Ann Lowengart founded her eponymous firm in 2000. Located just a few miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Ann Lowengart Interiors enjoys Marin County’s stunning terrain as its backdrop. In 2021 she opened her second studio in tropical Palm Beach. While enjoying the inspirational beauty of both coasts, Ann and her team balance their designs with practicality.
We sat down with Ann to discuss bringing her client’s vision to life, Covid has changed the way she works and how her career as a designer began with a dare.
— Can you tell us how Ann Lowengart Interiors was conceived?
It was conceived on a dare. My husband and I bought a 3 unit building in San Francisco in 1999 and I remodeled each of the units and sold them off individually. Right before the first one came to market, a good friend of mine said, “you’ve enjoyed this so much you should have cards printed that say remodel consultant and pass them out at the open house.” and I said, “who in the world would pay for a remodel consultant?” and she said “I dare you” So the next day at 6am before my open house that started at 1pm I went down to Kinkos and picked out some business cards and picked them up right before the open house and put them by the statements and got my first call.
— How would you describe your aesthetic, and how is it integrated into your projects?
I love all types of design when it’s executed well. I love modern, I love traditional, I love transitional. So it gives me great joy to do what I do each time—which is bring forth the client’s style in the most elevated way, regardless whether its traditional or modern.
It’s my job to bring the client’s style—not my style—but the client’s style to life in the most elevated way.
— How important is collaboration to you and your process with clients?
It’s the determining factor around whether or not a project turns out well. It’s my job to bring the client’s style—not my style—but the client’s style to life in the most elevated way. So we ask the clients to front load us with as much information as possible so we can develop a vision that they can get really excited about. So we need that collaborative spirit from the beginning because that is what ensures communication around vision.
— What would you consider to be the most substantial change in the field of design since you opened your studio?
I would say Covid has made scrambled eggs of the industry. The showrooms and workrooms that we were able to count on around timing are now making mistakes and missing deadlines which we never experienced before. So we’re needing to set expectations early and long lead times.
— How does environmental sustainability factor into your projects?
We take the client’s view on that. If it’s really important to them then we go the extra mile to ensure sustainablilty.
— How do you see the world of design changing for the better in the future?
More outdoor fabrics becoming usable for indoor applications. We like to create ease for our clients and one of the ways we do that is upholstering in outdoor fabrics whenever we can so somebody can spill and it’s no big deal.
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