Creative Mind: Nicole Hollis
The San Francisco designer crafts boundary-breaking interiors that utilize exceptional installations of artisan furniture and art
Drawing from her network of inspiring artisans and artists, San Francisco designer Nicole Hollis crafts interiors that deftly straddle the line between minimalism and jaw-dropping expressionism. Her creative fusions can be seen in a color-rich Haight-Ashbury dressing room surrounded by hand-painted murals or a dining room transformed by wood paneling, a monolithic fireplace surround, and custom bronze furnishings all by Ingrid Donat.
“Clients in the Bay Area are more inclined to experimentation and trying new things,” says Hollis. “That freedom has really allowed me to establish an aesthetic that is more about looking for new artists and craftsmen to design something original.” Hollis also draws inspiration from daring makers to add thought-provoking panache to hospitality spaces, such as the recently reopened Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort, in Hawaii, where palapa-style bungalows are punctuated with ceramics, textiles, and sculptures by local talents.
Sharing the spotlight: Hollis fosters the next generation in all facets of design: She works with the Female Design Council to support a grant for firms led by women of color, mentors high school students in her studio, and is incredibly vocal about her favorite craftsmen. “I want to make sure makers feel supported and seen,” she says. “If we lift them up, then that feeds all of the design community.”
Up next: Hollis will unveil Artistry of Home, a new book detailing her collaborations with artists such as David Wiseman, Michele Oka Doner, and Mauro Mori, among others, this fall.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2024 Spring Issue under the headline “Creative Minds.” Subscribe to the magazine.