.
10:00 P.M. Tate is getting restless and is pacing near the stairs, which means he is ready for bed. He is such a funny dog and always seems to find a way to communicate what he wants to us. I’m tired, too, so we head upstairs to get ready for bed. As I fall asleep, I think about how much I love what I do, and can’t wait to wake up and do it all again tomorrow.
