Years ago, Charlotte (Harris) Lucas bought the domain name HouseofHarris.com … just to have it. It sat there unused — waiting, maybe — while Charlotte and her sister Liz (Harris) Carrol each built separate, vibrant careers as interior designers.
On a trip to Paris, the sisters decided it was time to employ Artistotle’s keen observation: the whole can be greater than the sum of its parts. So they launched a line of wallpaper and textiles together. Thanks to Charlotte’s foresight, naming it was a no-brainer. We chatted with Charlotte and Liz about their darling new label, and trust us, after seeing these photos, you’ll want to deck your entire home in their designs.
How did your upbringing, schooling, and individual careers bring you to the point of teaming up to start a line together?
Liz: Coming from different backgrounds — design school (Charlotte) and business school (me) — but both having design businesses of our own, we always bounced ideas off each other, asking things like, “As a business owner, what would you do in this situation?” or “As a designer, which scheme would you go with here?”
As sisters, we have always leaned on each other for simple day-to-day advice, from relationships to purchases to parenting. We’ve always just been “that person” for each other.
Is maximalism trending? Is it because of all the time we’ve been spending in our homes? Do we want to make them sunnier?
Liz: Charlotte is 100% a maximalist. She goes a lot bolder in pattern and design than I do. Because I’m on the coast (in Wilmington, NC), my style naturally has a lighter, airier feeling. With our differing styles, it’s been fun to come up with our House of Harris designs and colorways.
I do think the pandemic made people less afraid of color and pattern. There will always be a place for neutrals, but I do notice clients wanting to incorporate more joyful prints and pops of color into their homes.
As the saying goes, “how you spend your days is how you spend your life.” But where you spend your days is just as important. What we all learned from 2020 was that making a home a haven is the ultimate goal, and it looks different for everybody.
How is it working as sisters? Are work, play, and family time separate silos, or do they all tend to blur together?
Charlotte: It’s funny. The idea for House of Harris was actually born while we were on a trip to Paris as individual business owners. The goal was to shop for our respective clients, finding one-of-a-kind treasures to bring back and work into our individual design projects.
On our return flight, we found ourselves filled to the brim with inspiration. And instead of our usual routine of two glasses of wine and deep sleep, we stayed up the entire flight, sketching designs, logos, and concepts for our new fabric and wallpaper line we had just dreamt up. We’d call it House of Harris!
From then on, we’ve tried to recreate this same magic, year after year, through annual week-long “retreats.” At these retreats, we shut off the world (as if we were again barreling through the sky with all the Parisian inspo!) and just sit down and focus on the next collection and our goals for the year ahead.
We bring all our notebooks, compare saved albums on Instagram, review magazine cut-outs, and simply think. Carving out this “creative time” has been absolutely vital in the non-stop culture we live in. That said, we’d be lying if we told you we fully “turn it off” while off the clock or outside of these brainstorming retreats. Any time the two of us are together, we’re constantly jotting down ideas for HoH. Our eyes also seem a little more open to inspiration when we are together.
Can you paint a quick scene — with sensory details and people — that encapsulates your collections? What do you want your clients to feel after House of Harris is on their walls and furniture?
Liz: To create the line’s first two collections, Avenue I and Avenue II, we drew inspiration from what we knew best: our Southern roots, including all the cities we have lived in across North Carolina. In fact, each pattern is named for the streets we lived on. It truly was about what was in our own backyards here in Charlotte and on the coast.
We would pull images that inspired us, and when we sat down to look at them all before we sketched anything, we realized that so much was from the Blue Ridge mountains or a sunset on the coast. For the Destination Collection, many of these designs were products of quarantine daydreams.
Charlotte: When applying House of Harris to your walls or furniture, we want you to feel a sense of joy, serenity, and escape. We want your home to feel like a relaxing, joy-filled holiday or a familiar sense of home and nostalgia.
What’s a common misconception people have about textiles/wallpaper?
Charlotte: I’m not sure if this is considered a misconception, but it’s a great design tip! Wallpaper is not specific to just the walls; it can go on cabinetry, ceilings, the backs of bookshelves … you name it!
Liz: As for textiles, you might be surprised to know that you can also put fabric on the walls, not just furniture! A fun thing we both do in our designs is backing fabric and then applying it as wallpaper.
Any plans to expand the line to even more home curios/different types of textiles?
Charlotte: In the past two years, we have started offering more giftable items, like candles and table linens. Having a few lower price point items that still incorporate our best-selling prints has been a great way to reach a wider audience. We hope to keep adding to our “gift” offering while continuing to develop more fabric and wallpaper designs.
Fill in the blanks:
Liz: If Charlotte is __hosting a party__, then I am __coming to town!__
Charlotte: If Liz is __calling the shots__, then I am __here to listen!__
What’s the best advice you’ve been given in your design career, and from whom?
Charlotte: Our dad actually gave me a wonderful piece of advice about 15 years ago that extends beyond just design. He told me that you always want to leave a job or relationship in a good place and never burn bridges because you never know when that relationship might come back around.
What other artists are you admiring currently?
Liz: Not exactly an artist, but Ruth Runberg of R. Runberg Curiosities is one to watch in Charlotte. She collects the most unique objects from the far reaches of the globe and has become a wonderful resource for home decor items that aren’t oversaturated.
Charlotte: We’ve discovered a ton of wonderful new artists and galleries through a client of ours who collects and adores art. A few favorites off the top of my head are Cig Harvey (Photography), Jeremy Holmes (3D wood sculptures), and Michael Harrington (the quirkiest paintings!)
All photos are courtesy of House of Harris unless otherwise noted.
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