Magazines, social media, and television are filled with images of beautifully styled homes that capture a lot of attention. However, for some individuals, it can be challenging to envision actually living in those spaces. Additionally, how would their great-grandmother's antique table, the collection of books they cannot part with, or the artwork brought back from that amazing trip to Italy fit into those designs?
This is where Anne Golliher of Storied Interiors excels. Her decorating superpower lies in grasping the stories behind people's most cherished items and discovering new ways to honor them.
"I love working with those pieces, even when the client says they’re not sure about them," Golliher says. "They inherited an item from their great-grandma and feel obligated to keep it, but it's not a favorite piece. Then we move it into its proper place or pair it with a piece of modern art, and it gains a whole new life. After that, they love it! People often have treasures, and they don't realize it. I take what they have and give it the proper moment.
"Those pieces tell your history: Who you are, where you've come from, and who you want to be. All those memories."
When planning a home remodel, Golliher focuses on the final layer of the decor. She notes that people often spend the bulk of their budget on constructing beautiful arches and incredible molding, leaving them with very little to invest in making the space feel like home. Her vision starts with pieces that hold significance for the client, then deciding what needs to be done to showcase those items, whether it's construction, wall coverings, window treatments, or reupholstering.
One of Golliher's clients lost her belongings in a house fire. All that survived the smoke and flames was a small box of items. She used those pieces as a starting point to understand what resonated with the client and then moved forward from there.
She explains, "In the interviews after the Los Angeles fires, I heard from people who were devastated by the loss of things that made up their lives. I want to help people add that layer to a space. Highlight the things they have or help them start a collection of items they love, such as art and books. It becomes the type of home they can enter and just be. Let the space speak to them, restore them, and fill them."
Golliher also understands that sometimes family pieces have fulfilled their purpose, and it's time to let them go. She helps clients navigate these waters by suggesting options such as pairing the piece with new wallpaper or curtains or moving it to a different room. If those ideas don't work, people often feel more comfortable about their item finding a new home.
Most importantly, Golliher wants her clients to feel at ease in the newly decorated space. She mentioned visiting a client's home, where he expressed concern that she might not appreciate him placing his nephew's small rubber duck on top of a piece of artwork.
She loved it!
"What I do is not set in stone,” Golliher says. “This is a living space. If you move things, add your child's artwork, or buy a book to include in the space, I love that. That's life."
To learn more about Storied Interiors and view images of Golliher's work, visit Storied-Interiors.com or on Instagram @storied_interiors.
"People often have treasures, and they don't realize it. I take what they have and give it the proper moment. Those pieces tell your history."