Southern Charm

Interior designer Palmer Weiss has suff used a mountain hideaway with an easy elegance straight out of the American South

- Juliet Benning

Everyone’s hometown has a special place in their heart, but for interior designer, Palmer Weiss her childhood city – Charleston – also plays a strong role in her work. And in this new-build holiday home near Lake Tahoe, California, Palmer’s combination of old-world southern charm with a fresh modern approach has worked all sorts of magic.

Alongside architect David Horan, Palmer set about creating an older, more-established look that was distinctly different from those of her clients’ neighbors, despite local constraints. ‘We had some strict rules to contend with,’ she says. ‘For example, there were only certain colors and materials we could use. And there were rules about the ratio of glass to wood.’ Inside, Palmer started by cladding the walls with shiplap. ‘For me, it’s important to create an interior that feels like it has been established for years. The shiplap was an instant way to achieve this.’