Take 10 With COUPAR’S Callahan Foley
San Francisco native Callahan Foley has been with COUPAR for over three years. With a marketing background, she brings a different perspective to her role as Design Associate. Callahan’s skills are critical for the team since interior design relies heavily on client, vendor, and collaborator communications. She also enthusiastically embraces all the different design styles COUPAR employs for our client projects while favoring Mad Men mid-century.
CC: What first drew you to interior design?
CF: Whether it be my childhood bedroom, college dorm, or various adult apartments, I was always drawn to creating a cocoon-like space for myself. It was vital how the room looked and felt to me. Thankfully, this turned from teen popstar posters adorning the walls to more palatable representations of myself. Upon moving in with my boyfriend, I was challenged to design a space representing more than one person. This new frame of thinking led me down the interior design rabbit hole. I grew fascinated by the balancing act designers face in creating art that holds mass appeal while maintaining a sense of intimacy for their clients.
CC: What would be your dream design project to take on?
CF: Each project we take on at our firm fulfills a dream in different ways. We are absolutely spoiled by the incredible canvases we get to create. That being said, I would love to design a colorful rooftop restaurant in Rio or a textured underground whisky bar in London! I have a background in marketing, so I'd love to work with a brand that wants to go all-out in reinforcing its identity through its physical space.
CC: What’s exciting you in the industry right now?
CF: I religiously refresh the "Never Too Small" website and YouTube page to see when their latest published project comes out. They highlight the incredible renovations and innovations within the micro-apartment world. As a San Francisco native, I know firsthand how limiting small apartments can be at face value. As urban populations grow, we must understand how to make small spaces work for us. The team at "Never Too Small" showcases how creative, thoughtful design is being used to renovate existing homes all over the globe. Their focus on sustainability and designing multi-functional zones continues to inspire my work with clients and in my own home.
CC: Who is your design icon?
CF: I am drawn to the work of Joseph Dirand, Noz Nozawa, and Kelly Wearstler. All quite different styles in that lineup! I love the fearless nature of Noz and Kelly. They bring fantasy into clients' lives while delivering a cohesive vision. They find a way to satisfy cravings I didn't know I had until I saw their work. Joseph's spaces have the same effect, only on the other side of the spectrum. He creates calming, understated homes that feel decadent without being indulgent. I'd escape to his lush Parisian apartments any day!
Claude Monet, Le Pont de l'Europe, gare Saint-Lazare (1877). Oil on canvas
CC: Which artist, past or present, inspires you?
CF: I'd say Monet. His eerie cityscapes always speak to me. The impressionist style of muddling the details of their subject makes each piece read more like a memory rather than a reproduction of the actual scene before them. He is beyond romantic!
CC: What book or author most influenced you growing up, either fiction or nonfiction?
CF: My favorite book growing up was "Here Today" by Ann M. Martin. It is a story from the point of view of an 11-year-old girl growing up in the 60s. She is the youngest in her dysfunctional family, and as the youngest sibling myself, I felt empowered by her viewpoint. My mom grew up in the 60s, so this book connected me to the world she was raised in. Growing up, I wasn't a strong reader, so falling in love with a book felt new and affirming. Right after I wrapped up this book, my Mad Men obsession started. Then came mid-century modern design. None of which I've been able to recover from.
CC: How do you define beauty?
CF: Beauty is a feeling! The feeling of warmth and solace one finds in a space, object, sound, taste, or experience is where true beauty lies. Being reminded of the sense of home can be just as beautiful as the intrigue of encountering something completely new. It is quite a privilege that we designers can work with clients to help them discover what beauty means to them. Especially when they might not have found this if we weren't there to guide them
CC: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
CF: I have a deep love for Paris and London and would love to be able to spend months on end in each of these cities. I have yet to see so much of the world, but I'd like to think San Francisco will always be my home. I would love to show my future kids my old haunts while watching them create memories of their own in this everchanging city. Being born and raised in SF, I find it surprising there are still so many corners of the city I have yet to explore. Until I see it all, I can't imagine leaving.
CC: What are three things you can’t live without?
CF: I can't live without my sketchbook, sourdough bread, and sunscreen.
CC: The most adventurous thing you've done in your life?
CF: I decided on a small school in the Pacific Northwest when looking at colleges. I didn't know a soul in that area and was desperate to reinvent myself. Once I arrived, I learned most people brought some friends and were avid backpackers. I had to quickly adapt and decide how to integrate my personality with my newfound "hobbies." The backpacking didn't stick, but I'm glad I challenged myself to leave my comfort zone. I came out of that experience with a stronger sense of self and a more realized fear of hydroplaning.
Postcard showing a sunset on Puget Sound, 1942