AT HOME WITH VITA is a monthly interview with artists, designers, and friends who inspire us.
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we interviewed a stylish husband-and-wife duo who are co-principals of the New York design firm Carrier and Company. Jesse Carrier & Mara Miller create rooms that are a confident mix of timeless and contemporary design—both familiar and fresh at once. Named to the prestigious Architectural Digest AD100 and the Elle Décor A-List, the Carriers’ have garnered accolades from the world’s most esteemed publications including Vogue, Town & Country, House Beautiful, & World of Interiors. Clients include Anna Wintour, Jessica Chastain, Annie Leibovitz, and Jason Wu. Their interiors can also be seen in their bestselling book, Carrier and Company: Positively Chic Interiors. The Carriers have been sought out by leading home furnishing manufacturers to bring their unique vision of home and interiors to a wider audience. Carrier and Company Collections can be found at Century Furniture (upholstery and case goods); Visual Comfort (decorative lighting) and Lee Jofa, (fabric and wallpaper).How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Carrier & Co Who needs Valentine’s Day to celebrate when you are lucky enough to work with your Valentine every day ;)
What are your essentials to setting a romantic table at home?
Carrier & Co: Candles, linens and lighting…and take out for easy prep and clean up! .
Do you remember the first meal you cooked for your partner (or vice versa)?
Carrier & Co: Jesse is the cook in the family – and he actually cooked for me on our second date! The first meal he made for me was breakfast!
What are your go-to date night spots?
Carrier & Co: When upstate, Troutbeck is a favorite and Chez Nick is our neighborhood go-to.
What does a romantic meal look like and taste like for you? Any specific recipes?
Carrier & Co: We spent our honeymoon in Sicily and have recently revisited a favorite dish from our trip – fondly called “honeymoon pasta” using anchovies, raisins and fennel. This remains a favorite almost 20 years later!
Valentine’s decor - yes or no?
Carrier & Co: Not traditional décor but we love flowers, great lighting and a festive tablescape.
Describe your entertaining style. Do you both like to entertain?
Carrier & Co: We like to keep things low key, simple but elegant, warm and inviting. We gravitate towards earthy, grounded materials such as hand-blown glasses and bespoke pottery.
No party is complete without:
Carrier & Co: Wine, music and great company!
Where was the most memorable tablescape you’ve ever seen?
Carrier & Co: At the Metropolitan Museum of Art when we attended The Met Gala.
What are your favorite purveyors or resources to pick up local produce, provisions, or catering?
Carrier & Co: List and grocers, markets, farms, wine shops, etc. We love and frequent Butterfield Market when in the city – their kitchen is around the corner from our studio! Upstate, we often find ourselves at Provisions at the White Heart Inn.
Whose home would you be the most excited to be invited to for dinner, and why?
Carrier & Co: We would love an invite from Sophia Loren’s…mostly because of this quote: "Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti…I'd rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size zero." Our hero.
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