THE WILD CARD: The Lure of Leopard Print with Pierce & Ward

The Lure of Leopard Print with Pierce & Ward

THE WILD CARD

The AD100 designers’ new studio is a study in the timeless allure of interiors that dare to be wild.

In the language of interiors, few motifs carry as much attitude as leopard print. At once glamorous, historied and wildly untamed, for one Los Angeles based design house, that was the exact energy they wanted to bring to their space.

Understated, chic, and a little rock ‘n’ roll, Pierce & Ward welcomed the wild into their studio with our new-look leopard print, WILD CARD.

Known for their richly layered, lived-in interiors (notably Dakota Johnson’s midcentury sanctuary and Emma Robert’s LA home), the designers set about making their new Frogtown studio a home away from home.

Commercial spaces and offices tend to veer toward the clinical and, let’s face it, boring. But for Louisa Pierce and Emily Ward, creating a warm, welcoming workplace for their team that reflected their story and design ethos was always the goal.

Designing a space that’s inspiring without being overwhelming requires a delicate balance, using colour, texture and print in a way that feeds creativity rather than suffocates it. And incorporating our WILD CARD wallpaper as a neutral did just that. With its soft, butterscotch tones and rhythmic flow, Louisa and Emily used the print to ground and section the scheme, pairing with bright pops of colour, antique pieces and layered texture. It’s curated and timeless, but still holds that essence of rock ‘n’ roll nonchalance.

At the entrance of the studio, two cheetahs stand sentry, guarding an antique console and book-laden acrylic table, against a backdrop of muted leopard spots. This initial vignette sums up the whole space; storied, effortless and perfectly Pierce & Ward.

We caught up with Emily and Louisa to talk about how this iconic print is a part of their creative philosophy, their workspace and their love for interiors that dare to be wild.

Designing a space for yourselves is sometimes harder than designing for other people, it’s so personal. What did you envision?

This space is our design studio, so it has to do a lot. It’s our team’s office, but it’s also where our girls from the East Coast stay when they’re in town. We wanted the great room to feel bright, open, and easy, and then let the darker spaces feel a little more moody and interesting. That contrast really led us to wallpaper, it adds personality and makes each room feel more layered and lived-in.

How does how you design a space affect what you do in it?

This space is really special because it’s where our team creates everything. We wanted it to work in lots of different ways; places to sit quietly and think, places to lay out fabrics and mood boards, and places to gather and collaborate. Each vignette was designed to feel a little different, so everywhere you turn feels fresh and inspiring.

People tend to shy away from animal print, assuming it’s too bold or won’t work in their space, but in our House, we see it as a neutral. What advice would you give to someone wanting to introduce it to their interiors?

We know it may sound a little repetitive, but over time we’ve learned that more really is more, especially when it comes to pattern. We never feel like a space is finished until it has the right amount of layering and depth. And animal print is absolutely a neutral to us. When something comes from nature, it becomes very easy to mix and layer, especially because we’re so drawn to earthy tones and organic palettes.

There’s a balance to using animal print, how do you keep it fresh and sophisticated rather than overwhelming?

You really can’t overthink it. When you treat animal print as a neutral, it just works. We love that it brings in a little bit of funk, which makes it easier to mix different styles of art; suddenly photography and oil paintings can live together beautifully against a leopard backdrop.

How did you choose the palette? Did you want to play up the wildness of the print or create harmony with similar hues and textures?

We went bold with paint in the studio. Since it’s a creative space and not a lived-in home, it’s the perfect place to experiment. And having that exotic print at the heart of the office makes it even easier to push things a little funkier!

Are you seeing a resurgence in animal print interiors? Why do you think people are reclaiming their wild sides?

We’ve always gravitated toward it - tiger and leopard have long been favorites. Lately, we’ve been incorporating a lot of vintage pieces with these prints, and since it’s a trend that keeps coming back, you really can’t go wrong embracing it!

And finally, if this project were a song, what would it be?

Lou Reed “Walk on the Wild Side” of course!