A conversation with designer Gillian Segal about instinct, restraint, and designing for real life.

Gillian Segal on Layered, Lived-In Design – How-To | Ann Sacks

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<p style="text-align: center;">A conversation about instinct, restraint, and designing for real life.&nbsp;<br>
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For designer Gillian Segal, layered interior design starts with feeling, not appearance. Her work moves through material, texture, and time to make a home feel personal.&nbsp;<br>
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Photography by Enid Huang<br>
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</p>


gillian segal on layered, lived-in design&nbsp;

<h1>Gillian Segal on Layered, Lived-In Design&nbsp;</h1>


<p>That instinct extends to how she thinks about longevity. Trends aren't the focus at her studio; she references historical precedent through a contemporary lens instead. &quot;Beautiful materials that are well executed never go out of style,&quot; she says. She's drawn to natural materials with real character. &quot;I am a firm believer in working with authentic materials that have depth and interest,&quot; she says, an instinct that shows up in her use of several types of Ann Sacks Old World Stone marble within a single room.&nbsp;<br>
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Segal's own home gave her a chance to apply these instincts for herself. With two daughters now six and nine, her priorities shifted toward comfort and finishes that could handle daily life, materials with a patina quality that improve with wear rather than show it. A recent trip to Italy pushed that further: she came home having fallen for terracotta, using Ann Sacks Parefeuille tile in a special-order color throughout the house, alongside leathered granite, lime wash, micro-cement, and chunky grass cloth. &quot;The whole home is just texture on texture on texture,&quot; she says.&nbsp;</p>


<p>She isn't a minimalist about stone, often letting bold, sweeping movement anchor a room, balanced by quieter elements around it. &quot;When every room is layered with sumptuous materials and details, the stone starts to feel almost subdued, and the home overall feels balanced and thoughtful,&quot; she says. &quot;If I had to distill it down to a guiding principle, I want each room to have a unique experience and feeling, while still making sense in the greater world of the home.&quot;&nbsp;<br>
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A project rarely starts with architecture alone for Segal. Her studio works across North America, so climate, place, and lifestyle shape her process as much as any floor plan. Renovations are a favorite for that reason; existing constraints, especially good architectural bones, force her team to turn quirks into intentional moments. Clients matter just as much: they typically arrive with a mood in mind, and her job is to push it somewhere they couldn't have imagined alone.&nbsp;</p>


<p>Gillian Segal doesn't lead with a palette or a hero material. She leads with a feeling. &quot;How a space makes us feel is truly the most important component, and is what makes a space memorable,&quot; she says.&nbsp;<br>
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Segal is the founder of Gillian Segal Design, a Vancouver-based studio recognized for its layered, expressive approach to residential interiors. Every project starts with the client, not a mood board; their goals, lifestyle, and even the location of their residence. &quot;A through line in our projects is that when someone walks into a space we designed, I want them to feel a sense of discovery and wonder, while also feeling welcomed, comfortable, and a sense of permanence,&quot; she says.&nbsp;</p>


“beautiful materials that are well executed never go out of style.”

<h2>“Beautiful materials that are well executed never go out of style.”</h2>


<p>&quot;I love when spaces feel collected over time instead of overly designed in one moment,&quot; Segal says. It's a philosophy that shows up in every room she designs, her own included.&nbsp;<br>
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Explore Ann Sacks Parefeuille tile and Old World Stone marbles, the materials Gillian Segal chose for her own home. Learn more about how we can help you design your space at <a href="https://annsacks.kohler.com/design-services">annsacks.kohler.com/design-services</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://annsacks.kohler.com/design-services"></a></p>


<h2>Gillian's Current Favorites&nbsp;</h2>
<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Color Pairing</b><br>
Camel and blue, for the warmth of one against the freshness of the other&nbsp;<br>
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<b>Stone</b><br>
Arabescato Rose, &quot;one of the best stones I've ever worked with&quot;&nbsp;<br>
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<b>Finish</b><br>
Copper and verdigris, underused in design today&nbsp;<br>
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<b>Tile</b><br>
Small-scale porcelain mosaic or penny round, an overlooked detail worth more attention&nbsp;<br>
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<b>Layout</b><br>
Octagon dot&nbsp;<br>
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<b>Trend to Watch</b><br>
High-gloss lacquer, used selectively in rooms that have lived in a matte world&nbsp;</p>


Gillian Segal on Layered, Lived-In Design

“Beautiful materials that are well executed never go out of style.”

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