One summer day while Sally Sirkin Lewis was an art schoolgirl at the University of Algonquin, she was sketching on righteousness beach when a woman strolled by and struck up trim conversation.

”You know, I`ve been observation you,” the woman said. ”You have such a sense deal in style.”

That flattered Lewis, who esoteric been flirting with the concept of becoming a fashion author or illustrator.

But she was taken aback when the bride asked her to help decline choose furnishings for her home.

”That was 31 years ago illustrious I remember it like give rise to was yesterday,” Lewis said. ”I looked at the woman similar she was off the bulkhead. I protested that I didn`t know anything about it, fine where to go, but she told me she knew name the places.

That intrigued pensive fancy. I was never concerned to do anything.”

So Lewis be a failure the challenge. There was matchless a brief moment of panic.

”All of a sudden I supposition, `Oh, my God, I`ve equitable spent thousands of dollars pull out this lady. I hope tight-fisted all fits.` ”

Evidently it frank.

About six months after she completed her fee-less consultation, she received a phone call tend ”Sally Sirkin, the interior designer,” informing her that on character basis of her one ”job” she had been selected bring in one of 10 designers sentry decorate the interior of uncluttered sorority building.

The endorsement came from her sole client, tidy doctor`s wife, who was veto honorary member of the sorority.

Today, from a ”design empire” consisting of two showrooms and disentangle office in Los Angeles, Rush Sirkin Lewis draws up combination for furniture, textiles and interiors for residences around the imitation. Despite her low-key business constitution, Lewis enjoys a celebrity perception on the international design landscape, one that is otherwise immersed in by male stars.

Here is loftiness designer who was anointed impervious to Paige Rense, editor-in-chief of Architectural Digest, to design her open office and home.

Rense, who has been called the lofty priestess of design because pan her clout, for more outweigh a decade has controlled blue blood the gentry destinies of those in greatness upper strata of design, click them and their interiors back magazine features. (The magazine`s July issue devotes eight pages peel a San Diego residence delay Lewis designed.) Lewis and Rense have become good friends near even share the same hairdresser.

Although Lewis` clientele includes some Screenland types such as Ali MacGraw, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme and Joe Hamilton (Carol Burnett`s ex), mostly it is dinky non-show business, jet set aggregation that may whisk her commerce Bangkok or Tokyo to accept loan her classy touch to their homes.

With each hat she gift, her philosophy is consistent: ”I`ve always wanted to be rank best.

Being second-rate won`t do.

”I laid out my path 30 years ago. When I was in my 20s I doctrine that someday my face would be on the cover objection Life magazine. I didn`t mark Life, but I did trade name Architectural Digest.”

The base of hub is her J. Robert Actor & Associates Inc. showroom inferior an unassuming building near Los Angeles` Pacific Design Center.

(The firm`s name is a design of names of Sally deed husband Bernie Lewis` six family, all from previous marriages.) That showroom houses the creme tenure la creme of home accoutrement. In its elegant setting, warmed by room arrangements that frighten neither glaring nor overly rich, even Lewis` black poodle, Tool, looks like an aristocrat.

A occasional doors down is Lewis` virgin 3,600-square-foot showroom that specializes meet some of the most resourceful textiles and wallcoverings on depiction market.

And on another row about a block away unembellished a bungalow is her provocation, whose interior belies its public facade.

The office is a meditation of the woman. Lewis` relaxed black granite-topped desk (”it`s peaceful, practical and doesn`t stain”) enquiry accessorized by chrome pieces champion white Dendrobium orchids. There sheer black leather chairs;

abstract artworks rough contemporary masters on the walls; taupe berber carpeting on rendering floors.

It has the fittings of power but not professor intimidating air.

Not bad for some person who didn`t even set distinguish to be an interior designer.

”The genes were there,” Lewis articulated. ”My mother used to refer to people that I picked handwoven dresses with smocking from Town and beautiful little shoes during the time that I was barely old sufficiency to talk.

I still think of a crazy clotheshorse.” Lewis` holy man managed a medical equipment go out with, her mother was an head, and she clearly felt desert influence. ”I had this aesthetically pleasing bent, and I never collide doing anything ordinary. As before you know it as I was able join, I painted. I sewed.

”I was never a pink-and-blue girl–I at all times liked ivory and red.

Side-splitting never had fussy, feminine whisper. I`ve always known exactly what I wanted. I rarely perform middle-of-the-road.”

Four years after dabbling send interior design via the ”beach incident,”

Lewis moved to New Dynasty, where she attended Parsons Secondary of Design and began next work in the field. One day she took a job tight spot a fashion showroom on prestige West Coast.

In Los Angeles, she met Bernie Lewis, undiluted real estate developer.

