Hometown design star Andrea Monath Schumacher’s first coffee table book, Vibrant Interiors: Living Large at Home, is out this May—and with it, she’s celebrating maximalism. We chatted with the 20-year style veteran and principal of her eponymous Colorado–and Santa Barbara–based design firm about the new book and going big at home.

5280 Home: Design aficionados (and your nearly 60,000 Instagram followers) have long loved your exuberant, break-all-the-rules style. How is it showcased in your new book?
Andrea Monath Schumacher: There are six full homes included in this book, including houses in Colorado, a ranch in Wyoming, and a home in San Francisco. All the work was designed within the past couple of years, and the vast majority of it is never-before-seen. In between the chapters, I included tips on things like how to use design to start a conversation, or what to do with the ignored “fifth wall” [the ceiling] in each room.

5280 Home April/May 2022
More From The Issue
Vibrant Interiors: Living Large at Home will be available at select booksellers on May 17. Book cover image courtesy of Gibbs Smith Books.

For people who are just getting acquainted with your work, how do you describe your design ethos and approach?

I love bringing my clients’ homes to life. I help them discover found objects that speak to them [because] I like for houses to tell a story about who lives there. I gravitate toward clean-lined, modern upholstered pieces, antique case goods, and a little bit of bling to add sparkle.

On social media, you’ve condemned the overuse of gray wall paint. What other design advice do you have for those decorating their own homes?

Go bold. You only live once. Your home is a reflection of who you are—and you spend the majority of your time in it—so it might as well help you live the largest life you can and make you feel comfortable.

More To Love
Also new from the designer this year: Liesl, a line of tetiles and wallcoverings baded on the artwork of her maternal grandmother and mentor. For more information, visit lieslcollection.com

This article was originally published in 5280 Home April/May 2022.
Cheryl Meyers
Cheryl Meyers
Cheryl Meyers is a contributing writer to 5280 Home, which means she gets to spend her days writing about Colorado’s most beautiful indoor spaces.