Stories On Style | Paloma Contreras

Balance: 

C: You are mother to Margot, a hugely talented and award-winning interior designer and author of Dream. Design. Live and The New Classic Home: Modern Meets Traditional Style. With so much going on, how do you strike the balance between work and motherhood?
P: It certainly isn’t easy. I am wired to want to do more all the time. Prior to becoming a mother, I was always thinking about what goal to set next and what other things I could be doing. Since having Margot, and especially in the last year or so, I’ve shifted my mindset quite a bit. I relish the time I get to spend with her and I know that time flies by especially quickly when you have a little one. These days, I am constantly assessing which avenues of my working lift yield the greatest return for me in terms of creativity, joy, and of course, profit. I am looking to streamline in order to allow myself a bit more time to be present with my family, especially during these precious years. I don’t believe in “balance” as it is truly a fallacy. It simply doesn’t exist. I don’t know a single working mother who feels that they have cracked the code, but if I can figure out how I can spend my time so that I can be present for my daughter and be the highest and best version of myself at work, then that is all I can ask for. It’s a constant recalibration. 

C: Favourite way to unwind?  
P: I rarely get to do this, but when I do, I love to read poolside.

C: What’s the one thing about motherhood that no one ever told you?
P: From a practical perspective, it would be how challenging the summers are for working parents. On a deeper level, I don’t think you can fully understand the depth and breadth of a mother’s love for her child until you have a child of your own. It’s the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced.


C: What does your perfect evening look like?
P: Dinner around the table together; lots of snuggles before bedtime, and an hour for me to watch a television show before I fall asleep.

Family Time: 

C: Favourite family activity?
P: We are fortunate to live near so many wonderful museums in Houston. Margot’s favorite is the Museum of Natural Science.

C: Favourite bedtime story?
P: Madeline - “In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines…”


C: As we near the end of summer – what are some of your favourite Autumn activities to do in Houston, Texas?
P: Autumn is quite fleeting in Houston. Some years, it feels like we go straight from Summer into Winter. On the rare occasion that we have a crisp, beautiful Fall Day, we love going out to eat and sitting outdoors.

Style: 

C: Your interior style beautifully marries traditional elegance with modern design, resulting in timeless spaces accented with a touch of glamour and your signature burst of colour. Do you approach the way you dress yourself and Margot in a similar way?
P: That’s very kind, thank you. Both my personal style and Margot’s are rooted in a more classic approach. I am not a fashionista. I like to feel polished, but I do not fuss over my clothes, so I gravitate towards timeless wardrobe staples and feminine dresses. I find it important for children to dress as such. They grow up so quickly, so I don’t relate to dressing children like little adults. I’ve always said that Margot is my greatest joy and my second greatest joy is dressing her! I love to dress her in smocked dresses, classic Mary Janes, and putting bows in her hair. On more casual days, she might wear cute jeans and a fun top. I love curating all aspects of her colorful wardrobe from her special occasion dresses down to her pajamas. She wears more prints than I do, of course—lots of Liberty florals and hearts.

C: Do you think your style has changed since having your daughter?
P: It may have gotten more boring since I have more to do each morning and less time worrying about what I might wear that day!

C: It goes without saying that we love how you dress Margot. With the changing of the season, what are staples for her Autumn/Winter wardrobe?
P: Since our winters are on the mild side, layers are essential as crisp mornings can easily shift into warm afternoons. Timeless dresses paired with tights and a light cardigan are perfect for a nicer outing while jeans or corduroy pants with a sweet blouse or light sweater work well on the weekends.


C: Go-to gift ideas for a new arrival?
P: A beautiful knitted set, is always well received. Is there anything sweeter than a cherubic baby in a knitted outfit and hat? I have kept several from when Margot was a baby that I treasure to this day. 

C: What are some of your favourite pieces from La Coqueta’s latest collection?
P: The entire collection is beautiful as always. The Navy Floral Arcadia Dress feels “very Margot”. The dusty rose and burgundy combination of the Pink Julieta Dress is so chic and classically La Coqueta while the Ivory Lucinda Dress is the perfect take on a sailor dress for Autumn.

C: Three essentials you always have in your handbag?
P: My phone, my little Chanel cardholder, and hand sanitizer.

C: We adore all that you do and would like to round up the conversation by asking, what’s next for Paloma Contreras Design?
P: Thank you! On the personal front, I am taking a couple of weeks off at the end of the summer to spend more time with Margot while at work, we are working on some very exciting projects around Texas as well as Chicago and New York.