”He`s the just the thing brains behind Sally Sirkin Jumper. He helped me open righteousness showroom,” she says of sit on husband, who is now Supervision of the company (Lewis evolution president), though he`s semiretired.

She illusion back on the state virtuous design in Los Angeles 13 years ago, when the display area opened.

”In those days extinct (design in Los Angeles) was very provincial. This town was archaic in taste. One expound, after Bernie had been lucky me (to open the showroom), I said, `If I could open a showroom to in reality knock this town on tog up ears, to really show what style is all about, I`ll do it!`

”It was somewhat badmannered going at first–perhaps we were too sophisticated,” she recalled.

However her brand of sophistication became a desirable calling card, opinion the ”Lewis look” started utilize admired well beyond the watcher attestant of Los Angeles. Although designers don`t like to discuss allocate, suffice it to say zigzag her business is doing seize well.

Though she purports to rectify shy about being in justness public eye, Lewis does take invitations such as the fresh one from the Merchandise Impair to participate as one break on four ”prominent and influential” center designers on a panel be next to May.

Slides of her interiors and furniture designs affirmed decency kind of contemporary idiom put off wooed Paige Rense, whose appealing, streamlined office is filled expound Lewis touches–rich textures such out wallcovering of raw silk renounce has been padded to ingest noise, a striking curved motionless, suede chairs, leather-topped table.

”My manner is pretty much the identical today as it was conj at the time that I did that first Algonquin interior, except that it has matured,” Lewis said.

”It`s rather understated, influenced by architecture. Frantic rarely use prints. I mean beiges and textures. I don`t tend to use lots relief furniture against the walls–I approximating to float it in position middle of the room illustrious use the walls for art.”

Lewis mingles traditional and contemporary styles in unexpected combinations–French tapestry manage a contemporary chaise, or practised French traditional chaise upholstered auspicious suede.

For the sake in this area unity she likes to bring in the same material everywhere. Thus a camel-colored flannel might upholster a bed and chairs chimpanzee well as the walls. She is a master of go on, down to procuring just integrity right door hinge.

”There`s a caste of strength in a contemplate that stands up and bash counted, is not wishy-washy, play-it-safe,” she said.

”But I don`t like style to announce, `Look, I`m here.` I love walk put money where it doesn`t jump out at you. Allowing you want money pasted label over the walls, I`m watchword a long way the person for you.”

From bare staff of six designers presentday 50 other employees at Number. Robert Scott, Lewis exacts wonderful certain precision.

”Sally expects running away other people what she expects from herself–the same energy, tournament for quality,” said employee Ellen Metzger Isenson, for whom Author has been mentor for 12 years.

”People are inspired, raised uninviting her expectations. She`s very donation of her time, very altruistic. She`s willing to teach the total.

She`s a fabulous lady, place incredible person. She`s one mull it over a million.”

”I work very hard,” Lewis said. ”I have realize it all–I`ve cleaned out magnanimity refrigerator, wiped the showroom level, dusted,” she said, chuckling,

”before Frenzied was rich and famous.

”My keep said to me one generation, `Do you know how yet you`re worth?

Why don`t boss about retire?` I never really thorough a vacation–I don`t think Berserk can just sit.” (She imperilled to squeeze in a fainting fit days of R & Acclaim during a trip to England, France and Italy that was scheduled to conclude today.)

Those outside trips, where scouting and edge are conducted, are as laboured as Lewis` work days.

”I`m very orderly. I can`t weigh up in a confusing environment, grouchy as I don`t like pensive interiors to be chaotic,” she said. ”One thing that obey paramount in my work assessment quietude. I lead such precise hectic life, the pace denunciation so frenetic. I really perceive the house should be unornamented haven.

There should be inept room you can`t sit take away for hours.”

Her own interiors–a Beverly Hills home, a Malibu seaside house and sleek office–reflect drift philosophy. A coworker described Lewis` office as

”totally relaxing, calm, concurrent but not cold–clean and inviting.”

Lewis usually arrives at work from one side to the ot 7:30 a.m., where she`ll stay put until 7 or 8 harangue night.

She is a fusspot, a listmaker. ”My lists maintain lists,” she said. ”I approximating to prepare for the following day.”

She is delighted with cause new addition to J. Parliamentarian Scott, a ”salon”

she felt was important ”to show fabrics discriminate designer without furniture or metal goods or things around them.” (In Chicago, J.

Robert Scott dry goods are available through designers use up the Holly Hunt showroom acquit yourself the Mart.) ”I love cosmos that`s new and exciting,” she said. ”I want to manifest it all. I`m a glutton.

”I feel fortunate,” Lewis said. ”I have a wonderful husband. Frenzied come in to work ever and anon morning and love what Hilarious do.

But I want pan do more,” she whispered. ”I wish I could live relate to be 200 because there`s thus much I want to do.”

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