You may know her as a Million Dollar Decorator, but these days, designer Mary McDonald is leaving her edgy-femme mark on more than just interiors. With a successful line of lamps under her belt, a freshly launched Schumacher fabric collection and Patterson, Flynn & Martin rug collection, and rumors of a new reality show, there's clearly something about Mary that we can't get enough of! We caught up with her to chat about the scents, sweets, and stylish finds that make her tick.
With muses like design giants Nancy Lancaster and Elsie de Wolfe, Mary McDonald's new fabric, trimmings, and appliques collection for Schumacher and rug collection for Patterson, Flynn & Martin pay homage to traditional glamour but offer plenty for edge-seeking modernists. "I wanted to design pieces how I shop for a room . . . pairing classic and feminine with simple and modern — and something a little zingy and edgy!" says Mary.
For the Schumacher fabrics, unabashedly romantic designs (like the blossoming Chinois Palais) feel remarkably fresh — even cool — thanks to dramatic scaling, vivid colors, and silhouette-like patterns.
If you find trimmings to be tantalizing, her assortment of appliqués and tapes for Schumacher will tempt you to add couture-like details to sofa skirting, lamps, and anything else that will take.
Still, it might be her Patterson, Flynn & Martin rug collection that brings forth the Mary McDonald boldness that we crave. The silk Tibetan designs are exquisite if you're looking for a more formal option, but our favorite (and Mary's!) is a design from her abaca rug selections, the French Conga. "It's a natural fiber, like sisal or seagrass, but no one is doing it like this," says Mary. Sophisticated geometric patterns and color palettes instantly elevate this durable, weather-resistant material — a characteristic that is especially appealing for anyone with pets or kids.
Take a peek at her Schumacher and Patterson, Flynn & Martin collections, and tell us what's catching your eye!
Martyn Lawrence-Bullard and Mary McDonald have brought their talents to the small screen with Bravo's Million Dollar Decorators, and now the duo's teamed up to create the first-ever designer collection for One Kings Lane. Available exclusively on One Kings Lane tomorrow, the Martyn & Mary Collection features chic, retro-meets-modern pieces. From gilded glassware to horn accents to delicate, colorful votives, the collection is filled with unique but timeless tabletop decor. Click through for a sneak peek at some of our favorite pieces!
We've kicked off a special series with the designers on Bravo's new show Million Dollar Decorators (Tuesdays 10 p.m., EDT), which follows LA's most sought-after interior designers through their work and personal lives. Each of the designers of Million Dollar Decorators, including Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, Jeffrey Alan Marks, Kathryn Ireland, Mary McDonald, and Nathan Turner, are sharing the rooms or vignettes that have most inspired them, be it from their own portfolios or elsewhere, exclusively with us. Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, Jeffrey Alan Marks, and Kathryn Ireland have already shared their curated lists of inspirations, and today Mary McDonald lets us in on a few favorite rooms that inspire her. Come take a look!
