We originally had the pleasure of meeting Michelle Toney years ago through mutual friends. Michelle is an architect, interior designer, and co-owner of Morrow Soft Goods. Morrow Soft Goods was founded in 2016 by friends Stephanie Cleary and Michelle Toney. Both with backgrounds in design, Stephanie in fashion and Michelle in architecture, they were passionate about building a brand that creates beautiful products while simultaneously focusing on sustainability.

Michelle holds a Masters of Architecture from SCI-Arc and an undergraduate degree in History and Communication Studies from Northwestern University. Her design work has been published in Domino, Design Milk and Homes and Gardens.

Keep reading to check out our interview with our friend Michelle.

 

EARL DESIGNER INTERVIEW

 with Michelle Paul Toney

 

How long have you been an interior designer and tell us how you got into it?

I got into this field by way of architecture and sort of by accident! I have a masters of architecture and was teaching and practicing for about five years, when I decided to pivot and start Morrow Soft Goods with my co-founder Stephanie Cleary - which is our interior home textile brand. Over the years I never really stopped doing architectural and remodel type projects here or there for friends, etc. and that just morphed into doing the interiors as well at some point maybe 5 years ago? Given the textiles path with Morrow and my architecture background, interiors feels very natural for me and I absolutely love all things about bringing to life a specific world within a space.

MORROW SOFT GOODS

 

Give us three words to describe your design aesthetic.

Balanced, joyful, authentic.

What is your favorite interior paint color?

My favorite warm white is Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore which I use a lot. A more fun one I’m also really loving right now is Aqua Marina by Benjamin Moore.

Walnut or Oak?

Both! I like to mix wood tones and something about the richness of walnut feels indulgent and historic in a way that I love. Oak feels more casual and light. My vote is both tones sitting together in the same room.

EARL BEDSIDE TABLE

 

Where do you source your wallpaper, and do you have a favorite specific wallpaper right now?

The print quality, finish, texture, weight, colors, etc. really make or break a wallpaper and browsing in real life has been key for me to find unexpected favorites. I just used a wallpaper from Mulberry Home called Hedgerow for a nursery that was a brown tone animal print and it was really great in contrast to the trim paint which was a dusty mauve pink tone. I also really want to use Schumacher’s Ludo wallpaper sometime in the near future.

Name a few of your favorite designers you’re pulling inspiration from.

I have always been inspired by 20th century modernist designers who worked at multiple scales - all the way from small object to furniture to architecture - such as Alvar Aalto or Gio Ponti. As for people working now, there are so many amazing designers out there! My inspirations are very plentiful but I have loved Ashe Leandro’s work for many years now and just think everything they do is brilliant.

ALVAR AALTO

GIO PONTI

ASHE LEANDRO

Where is your favorite place to source new furniture and what about vintage?

Gah this one is so tough! I think sourcing inevitably needs to be varied. Chairish is a real favorite for unique pieces.

What was your process like when working with EARL Home to create custom furniture? 

I was lucky enough to be in LA and be able to see, sit, touch and choose the qualities that I wanted from the many options! That made it very easy to know what would be right for each piece.

EARL BAR CART in Ebonized Oak

What is your favorite piece from EARL’s furniture collection? 

The Moresby Lounge Chair is such a favorite. I think the form of the chair is timeless and refined and the materials are gorgeous and truly look as good after several years of daily use as they did on install. Many lounge chairs are also giant and these are not - they are great for when you need something that’s scaled back but still super comfortable.

EARL MORESBY Lounge Chairs in Ebonized Oak with Black Leather

Would you recommend EARL to other interior designers and, if so, why?

Of course! Sourcing from and getting to know actual designers is the best and all of our pieces from Earl have been incredibly versatile and of impeccable quality.

Do you have any advice for those of us out there that would love to get into interior design?

I feel like this field is really fueled by passion - but of course there are so many facets to the actual work. Find an entry point, gain experience and practical application, and continue to learn and expand your perspective.

 

~Thank you so much Michelle! We loved learning more about you, your passions, and your design practices.

-Amber Earl