Our Designers
WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING INCREDIBLE INDUSTRY ICONS CONTRIBUTE THEIR VISION TO CREATE SOME OF OUR COLLECTIONS.
We invite you to discover these talented people, for they have imprinted design history with their mark.
Barry Dixon
“With an understanding of our aesthetic past and an eye to its future, we can design furniture that is truly timeless.”
An interior designer practicing in the Virginia countryside near Washington, DC, Barry Dixon has taken his own brand of warmly hospitable Southern design style to projects around the world. A childhood spent abroad in exotic locales such as India, South Africa & French Polynesia affords his work a singular global perspective. Multiple magazine pictorials (Southern Accents, Veranda, House Beautiful, Metropolitan Home, Traditional Home) as well as continuous television appearances (Good Morning America, HGTV) have spurred the success of his furniture line with Tomlinson/Erwin-Lambeth.
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY:
“The integrity of good design is determined simply by what is ‘appropriate.’ Of course, the subjectivity of that word requires that clients align themselves with a designer who shares their vision. To me, ‘appropriate’ involves several levels of consideration. Architecture – what works well with the bones of a space is paramount. Quality involves both experience and knowledge. A good reproduction can only be selected with an understanding of the original. Balance and contrast involves many elements: color and texture, heavy and ethereal, old and new. Successful design emanates a feeling, not just a look. Nuance is employed to fine tune the whole to the personality of the individual. In the best instances, the effect is a magical aesthetic harmony that is not initially surprising, at least not jolting. Bridging past with present by bringing the best of history with us into the future.”
Barry’s collection for us is a celebration of ‘curves and angles’, a study of the interplay between the sensuality of organic, curvilinear twists and turns with the more stoic, calculated strength of bold geometric angles. The edgy international style of architecture of the 1950’s and 1960’s inspire a modular series of chairs, sofas, chaises and sectionals while a mix of 1930’s and 1970’s forms blend together for casual and comfortable 21st Century seating.
Barry Dixon
Stephanie James
“My vision is found in spotlighting the architectural aspect of the Tomlinson Companies line with unique frames not found anywhere else. We look to show off the union between silhouettes and textiles with these extraordinary shapes and forms dressed in rich velvets to extreme textures.”
Stephanie has been our showroom designer for several markets. Her background is years of successful design and merchandising for one of the largest retailers in the country. Her clients were all over the country as a result. And we are really glad she is partnered with us and we are partnered with her firm, Allen & James. It’s true, we are excited every time she pulls a palette of textiles and in symphonic movement pairs them with the exact silhouette that embodies the fashion of our heritage brand. We think that the showroom is the best it’s ever been …. until next the time.
We sat down with Stephanie, first to talk about the changes we were making to our website and how we could tell her story. (One of the things we feel is very important, is sharing who our design talents are and creating a little bit of a window into what it is like to do what they do.) Our conversation quickly revolved into the realm of design, and what is important and how to capture the essence of a space while subtly making it incredibly functional.
Showroom design is not for the faint of heart – there are a lot of “clients” involved from the company! So how does she do it? Stephanie says it best, “Our work within the showroom is to spotlight the new introductions and new fabrics. Within areas of the showroom, we work to create an intimacy although surrounded by openness. We work to feature and combine all three lines throughout the displays within the showroom. Through a mixture of modern and more traditional frames, we offer combinations that can be replicated within retail showrooms to speak to the drama, yet classic, elements that make up the Tomlinson story.”
We are really passionate about what we do, and Stephanie is no exception. We hear her telling our story to her design clients from her firm Allen & James. She was in the showroom just before market and we heard her sharing a bit of our history with her clients … “The Tomlinson line has been a fixture within the home furnishings landscape for decades. We have searched the archives of introductions by Mrs. Lambeth, although found in black and white photos, we could see the color of today vividly in her pieces. From there, we were able to make modifications and updates to render them more relevant to today’s standards, seating styles and scale, continuing that timeless design.”
“It is always interesting to hear your story told by someone else; but not just anyone else, Stephanie is a part of our family”, Rod Lambeth, CEO.
