"When I was young, I saw the care that [my grandmother] took to set the table for the entire family. I learned the difference between a beautiful table and one not-so-great, and that's probably why I'm in this business. I just want to make everything prettier."
- Charlotte Moss
Charlotte Moss, celebrated interior designer, author, philanthropist, and a dear friend of Leontine, is regarded as one of the most influential voices in American interiors. Her signature approach to gracious living - the idea that a home should, above all, be welcoming - has set a new standard for how we live and entertain.
Based in New York City, Charlotte launched her eponymous decorating firm in 1985. A Virginia native, her Southern sensibilities shaped her eye, and they are evident - and lauded - in the layered, enduring interiors she designs. Blending a love of history and tradition with classic comforts, Charlotte’s work spans private residences, executive suites, and retail stores, both in the United States and abroad.
Unsurprisingly, Charlotte's talents are many and varied! She is an acclaimed speaker and author, having written twelve books on interior design, gracious entertaining, and gardening, including her latest Rizzoli title, Charlotte Moss: At Home in Virginia. Product collaborations include licensed collections with Stark Carpet, Century Furniture, Pickard, PE Guerin and IBU, among others.
Read on as Charlotte reflects on her long history with Leontine Linens, her intuitive flair for hosting at home (she inherited her grandmother’s ethos of gracious hospitality, along with her most treasured china), and the small, welcoming details that put guests at ease.
Jane Scott says you are amongst the first meetings in NYC for Leontine Linens. What do you recall about seeing the linens for the first time?
Charlotte: I was stunned by the choices I could personalize, the options for fabric and, of course, the miles-long color chart for threads. Then it hit me: I have to be the one to edit and make selections to simplify the process for clients.
What do you still think holds true for Leontine Linens?
Charlotte: Q-U-A-L-I-T-Y.
Do you have a personal Leontine story?
Charlotte: I did a Kips Bay Show House years ago; it was a very pretty blue scheme with the bed floating in the middle of the room. Jane Scott made the bed linens with a wide applique trim in an orchid color. I thought it was just the note of contrast needed to save us from being "coordinated" or "decorated". Then a visitor to the room asked me while I was standing there, "What possessed you to put THAT color on the bed in a blue room? It doesn't even match."
I answered, "Precisely, it does not match. That is the point." Bewildered, she left.
(This bed features our Webster and Addison Fancy borders)
What is a feature of your home that guests always notice?
Charlotte: Ease, comfort and a welcome.
Who taught you how to entertain?
Charlotte: Entertaining is like riding a bike. First you have training wheels, then you graduate to a larger bike, then finally the 10-speed. I think watching my maternal grandmother care for her large family made me realize that family and friends are no different. As she would say, and as my mom would say, "If you're going to invite people to your home, you need to 'knock yourself out.' Otherwise, don't bother."
What’s the most meaningful heirloom you own? What’s the story behind it?
Charlotte: I have some china that was my grandmother's—I joke that my "china addiction gene" came from her. So, in one way, the heirloom is not as much the china as it is the lessons in collecting and caring for it.
Do you have a signature design element or hosting ritual that you always incorporate into entertaining?
Charlotte: More than anything, I think it is the intangibles that make the difference—preparedness, being relaxed, and totally focused on the event and your guests.
When hosting overnight guests, what special touch(es) do you include that makes it ‘feel like home’?
Charlotte: Overnight guests have a tray of fruit, cookies, nuts, and anything specific that I know they like, like a bottle of Chardonnay, the right milk in the fridge for their coffee, the blend of tea, and always a stack of books that I pull from my library, and new magazines.
What is one entertaining “rule” you happily ignore?
Charlotte: I ignore a lot! LOL. Because you must find your own way—get in a groove, a comfort zone. That gives you the freedom to be relaxed and yourself.
What are your favorite pieces of your bedding collection?
Charlotte: Honestly, I don't have a favorite per se; I just love beautiful things, and linens are one of them. I have a very large cache of linens, and they are used every day. I love mixing it up, and embroidery is always the standout, the thing that elevates all.
"More than anything, I think it is the intangibles that make the difference—preparedness, being relaxed and totally focused on the event and your guests"
- Charlotte Moss
