Elite Traveler Fall 2021

etr li at ve eler FALL 2021 69

Paris is one of Sills's favorite places

“It might sound strange, but I think it’s more important to learn what you don’t want to do in this life than what you do want to do — it shapes you more.”

yet. I have a close relationship with many of my clients. If you pay attention to the client and understand what they’re expecting and what kind of atmosphere they want to live in, you do get the best result. I am usually wearing… New York’s grand decorators were always so elegant — they always dressed in suits and ties, and I really respect that. But I was young when I moved to New York from the Midwest, and I dressed very casually. The only time I dressed up was when I got an interview with Ian Schrager — I bought an Armani suit for the interview, and I think I got the job because he liked it! If I need a suit now, I go to de Corato Atelier. Conveniently, its showroom is across the hall from my studio. Nowadays I’m still a very casual dresser; my go-to is Brunello Cucinelli. When I’m not seeing clients, I go into the studio in jeans, maybe a cashmere sweater. However, when I meet a client, I do make

Loro Piana Men’s Sweater Jacket, approx. $3,575, loropiana.com

I always find time to… Get out in the garden. It’s my passion; I’ve been gardening seriously for probably the last 15 years. I’ve got a big garden at my house in Bedford. I love to design the layout, pick the plants and place them, but I have help with the day-to-day maintenance. Gardening is a lot of work — I have a gardener who has worked with me for 20 years. He’s brilliant. I’m very blessed with the people around me. I also love to paint. I paint objects mainly, often from the studio. When it’s really intense, I go to the studio kitchen and paint something. It relaxes me, and it’s fun to create compositions and work with colors; it complements my work nicely without creating more pressure. At the end of the workday, I’ll often get home and dig into Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. It’s very easy to lose yourself in a story — I find it therapeutic. Something I’ve been watching over and over recently is the new Tina Turner documentary. She’s a great friend of mine — I designed her houses in the South of France and in Zurich. It’s an incredibly human story; she overcame such a dire situation, and her talent, passion and love always shone through. She’s one of the most phenomenal people I’ve ever met. She’s really been a gift in my life. I’m excited about… My third book, which includes the newest projects from the last nine years. A lot of the projects I’m showcasing in it have never been published. My clients are totally on board with the book — they know I’ve worked for it and they’re proud of it. The book will also include my process and how I work. I want it to be a bit of a ‘teaching’ book. It was originally due this year, but I want to tour with it, so I put it off for a year. I think it will be ready next May. Something I would tell my younger self is… It’s very important to keep learning. You can learn as much from bad work or failure as you can from good work, or your successes. It might sound strange, but I think it’s more important to learn what you don’t want to do in this life than what you do want to do — it shapes you more. stephensills.com

the effort to put on a nice jacket or a tie. I love clothes and I like good quality. If I’m in Paris, for example, I’ll have a couple of shirts made for me. They can always be paired with jeans and a jacket for a more casual look. One of my biggest purchases was a Loro Piana fur-lined coat. It was the best investment I’ve ever made — it’s better than anything I’ve ever bought before.

The chic living room of one of Sills’s interior projects

A charming residence in Tulsa

Sills’s country home in Bedford, Westchester

Sills has been a keen gardener for 15 years

Photos shutterstock, Francesco Lagnese