A gentle push from designer friend Miles Redd and the debut of her first book, “Soirée: Entertaining with Style,” helped Danielle Rollins launch a lifestyle design firm. Her philosophy? That there is a “lasting impact that we can all make through our own effort to make things—no matter what they are—the best they can be.” For Rollins, that includes beautiful things such as eye-catching interiors, an eponymous clothing line and a lifestyle website that stimulates the senses.
Rollins describes her personal style as “a very classic, all-American, effortlessly elegant style that is easy to wear, with a dash of whimsy and a little fantasy thrown in.” And her interior design style creates spaces “reflective of the life that will be lived in them.” She “creates timeless backgrounds that are comfortable, curated and meant to be lived in to reflect the personalities of the inhabitants” for clients across the country. That ethos is on display in her own homes in Atlanta, Ga. and Palm Beach, Fla., which are gorgeous introductions into her well-defined, stylish world.
A Classic Yet Practical Foundation
Sunbrella fabrics make outdoor seating areas as beautiful as they are functional, such as this one from Rollins’ pied-a-terre in Palm Beach, Fla. Courtesy of Carmel Brantley Photography
Rollins starts from the classics, but she “strives to reinterpret vintage-inspired designs for modern everyday living.” She aims to have each space weave a story about the person occupying it, incorporating “what they value, who they are, where they’ve been.” That means mixing it all together, old and new, and lots of layering of patterns and textures. She does this all while showing a practicality when it comes to how her clients live their lives, with special consideration for dogs and children. That includes using durable, performance-grade fabric from Sunbrella, both inside the home and out. That way when Rollins or her clients are using the spaces she’s designed, they won’t have to worry about children or pets enjoying the rooms clad with “life-proof” Sunbrella fabrics.
Sunbrella fabrics in large horizontal blocks of White, Canvas Glacier and Canvas Navy unify the living space through color. Courtesy of Carmel Brantley Photography
In her most recent interior design project, Rollins effortlessly creates the perfect Palm Beach style. Using Sunbrella fabrics on curtains from The Shade Store in the living room in large horizontal blocks of White, Canvas Glacier and Navy, she was able “to tie the colors in the room together in a unifying way, and to “add a little drama, but also for practical reasons,” she says. Floor-to-ceiling wall-to-wall glass in the room would be difficult in full sun; she says she “had a vision of unfurling sails for the drapery” as it swung in the breeze, revealing an envy-inducing paragon of Palm Beach interiors. Moving to the outdoor terrace space, Rollins created an outdoor living space using scalloped valances and curtain panels with contrasting trim in two colors of Sunbrella canvas. The space was punctuated with oversized Sunbrella trim on the umbrella, completing the Palm Beach chic decor.
Personality Is In the Details
Sunbrella offerings include tassels and more to make spaces unique and exciting. Courtesy of Carmel Brantley Photography
Emphasizing the details are what make projects unique, with border, tape, cord and fringe coming into play in her designs. For her, the details are what make projects unique and personal, and she’s game to think outside the box. “I like thinking of new ways and out of the ordinary usages to create accents out of materials to define a space,” she says. “When you start thinking of the solution you need, you can approach available material in a new way, rather than only looking at it for its traditionally intended purpose.”
That extends to everything from fabric selection to furniture, with Rollins once again touting the importance of beauty and practicality together. Sunbrella fabrics are always at the top of her list, since they’re full of high-performance features including resistance to fading from UV rays, mold and mildew, and they’re simple to clean. And, Rollins is quick to point out, custom is always an option when she can’t find something specific or when she “wants something unique that won’t be seen coming and going.”
Complete, Cohesive Designs
Rollins got creative with her 1970 Fiat Jolly 600, topping it off with a Sunbrella canvas in baby blue and white stripe.
She gets a lot of inspiration from travel, specifically citing Paris as one of the best places to invigorate her creativity, but she always interprets ideas she brings home for her or her client’s particular lifestyle. This approach allows for cohesive, complete designs that span from the person to the home. That goes for Rollins herself, who is the embodiment of her design ethos—she even did her vintage 1970 Fiat Jolly 600 in a charming blue and white Sunbrella canvas (with fringe!), stating “I like all my things to go together!”
To learn more about Danielle including her newest book, “A Home For All Seasons: Gracious Living and Stylish Entertaining” which comes out this fall, visit www.danielledrollins.com. She is also on Instagram @danielledrollins. To see more inspired design content check out our other Designer Spotlights, such as Ashley Gilbreath Interior Design, and follow @sunbrella on social channels!