We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lucile Condolora a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lucile, appreciate you joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?
My firm’s name, Miller, James and Mary, is named after my grandparents (my grandmothers on both sides are both Mary, so that made it extra easy!) A home is a common ground for families and community, so it felt natural to name it after my own beloved family members. I focus on collected, layered interiors that are unfussy in nature, and I wanted my business to be the same (also, a little easier to spell than my last name!).
Lucile, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My interest in interiors is a lifelong journey. My mom’s side of the family is full of collectors and antiquaries and if given a choice as a child between Disneyland or the flea market, I would always choose the flea market.
Growing up in Atlanta, GA I found my way to LA when I studied theatre and film at the University of Southern California. My studies may seem unrelated, but it has set me up to see the world of interiors as a set- which I believe gives my work an element of wonder. Ultimately, creating a space is a story in and of itself. The owner’s story, the objects collected and the marriage of function and fun. That is the story of a home.
After graduation, I got my true start in interior design working in staging, which was a fabulous platform to get my hands dirty. In 2020, I took the jump and started my own design firm, Miller, James and Mary. 2020 was an unlikely year to start a business, but I have found that working from home and all of the time spent inside worked in my favor. People were eager to change their environment to fit new ways of life, and that’s where I stepped in. I am eternally grateful for my initial clients for trusting me during such a delicate time. I have clients in California, New York, Florida, Montana and Virginia, and accepting clients currently!
Any advice for managing a team?
Optimism! I have had the great fortune in having amazing supervisors across industries throughout my career. I think often of them when I am making a decision…not only in “how would x handle this” but moreso, “what would their view be on this situation at hand?” 9 times out of 10 a great boss will attack a problem with optimism and concise communication. I try to model just that for my clients.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
I am mainly inspired by traditional interiors of Great Britain and the American South. The attention to history, respect toward architecture and admiration for antiques are key factors in how I define my style today, and I think those locations lend themselves to beautiful interiors. I grew up with a lot of art books around, and have followed suite in collecting design books. Pinterest and Instagram are great, but nothing beats seeing photography in a book. I find myself going back to Anna Spiro’s books the most, and Bunny Mellon’s as well. As far as my entrepreneurial thinking, it is heavily informed by the amazing women that are beside me on this journey. My business manager, Katy Nedwick ; branding and graphic designer Hannah Hamilton and sister and social media manager, Mary make me thinking critically and grow daily. I am so grateful!
Contact Info:
- Website: millerjamesandmary.com
- Instagram: @millerjamesandmary