Sisters: Elizabeth Dinkel

I have so enjoyed introducing you to the very talented Forster sisters over the past few days. Last, but by no means least, is the incredibly talented Elizabeth Dinkel. Recognized by House Beautiful, Elle Décor, Veranda and California Homes & Interiors as one of America’s leading interior designers, Elizabeth has a spirited take on interiors that is uniquely her own. While many have described her signature style as fresh and timeless, it’s her creative use of color and the unexpected mix of modern and antique that has propelled her to the top of her field.

After earning her undergraduate degree in International Relations at Georgetown University, she worked in TV news production in New York City. Later she began an apprenticeship with Leta Austin Foster & Associates of Palm Beach and New York, her mother’s renowned interior design firm. At the same time, she embarked on more formal studies of both interior design and architecture at the New York School of Interior Design and Parson’s School of Design. She quickly rose through the ranks at Leta Austin Foster and extended the firm’s reach by managing their New York projects as well as opening offices in both San Francisco and Los Angeles.

After 18 years of passionate devotion to the world of interior design, Elizabeth established her eponymous firm in West Hollywood, California in 2004 with a goal of creating interiors that are timeless, rich in style and inspire conversation. Elizabeth’s projects take her from coast to coast with clients from New York to San Francisco, Texas, Colorado, Washington, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Wyoming.

Which talent would you most like to possess?
To be multilingual, to play the cello and to always, always be fully present.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My children, Nicholas & Isabel, who never cease to inspire and shape my world.

What is your most prized possession?
My pit bull, Hope, and my two cats, Mouse & Smudge.

Who are your style icons?
Hubert de Givenchy, Madame Castaing & Babe Paley

Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?
If he were alive, Philip Johnson. I'm a huge fan of his work.

What books are currently on your bedside table?
All books by Alexandra Fuller, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell & The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

What is your favorite luxury in life?
Sleep

Who would you most like to meet and how would you spend the day?
In my dreams I'd spend a leisurely day with Barack Obama discussing global climate change and his need to eradicate world hunger, followed by a sneak peak of the newly refurbished White House

How would you describe personal style?
Restrained & tailored but always with a punch of the unexpected.

What inspires your creativity and designs?
My life experiences, mostly in the form of travel & exposure to art, architecture and the natural world are what infuse & inform me. My interaction with others is what inspires me spiritually and emotionally.

With which iconic interior decorator or architect do you most identify?
Decorator-wise, I adore the work of Frances Elkins. Architecturally, I 'm a big follower of Pierre Chareau, Julia Morgan & Wallace Neff among others.

Profile by Ronda Carman
Photos by Karyn Millet