Musings with Angela Adams

October 2004

Have you been known to make a meal of Whoopie Pies and single malt scotch?
You're close. I tend to prefer Pringles with my single malt and red wine with my Whoopie Pies.

Do you design with a specific audience in mind?
I don't design with a specific audience in mind. I design things I love in colors and patterns I relate to, and hope other people have the same comfort with them that I do.

What do you consider your best or signature design or collection?
I honestly couldn't select any one design or collection that remains a favorite. I go through periods of loving big bold lush landscapey designs with birds and crazy sea creatures and then I catch myself sinking back into an organic geometric design that is very familiar and peaceful. Usually whatever I am working on is my new favorite––but then they all slide into this library of things I love and its like picking up old books or bumping into old friends when I draw them out again. Sometimes they seem brand new all over again.

What is your design process?
As the business has evolved, my design process has as well. We go through periods of time where it becomes a big business focus for me as we build our team or launch new products and I get so consumed by the other elements of the business that are not design. I'm starting to learn the balancing act a bit better, though it's not perfected. In some ways I am always designing, because I am always filling books with ideas and working on new projects––but the kind of design I most enjoy is when I can sit down with a big fresh clean slate and let it all rip. Usually I have a few collections going at once––and then one takes the lead and that's what ends up coming out next––meanwhile, the others marinate and new ones are added and it all keeps churning organically that way.

You've said you used to doodle in the margins of your school notebooks. You graduated to painting and moved to rug design. Are there other
mediums you still want to work in?
There aren't many mediums that I don't want to work in. In fact I can't think of one. I guess ice carving is something I have no desire to do. I love designing and experimenting with different materials and products, patterns, scales and colors.

Tell me about the first rug you ever made.
One of the very first rugs was called Mod Squad. It was part of my very first show and at the last minute, I discovered that the rug was the wrong size for the show we were about to do. I was devastated and I still see that irritating sample every day when I go to work. It's on the floor of our own rug production facility here in Maine and it's a daily reminder of what a great decision it was for us to bring production in house. I see it and wince at the incorrect size and always thank my lucky stars there are rug makers standing on it that make the best quality rugs out there!

What does your favorite room in your home look like?
There are a few favorite rooms in our house. Any room that has one of our kitties in it is a favorite. Different rooms are key at different times of the day or year. We live on the ocean, so we are quite focused on what's happening on the waterfront. In the winter, we watch a lot of old movies in the study and hang near the fireplace in a room we call the tiki-lounge. I love to cook, so I spend most of my time in the kitchen. And we sleep on a beautiful bed that Sherwood made, so our bedroom is also deluxe. Then there's the dining room––Sherwood also designed our dining table which is a treat to live with and dine at. I guess I don't have a favorite room.

You've introduced notebooks, glassware, furniture, belts and handbags to your collection. What's next?
That's a secret––keep watching and you'll see some great stuff coming out very soon!

What inspires you?
Nature, my family, my husband, kitties, my staff, sunset, lowtide...

What are your earliest memories of design and of modernism?
Louise Nevelson [world-renowned sculptor] lived on the mainland where you caught the ferry to the island I grew up on. When I was a little girl, my Mum would take me over to the mainland to visit her work. I loved it then and still do today.

What should we look for when buying a rug for a contemporary room?
Besides one of our rugs??? Quality, design, integrity and craftsmanship.

What's your favorite TV show?
We only get one channel and it gives everyone three eyes, so we don't watch much television these days. But I'll admit I like it sometimes. I used to love Bewitched and other classics like The Munsters.