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F5: Gillian Segal Shares What Podcasts She Can’t Get Enough Of

05.21.21 | By
F5: Gillian Segal Shares What Podcasts She Can’t Get Enough Of
Gillian Segal headshot

Photo: The Collective You

Gillian Segal has always had a passion for interior design and its influence on the way we feel day-to-day. At a young age, Gillian watched her parents build their first family home, and from that experience, always knew that she wanted to change people’s lives through design. After completing her Bachelor of Arts Degree, Gillian pursued her love for design by attending B.C.I.T’s Interior Design program and graduated magna cum laude. From there, she earned her CID and began working with some of Vancouver’s top design studios, catapulting the start of her eponymous design firm. Now, Gillian works with clients around the globe to create highly personalized spaces that speak authentically to their lifestyles.

With an emphasis on playful, modern and eclectic glamour, Gillian’s work is ever-evolving and often inspired by her travels and love for shifting styles throughout the decades. She prioritizes the blending of old and new design aesthetics to continuously produce one-of-a-kind timeless spaces.

Passionate about collaborative initiatives, Gillian continues to expand her endeavors in the product development market. She is the co-founder of Saint Lunette, which focuses on servicing developers, and recently curated a product design and wallpaper collection with Drop It Modern. Gillian has also shared her expertise as an interior design contributor and writer for marthastewart.com and Gray Malin.

In between site checks and design appointments, she loves spending time with her family and raising her children. When she’s not working, Gillian is passionate about giving back and often participates in volunteer work around her community.

Today Gillian Segal is joining us for Friday Five!

1. Family
Family is everything – my two daughters and my husband inspire me every day to be my best self. Our eldest, Gigi, is 3 and our youngest, Coco, is 1 year old. Nothing is more humbling than becoming a parent (there’s nothing like getting puked on to bring you back down to Earth!). As a mom I know I am supposed to be teaching them, but they are really the ones teaching me to be more patient, more in the moment and ultimately what’s truly important in life.

Second Life Podcast graphic

Photo courtesy Second Life Podcast

2. Podcasts
I am a podcast addict – driving to work and listening to a podcast is a rare quiet moment in my day. Living in such a connected world can be a blessing and a curse, but podcasts give us access to intimate conversations with experts and titans of industry. There are so many incredible voices sharing years of experience, it’s a great way to learn while also being entertained. Every morning I arrive at my office feeling inspired by listening to my role models. Whether it’s Athena Calderone’s More than One thing, Hilary Kerr’s Second Life, Domino’s podcast, Design Time or my guilty pleasure, The Skinny Confidential, I feel like I am ready to start my day full of new knowledge and tools.

inspiration board

Photo: Gillian Segal

3. My Real Life Pinterest Board
In my office our drywall is covered in inspiring images pinned up – complete with very cute brass push pins. I love the process of flipping through magazines and cutting out and organizing images, which are then loosely arranged by color scheme. As much as I really do love Instagram and Pinterest, sometimes the amount of content can actually be overwhelming, and I find the same images tend to circulate over and over. Going old school with coffee table books and magazines (old and new) is such a fulfilling ritual for me. I dog ear favorite pages or moments and cut out even the smallest corner I like. Having the limited space of confined walls forces me to really curate these images, and I’m constantly amazed at how I can draw inspiration in so many ways.

handbag

Photo courtesy The Real Real

4. Fashion
Fashion and interiors are so fluid to me. As an interior designer, I find it hard to commit to one style which is why the designer-client collaborative process is so sacred and special to me. Being able to work with our clients, interpreting a variety of styles, really fuels my soul. Like our homes, how we dress is a form of expression. Those closest to me know how I dress can vary drastically based on how I’m feeling. My clothing feels like my armor for the day. I love drawing inspiration for my work from the runway and also from vintage fashion. A few of my favorite staples: My Goyard sac marquises, patent leather sweat pants and Frankie Shop muscle tees.

Grace Kelly

Photo courtesy Clothes on Film

5. Classic Movies
A favorite way to unwind is with popcorn, wine and a great movie. There is nothing more comforting (and inspiring) to me than watching my favorites, which I have probably watched hundreds of times. Sabrina, To Catch a Thief, West Side Story, North by Northwest – I love the classics. I find the nostalgia so comforting and I’m not going to lie, I have taken photos of a number of interiors/sets and wardrobe moments from most of the old films I’ve watched – there is constant inspiration to be had here!

Work by Gillian Segal:

living space

Photo: Ema Peter

bathroom

Photo: Ema Peter

living space

Photo: Ema Peter

kitchen

Photo: Ema Peter

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.