Woodson and Rummerfield

What is Woods and Fields?

Rummerfield: It's our own collection, which obviously is a condensed version of our names, of our designs that are inspired by nature. In the organic collection, all the wood frames for the furnishings, like the chairs and tables, are reclaimed woods or responsibly grown for the purpose of incorporating into furniture. The textiles are organic cottons or bamboos, silks, things that are organic or biodegradable.

You both had your own interior design firms, how did you decide to combine forces?

Woodson: We both wanted to increase our volume and our business and also, we had this hankering for shopping. Both of our homes became overrun with beautiful finds from all over the world. We met through mutual friends and colleagues who said that the two of us should meet and it was instant compatibility. We had the same ideas and the same vision. We joined forces very quickly and started on the business plan and got everything rolling and found our wonderful space on La Cienaga in Los Angeles. It went from there and we're going into our third year and it keeps getting better every day.

How would you describe your aesthetic?

Rummerfield: Influences from Hollywood to the beach, glamour to organic, indoor to outdoor lifestyles of California. With that, we have quite an array of beautiful vintage furniture, which is recycled and is a great way to incorporate the past into modern living. Woodson: We also incorporate recycled fabrics when we redo a piece of furniture—on some of our reclaimed items and also on the lines that we have built on our own. We try and use sustainable products as much as we possibly can.

How would you describe each other's style?

Rummerfield: He's a very classy, sophisticated gentleman who has an impeccable taste for detail and really, has wonderful influences that have made the fiber of his being quite fascinating. His design contributions have a nice masculine touch, but also, an appreciation for beautiful materials and exquisite things. He really kicks it up a notch, which I really, really love. Woodson: First and foremost, [Jamie] has a huge thirst for knowledge and what's wonderful and decorative and she has an amazing eye. She's so well-read and it comes across in her designs. It's impeccable, it's done right.

Is there something that the other person did that opened your eye to something fresh and different?

Rummerfield: Yeah, of course. We both come from artistic families, but we both bring something new to the table as well. I learn something from Ron every day. He has a wonderful fine art background and I pick up on his contributions and make them my own: It starts to blur. Our contributions start to overlap one another. Woodson: And, we both in some ways are very much alike. So, we're a lot of the male, female versions of each other. If we go shopping separately, a lot of times we’ll pick the same item. Shopkeepers will say to us, 'Well, Jamie was just in and she put that on hold,' or, 'Ron was just in and he put that on hold.' That happens a lot, so we have this compatibility as well as this area where we're different and we learn from one another.

Can each of you talk about a favorite piece?

Rummerfield: One of our favorite pieces in the showroom right now is a pair of slipper chairs that are vintage frames we acquired in LA. Slipper chairs are wildly popular right now. These are really sweet because they have a fluted leg and a 1950's frame. They're very old Hollywood to me. We reupholstered them in a fabulous fabric by Florence Broadhurst called Cranes—it's a printed textile on cotton, which is a very nice, simple fabric. Woodson: One of the things that we like to incorporate in our designs is good lighting. We like both vintage lighting and future-forward pieces also. We feature the shade by Moooi, a mixture of mylar shade over a traditional chandelier. It can be incorporated in both a really contemporary space or a traditional space.

You are fans of Florence Broadhurst—can you tell us a little bit about her?

Rummerfield: Florence Broadhurst was a designer who did textile design, print design, and wallpaper design. She was well known in Australia—she's from Sydney. Her prints were wildly popular during the 60's and the 70's, and we now carry her collection. Her papers [have] been printed on a silk slub, which is organic [and contain recycled material, and the dyes are low VOC, water-based, charcoal or vegetable dyes]. They've been doing that for decades and it's really great to feature this environmentally friendly product that has always been that way and, again, her prints are so graphic and colorful that they're just timeless. People, even now, really love them and they really go along with our look and feel, so it's a perfect fit that we carry her collection.

How many of your customers come to you just for the great design, and then realize that you're eco-friendly?

Woodson: We have a broad spectrum of clients and some are very, very environmentally conscious and aware of product and styles of furniture and wallpaper that are sustainable. For others, it's not as large of an issue. We try to incorporate as much recycled product with all of our clients as we can—sometimes we sneak things in, but it's all for the greater good. Because some clients think that if they're only doing a little bit, they're not doing anything and we really try and let them know that whatever you do is helping the environment. You don't have to start out 100% with your entire house—that's not easy. There are some clients who want everything to be environmentally friendly and we try to adhere to that as much as we can. It is a real mix, and every day people are gaining more knowledge. We even see with some clients where it wasn't as large of an issue before, it is becoming one, they want more [eco-friendly] things.

Do you have a favorite color?

Rummerfield: Everybody asks. Obviously, canary yellow is one of my favorites and then also, kelly green. I like very saturated tones. But it's also about suitability—taking a really tailored room with some monochromatic colors, but then throwing in that twist. It's not about going crazy with it, but knowing how to really read a room. Woodson: I can go across the board. I can go very saturated or I can go very muted. It just depends on the project. Gray tones, blue tones, a mix of the two and various shades of black, I just love. It just really makes a room very rich and elegant.

What do you think of the green trend in interior design?

Rummerfield: Well, green in interior design is a trend, it's a hot topic, and it should be. This is the way we're heading. It's about awareness and being responsible to our communities and the future of the world. I hope it's a trend that lasts. Right now, it's a bit of an expensive trend. I think that's why it's bit of a hot topic, too. Woodson: In the beginning, most of the green textiles were either beige or white, they had no color to them. And so, people with a real sense of style and design didn't want them. Every day there are new green manufacturers who are coming out with colorfast processes: The issue was that if you did a green fabric and it was in the sun, it would fade really quickly, and so that is one of the biggest things that they're working on now in textiles. But in the future, we'll be able to have a vibrant red and it won't fade and it'll be green and everybody will be breathing healthier as a result of it.

What's the next big trend in interior design?

Rummerfield: For trends to really keep your eye on, we are pushing large scale. Our large scale patterns really have a punch—birds, flowers, things that evoke nature, that are nature-inspired, but have a twist or an edge. Silhouetting of images is also really popular. So large prints and bold patterns are really one thing to keep your eye on. Woodson: I would suggest not to be afraid of color and think about the layers of a room. Don't be afraid to use some of your grandmother's things or your mother's things that some of the other family members might not take so kindly too. It just adds interest to any room.

What's your eco-sin?

Rummerfield: We did the PETA headquarters in Los Angeles, and again, we learned so much about being environmentally responsible and identifying different animal products and byproducts. But I think being here in Los Angeles, people love fur and love leather. We try and curb that, but you'll see a glimmer of it every once in awhile. So, that might be our one sin but we're very conscious of it. Woodson: And even that sin, we're working on, we're using a lot of vinyl and faux fur. We're also very conscious that the faux furs not be dog fur.