Meet Michelle Nussbaumer – An Eclectic & Maximalist Designer

Passionate about setting the stage for adventurous lives to be lived, Michelle Nussbaumer is a pioneering interior and product designer.

Known for her eclectic and maximalist style, Michelle’s designs are exotic and filled with inspirations from her travels. From a young age, she was introduced to treasures from her parents’ travels across the globe, notably the ornaments brought back from Japan and Africa.

With a house in New Mexico, she would frequent the Native American reservations, which induced a thirst for travel and a love of tribal. Her signature style combines a fearless use of colour whilst reflecting an eclectic yet timeless mix of bold patterns and influences from around the world.

Dubbed the ‘Guru of Grande Gesture’ by Architectural Digest and an AD 100 interior designer, Michelle’s designs are globally recognised. Her work has been featured in the pages of leading national and international publications, including ELLE Decoration, Architectural Digest, Veranda, House Beautiful, and Marie Claire. In 2009 she was named one of ELLE Décor’s ‘Five Leading Women in Design’, and had a project included in Veranda’s ‘25 Most Beautiful Rooms’. In 2019 she was selected for House Beautiful’s 2019 Kitchen of the Year.

With a passion for creating timeless spaces inspired by the furthest reaches of the globe, Michelle founded the renowned furniture line, Ceylon et Cie. The brand’s aim is to turn Old World inspirations into modern, soulful interiors for youthful spirits, by offering a menagerie of pieces which create a unique and playful experience.

The Ceylon et Cie showroom in Dallas is home to the Ceylon et Cie collection, Michelle’s eponymous fabric line, and celebrated Rock Candy collection of jewellery, jewel-encrusted boxes and trays. The space also showcases an array of 18th, 19th and 20th century antiques and textiles, collected from her intrepid travels.

Michelle has collaborated with numerous brands and studios, including a wallpaper line with Gracie Studio, a pop-up shop for Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop lifestyle brand, and a selection of wallpapers with Newlon Collection.

She has developed her own textile line, Michelle Nussbaumer Fabrics, a modern interpretation of classic ikats and indigenous patterns and prints, with Design Legacy. 2020 sees the launch of a new fabric and trims collection with Clarence House in Paris. She will soon create additional lines, including cement tiles with Lili’s Cement Tiles; lighting, hoods and hardware with Addison Weeks; and scenic wallpaper with Paul Montgomery.

The designer’s travel and design blog, ‘Dreaming in Color’, and her design projects were the inspiration behind her book, ‘Wanderlust – Interiors that bring she and the world home’, with Rizzoli Books. She is currently working on a new book about Mexico.

Find out more here.