During the course of designing the showroom and working with her Allen & James clients between markets, Stephanie began to identify the gaps in available product in the marketplace that the projects she was working on required and began to talk to us about it. This really made us smile … that scenario felt familiar; because it was. That is the exact conundrum that Kay Lambeth found herself in with her projects in the early days of Erwin-Lambeth. And just like Mama Kay, Stephanie designed the solution that we hand crafted it for her clients.
Stephanie’s product contributions are from a different perspective. A relatable one. Her perspective is in the vision she has for her clients … to create a space for them to create moments they treasure. To enjoy life, just maybe a little bit more stylish and comfortable. To gather as a family and spend quality time. We love her vision and know that you will find her products fresh and classically on trend.
If you are attending High Point Market, or working on projects, our showroom is always open and Stephanie would be delighted to connect with you. The very best tour we can offer of our products and our space, is one that Stephanie can take you on. Let’s make that happen.
Stephanie James
Bea Pila
“In my more than 30-year interior design journey, I’ve realized that my role as creator isn’t about beauty alone. Through design, we can influence our feelings and behavior…fulfill the very lives we wish to lead. I’ve culled these discoveries and practices, refining my process from beginning to end with my clients and looking to them as the ultimate source of design inspiration.”
Bea Pila joins our designers with a grit background and a passion for creating spaces that change lives. She carries that philosophy to the pieces that she has created – each has a whimsy but practicality as if to tell you it’s OK to have fun while you are trying to be serious. She believes that every surrounding in your space should compliment your life and that could not be more apparent in her furniture.
“Mies van der Rohe, the architect who proclaimed ‘God is in the details,’ would have loved Bea Pila,” is what Miami Herald Home & Design Writer Charlyne Schaub said after spending an afternoon with Bea in her home. Her high-level eye for design, “outside-the-room” solutions, and collaborative spirit have earned her numerous awards, press, partnerships, and commissions. As founding principal of B. Pila Design Studio, she helps her clients transform plans and spaces into inviting homes, working from the ground up to harmonize architectural, fixture and decorative elements. But that is not all. Bea’s belief that a creative mind should never be quelled
Bea’s creativity stems not from design trends and styles, but from a honed philosophy that explores what we truly need and desire from the dwellings in which we reside. Each room is inspired and created around the lifestyle of the owner, and not merely what it is “traditionally” designated for. There are far too many beautiful rooms left abandoned because they have not kept up with the modern style of living. No longer does the living room need to be the living room, nor the dining room a dining room if they aren’t relevant to you… layout, furniture, and details are aligned in a concept that promote actual use and enjoyment of these newly-transformed “sacred spaces.”
“I’ve always been in awe of how design can transform the way we feel… that’s incredibly powerful.”
Bea Pila
Denis McCullough
“For me, design must be fashionably timeless, with thought to simplicity, proportion, and most of all comfort.”
Denis McCullough was destined to become a designer. She was born into a family who excelled in creative pursuits and she spent her childhood in an area of the country known for its appreciation of intellectual pursuits and good design. Her mother was a successful copywriter in Manhattan for many years before she left to manage a well-known high-end furniture store. This blend of creativity and knowledge of consumer needs and desires was the foundation for Denis’ successful career as a home furnishings designer.
Denis’ formal training was through her degree from the prestigious Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia. Although renown as a furniture designer, Denis has a successful and ongoing interior design business based in Southern Pines, NC. She has a keen eye for spotting voids in the marketplace and responding to those voids with products that are not only beautiful but are exquisitely engineered. She is known for her fabric to frame application and her emphasis on comfort through appropriate pitch and scale.
Finding her inspiration in her extensive knowledge, interests and travel, Denis’ diverse styles from traditional to contemporary reflect her worldview. Her interests include equestrian pursuits, yoga and the maintenance of her historic home and Japanese garden.
Denis McCullough
Michael Wolk
“Design matters to me – it’s what I love to do, and it’s what I do better than anybody else. Making Design Matter is what I stand for.”
