When my friends at Pollack called [...]]]>

Rachel showing me ‘Crosscut Plush,’ in colorway ‘Cracked Ice’ from the new ‘We Love Color’ collection.

One of the many many fun parts of being an interior designer are the presentations we are given whenever new fabrics and collections debut. Our company representatives make an appointment to come to the SSID design studio and show what’s new and provide memo samples for our design library.

When my friends at Pollack called to tell me about their new ‘We Love Color’ collection, I thought it would be fun to mix things up a little bit and stop into their SoHo headquarters, design studio, and warehouse while shopping downtown.  I thought it would be neat to document a new collection reveal here for Live The Life You Dream About and to interview the newly appointed Design Director of Pollack, Rachel Doriss at the same time.

Having a fantastic time being at Pollack’s design headquarters with Design Director Rachel Doriss.

Let’s hear what Rachel had to say!

Sarah: Rachel, congratulations on ‘We Love Color,’ your first fabric collection as the newly appointed Design Director for Pollack. Now in its twenty-fifth year, Pollack is known for its expertise in nuanced neutrals. Tell us about your first collection for the Pollack brand as its newly appointed Design Director. How did your bold departure from neutrals to brights come to be?

Rachel: I have worked at Pollack since 2000. Although this is not my first collection, it is the first collection post Mark Pollack. [At Pollack], [w]e are experts at neutrals and we will always do our best to introduce beautiful subtle neutrals. This collection is a statement that we also LOVE color. Color is one of the most important factors for interior designers when selecting fabrics. Our ‘We Love Color‘ collection offers many gorgeous colors and new color combinations. Color is constantly shifting and we are growing our line in a colorful direction. It just feels right at the moment.

Rachel showing me ‘Belle de Jour,’ in colorway Pearl. The French lace is a beautiful new fabric in the ‘We Love Color’ collection.

Sarah: Colorways in this line range from dynamic primary colors to softer hues such as raspberry, lavender and coral. How do you determine the colors in a collection?

Rachel: The Pollack design team consists of myself and two other designers. We are constantly discussing color and looking at inspiring images. We try new color combinations when developing fabrics and share the results. For us, color is intuitive. We do not follow color trends per se, but it is always a pleasant surprise when we see colors in the marketplace shifting in the same direction that we visualized. Often times, the fabrics tell us how they want to be colored. For example, our beautiful plush linen Beveled Plush is a luxurious residential fabric. Hot pink wouldn’t be appropriate in this fabric. We chose clean neutrals and a new mysterious lavender grey color. On the other hand, Dottie is a happy, contemporary, heavy wearing fabric that was screaming for some brights. It is supported by the bright colors in Do Si Do.

Pollack’s ‘Dottie,’ in colorway Fireball, from their “We Love Color” Collection. Additional colorways shown at right.

Sarah: Of the 20 textiles in the new “We Love Color” line, can you let us in on your two favorites and why?

Rachel: I recently upholstered the chairs in my office in Dottie, color fireball. I had the choice of any fabric in the entire Pollack collection of 3000 skus. So, clearly Dottie is one of my favorites. I love the pattern and the way the dots rise up on the surface from the stuffer yarn on the back. I also love Flaxen Lace. This is a fabric that looks like hand crochet or macramé (both cannot be done by machine). Flaxen Lace is actually machine knit with a heavy slub linen and cotton yarn. It is lacey, but not grandmotherly. It makes the most beautiful shadow on the floor when the light filters through it. I have never seen a fabric like this in our market.

Pollack’s ‘Flaxen Lace’, in colorway Swan, from their ‘Pure’ Collection.

Sarah: Designers love Pollack for its sophisticated woven fabrics with complex construction and performance-oriented texture. Tell us about the patterns and textures in “We Love Color,” and why they lend themselves to saturated hues.

Rachel: Our new fabric On Target utilizes classic Pollack geometry and complex weave combinations. This is a bold pattern that will mostly be used commercially. We chose saturated colors to support the commercial use and to give life to the geometry. We incorporated a tissue pick (extra weft that is striped on the back) of bright color to create a tiny diamond on the face, like an added jewel. Do Si Do is a hard wearing tweedy plain. There are two colors of boucle, one in the vertical direction and one in the horizontal direction. We contrasted the two boucle colors in value and in color. Our bold color choices elevate this plain to be contemporary and classic at the same time.

Pollack’s ‘On Target,’ in colorway Bagel, from their ‘We Love Color’ Collection. Additional colorways shown at right.

Sarah: In interior design, ways of incorporating textiles into a space are enticingly endless. What are some of your favorite ways to use fabric and to see it used in the home? (Upholstered walls, pillows, bed drapery?)

Rachel: Lately I am really loving neutral interiors with pops of color. I mean really bright colors! An obvious way to achieve this look is with pillows. I can’t help but have pattern everywhere in my home. It’s not everyone’s taste, but I enjoy pattern on the bed, at the window, rugs, and pillows. Even though I am surrounded by fabric all day, I still can’t get enough.

A vignette from Rachel’s New York City home, illustrating her love of pattern and color.

Sarah: And your favorite way to spend a day or evening at home?

Rachel: Good view, good light, good food, good family.

Rachel in the Living Room of her New York City home. The accent pillow at left is, of course, in a Pollack fabric.

Sarah: The title of this blog is “Live The Life You Dream About.” What does living the life you dream about mean to you?

Rachel: Living in the moment. Having a beautiful space that is a reflection of yourself and family. If I could ever get a handle on mail and clutter, that would be a dream. Having the physical space to find mental space for creativity. Turning off the phone and computer and playing games in the evening. Finding time to get out of the city to hear the wind in the trees, the birds in the morning and the peepers at night.

Rachel’s daughter, Coco, painting in the playroom of the family’s New York City home.

Rachel, thank you for taking the time to give me a tour of Pollack’s design studio and to introduce me to the ‘We Love Color’ collection!

Images / Pollack and Apartment Therapy /

A home office is a must. A little corner or bite-sized space will do, as a work space does not have to occupy an entire room.

In the white work area above, a petite white lacquered desk, a fur-draped chair, and good task lighting lay the foundation for function and style. The gilded deer head, [...]]]>

A home office is a must. A little corner or bite-sized space will do, as a work space does not have to occupy an entire room.

In the white work area above, a petite white lacquered desk, a fur-draped chair, and good task lighting lay the foundation for function and style. The gilded deer head, pink peonies, and small calendar provide decorative interest and give this home office modern, yet playful, feminine flair.

Image / Interior Design: Kelly Slott /

The contrast between the glossy white and matte grey concrete finishes, the clean and simple shower glass panel, and the polished chrome fixtures make this a stylish, and spacious-feeling master bathroom. There would be little reason to ever venture to a spa with a master bath this crisp, light, and airy.

Image / Interior [...]]]>

The contrast between the glossy white and matte grey concrete finishes, the clean and simple shower glass panel, and the polished chrome fixtures make this a stylish, and spacious-feeling master bathroom. There would be little reason to ever venture to a spa with a master bath this crisp, light, and airy.

Image / Interior Design: Fábio Galeazzo, via HomeDIT /

Happy Monday!

Image / Interior Designer: Alex Hitz, via House Beautiful /