A student of 20th Century masters, Michael graduated from Pratt Institute and soon headed to Miami. The influence coupled with his training are seen in his designs, whether a project or a product, there is a significant Wolk impression. Dedicated to making Design Matter regardless of project – perhaps the best voice is his own, “Every idea is developed to its fullest potential here, rather than passed off to someone else. Design is what we make. Anyone can create something functional, and anyone can create something beautiful – but true design will always accomplish both.”
Timeless style. Supreme comfort. The ultimate in sophistication. Michael Wolk draws on a full range of classic modernist influences to consistently create what are, quite simply, America’s most refined contemporary furniture designs. Art is a particular passion for Michael, in addition to creating beautiful interiors and incredible furniture pieces, he is an accomplished artist both residentially and many hospitality projects. We are fortunate that Michael has designed iconic pieces for our collection. “There is a real art in being able to reproduce something well”, he says.
Michael Wolk
Rob Jones
“I believe that excellent design is the blending of creative style balanced with careful proportion and scale. It is this blending and balance that changes the ordinary to the extraordinary.”
Born in Dallas, Texas and raised in his father’s re-upholstery business Rob Jones became inspired by furniture and fabrics at an early age. Educated in design at the University of North Texas in Denton (north of Dallas) he took over his father’s business in 1977 at the age of 19 and founded his namesake firm , R.Jones & Associates in 1980. R.Jones designed and manufactured high-end to the trade upholstered seating and became widely known to the design community throughout the United States for high quality and luxurious style. Rob’s designs can be found in many fine homes and upscale commercial and hospitality installations.
Subsequent to the sale of his namesake firm in 2006, Rob with his experience in the manufacturing industry and his commitment to fine design, brings a unique blend of knowledge and style to the development of products. Rob continues to design and consult with manufacturers in both the indoor and outdoor furniture industry further applying his sense of “balance” to products for the public.
We lost Rob far too soon,
but being the visionary that he was,
his designs remain some of our most sought-after pieces.
Rob Jones
Vladimir Kagan
Vladimir said “I was not well suited to being a good cabinetmaker. I was too impatient, impulsive,” he said. “My father always said to me, ‘Vladi, measure three times and cut once.’ And I would cut three times without bothering to measure….But I was damn good at conceptual ideas.”
And that he was. There is no furniture curve today that doesn’t reminisce about the way he sketched a moving, sensual line into a serpentine line. The creation of furniture as a piece of art was truly his forte. Unafraid to take on the traditionalists who remained pure to the thought of straight lines, he truly created livable, beautiful artistic furniture.
Although he was commissioned to create pieces for the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Andy Warhol, he was intent on bringing his aesthetic to a broader market by partnering with manufacturers. Directional Furniture was the premier choice for this venture. Many pieces were collaborated on and every one approved by Mr. Kagan in person. There is mention of this magical collaboration in his book: The Complete Kagan: Vladimir Kagan, A Lifetime of Avant Garde Design – a tribute to the gift of his designs to our industry.
“Vladimir said his earliest pieces were influenced by the Bauhaus – clean, minimal lines, form follows function, and less is more, but he believed that his mission as a furniture designer was to interpret his century, not to simply emulate the past. His mantra eventually became more is more, because who would ever want less?” Margaret Russell
We remember Vladimir with great admiration and treasure our time together.
Vladimir Kagan
KC Lambeth
“Focus on what we can do for our customers rather than what we can sell them”.
Creative, determined and a trail-blazer. Just a few of the characteristics that embodied K.C. Lambeth. A graduate of the New York School of Design and perhaps the first woman president of a furniture company, Kay won hearts and built a company we are proud to continue today. Her philosophy was that everyone was part of the team, and it was not uncommon to find her on the factory floor, working with the craftsman to achieve the very best. Her motto was to build furniture to a standard, not a price.
The design projects she worked on over the years presented challenges for furniture in terms of scale and dimension. Those challenges would find solutions by her in the products she created for Erwin-Lambeth. “As You Like It” was conceived in the 1950’s and is still available today. The concept was simple, and truthfully, she was puzzled as to why nothing like it existed … the brownstones of her New York clients were especially incompatible for the available furniture in the marketplace. Kay found herself in a conundrum, and one she easily engineered out from under.Why not build exactly the product you need for the space – the proper scale, the proper seating. Brilliant were her thoughts, in fact, several of her designs are so relevant for today’s interiors, you can find a few on the showroom floor at market.
Mama Kay never met a stranger and truly was the best tour guide one could have in this incredible industry. Many of her reference books from her long, lustrous career were lovingly donated to The Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library, an institution near and dear to the Lambeth family.
KC Lambeth
Charles Sutton
Charles is a recognized authority on fine furniture, and is the past chairman of Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library, High Point, N.C. Sutton has written, taught and lectured throughout the U.S. on furniture history, design, period styles, construction and care. Charles was a member of the Adjunct Faculty at Appalachian State University teaching classes on the history of furniture design.
Charles and Martha Sutton founded Sutton Fine Furniture which was responsible for fine reproductions licensed by The British National Trust, The Smithsonian Institute, The Henry Ford Museum and The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts. Sutton twice won the coveted, industry-wide Daphne Award for the best reproduction furniture made in America. In 2012, Charles and Martha established SIDE, The Sutton Initiative for Design Education at Salem College, Winston-Salem NC, featuring a chair library of 50 iconic chairs that are used to teach design and construction to students throughout North Carolina colleges and universities.
Sutton has served as chairman of the board for North Carolina Museum of Art and is a member of the American Society of Furniture Designers, The Furniture Society, American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation, and The National Advisory Board for Reynolda House Museum.
Charles Sutton
Diane Granda
“I aspire to design furniture with soul through refinement of scale, proportion and quality craftsmanship. My goal is complete when I know that I helped someone use their imagination when making their furniture choice and the furniture captured their hearts.”
Diane gravitates towards the classic styles and proportions. She appreciates these pure forms because of their refined proportions and attention to details. She is an accomplished, innovative, furniture industry professional with an extensive background in researching historical design periods, designing reproductions/adaptations, display, and merchandising of product. Diane began her career over 25 years ago traveling to England, France and St. Petersburg, Russia, to research furniture in its historical environment.
Diane believes that design gives us the tools to make a world more beautiful and humane; one that reflects our intelligence and imagination; our dreams and desires. The furniture we build can create a sense of place, of history and of promise; our homes can inspire a deeper understanding of our shared past and living culture. Design provokes the human spirit.
Diane’s design philosophy is to produce products that exceed people’s needs and desires, making pieces with soul. She blends design and history to capture their imaginations, and their hearts by using defining characteristics of the original to craft a contemporary piece of furniture that’s a great and beautiful piece in its own right.
Diane Granda
Larry Laslo
“To be successful in creating an environment, one must be a born collaborator.”
Larry R. Laslo is known in the design world as an inveterate arbiter of style creating legendary interior landscapes. Multi-talented, multi-faceted, multi-directional — Larry Laslo takes his inspiration from the world around him and translates these surroundings into a new definition of “livable contemporary.” For Laslo, contemporary means “timeless.”
Laslo has designed brilliant interiors that have graced the editorial pages of Architectural Digest, The New York Times, House & Garden, Vogue, Elle Décor, Vanity Fair, Town & Country, Veranda and W; while his Manhattan home was featured in Elle Décor and HGTV’s Top 10 Living Rooms. He is recognized in New York City for the interior design of Takashimaya’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue and the highly regarded look and feel of Bergdorf Goodman, in addition to the one-of-a-kind homes he designs throughout the country. Laslo was also given the distinct honor to design and install the East meets West Hanae Mori exhibit at Art Tower Mito in Japan.
Larry’s furniture designs are timeless.
Larry Laslo
Scott Carpenter
Scott Carpenter Designs and Interiors is based in Charlotte, North Carolina and our projects are featured across North America and abroad. Our winning interior designs are published among numerous luxurious and renowned press and magazines. In S.C. Designs, we offer various venues: residential, commercial, jets, yachts and beyond. We adopt tailored-made approach and decision to each design project by paying close attention to every detail and viewing every design as a unique masterpiece. Mr. Carpenter and our team are extremely approachable. Our friendly demeanor sets the stage for a special design engagement with every client.
Future Designs Coming April 2022