Just when a designer arrives at a singular vision for a project, that’s when everything changes. It’s the reason why Rachel Andersen is always ready for anything.
Chalk it up to her extensive travels or her eclectic design aesthetic, the Las Vegas-based interior designer didn’t flinch when a straightforward kitchen and primary bath remodel project in neighboring Henderson suddenly blossomed into a full-blown home facelift. Living up to her firm’s namesake, Aurora Interior Design (taken from the Roman goddess of dawn who renews herself every morning), she quickly switched directions and embraced the newly expanded project with a fresh pair of eyes.
While the home’s architecture reflected Tuscan-inspired influences, the clients wanted to weave more French touches into the interiors — and what better way to achieve that through a mix of tile and natural stone? The daughter of a tile installer, Rachel often finds design inspiration from the materials she sources for her projects. “There are so many ways to take a tile and apply it differently to a space, but I enjoy bringing both tile and stone to the forefront,” she says. “Natural stone is Mother Nature’s works of art.”
Below, read the full interview with Rachel and learn how she mindfully layered her material selections from Walker Zanger to create the French Eclectic style that gives this project its worldly vintage appeal.
Tell us a little bit about the project and your overall vision for the spaces.
This home and the homeowners had a wonderful story. They had purchased this home originally when their triplets were just babies, and found themselves having to move away to another state. Years later, when they returned to Las Vegas, they found their old home was on the market – so they decided this would be their forever home. The home’s architecture lends itself to a Tuscan style, much like the entire masterplanned community they live within, but for this update she was looking for something more French. We dubbed her style “French Eclectic” to align with her personal style and the details she loved. The project began as a dive into the kitchen and primary bathroom, but soon turned into an entire home facelift. Her antique furniture, that she reupholsters herself, fit right in when we were completed.
You made a number of interesting material choices — like installing Zephyr Mosaic in the primary bath shower and the way you blended Calacata Borghini slabs and Fatima Mezzanotte Decorative Field Time in the kitchen. What made you choose these products?
Walker Zanger, time and again, proves to be the best supplier of beautiful stone slabs. There is no other showroom in town I’d bring my clients to first. For this homeowner, we made a one-stop-shop for her to select all her goods in one day. Most of these finishes were predetermined with the help from my local representative in order to create a simple and classic palette. My client loved shopping the store and found some pieces that grabbed her attention, like the Zephyr Mosaic, that worked seamlessly into the selections we had gathered for her.
How do you feel your tile choices impacted the overall look you were going for?
The kitchen slabs had to be impactful. Our Walker Zanger representative combed through all the white marble slabs in the inventory, and we knew when he sent the Calacata Borghini we had a winner. The warm undertones and sweeping movement of the natural stone were perfection!
Creating the primary bathroom was a designer’s dream. We were looking for a hand-made feel for the shower tile, but still friendly with our hard water here in Las Vegas. Cafe Latte was a great option and it paired so nicely with the walnut colored liner in a coordinating collection. Overall we wanted the space to feel warm and unique to their personal style, and adding the Zephyr Mosaic on the shower floor really put the icing on the cake! The onyx slabs were selected for their depth while still essentially being a white stone. The entire bathroom really came together beautifully!
You have a unique connection to tile. Can you share a little bit about that?
My father has had a tile installation company for as long as I can remember. I would love to visit our local showroom as a kid and would aspire to have finishes like those I saw in my home one day – who would have thought I’d become a designer?! To this day, bringing clients to Walker Zanger is a highlight for me. Everyone who works in the showroom is beyond helpful, and the selection is always second-to-none.
What is it like working with Walker Zanger?
Each and every project I have, I usually include a bit of Walker Zanger products. The selection is amazing and everyone is so helpful. It’s a comfortable place to bring my clients, which I love!
What Walker Zanger products do you have your eye on for future projects?
Currently, we have earmarked some Soapstone for a super rad kitchen we should wrap up later this year and mid-century modern vibe tiles for another client’s eye-catching guest bathroom.
To let our readers get to know you a little better, how did you get your start in design?
After graduating during the recession, there were not many job opportunities. I am forever grateful for my start in the design world at an iron fabrication shop as a designer. I was able to develop and hone skills I’m thankful for today. There is a deep appreciation for craftsmanship and fine details ingrained in me.
You’ve traveled the world and studied design in Italy. What ultimately inspired you to settle back in Las Vegas?
These roots are deep, and I love this city. I always think, “The world is a flight away,” so why not live by an international airport?
Is there a story behind your firm’s name?
It all started with a light bulb…the iconic “idea” symbol. A simple Edison bulb is warm and draws you into a space, making you want to stay longer to enjoy. The idea of this warmth and femininity led me to research different forms of this energy, and I discovered Aurora, goddess of dawn. She renews herself every morning. Isn’t that what creatives do?
Where do you find inspiration?
During the pandemic, I’ve been trying to find myself again and what really inspires me since travel hasn’t been an option. I’ve been diving deep into vintage clothing. The saturated colors, funky patterns and chunky textures have been mingling so wonderfully in my closet the past year. It’s triggered a few design decisions that I wouldn’t have made if I didn’t see a similar combination in an outfit I put together.
What’s your favorite part about designing?
Developing the concept with hard finish selection, is my absolute favorite! Seeing a dusty construction site and watching the space come together is a close second.
What are your three top design tips?
First, curate your art and accessories with things you love and make you happy. I love picking up fun objects or antiques while traveling, always brings up memories from that country or the people we met. Second, trust the process and let the design ebb and flow. As you work deeper and add details it’ll come together in the end, I promise. Third, don’t rely on trends but if a trend is something that truly speaks to you — that’s fine! Don’t think you are doing something trendy if you have always loved the look of a clean white kitchen.
Walker Zanger Products
Kitchen:
Calacata Borghini, Countertops and Backsplash
Fatima Mezzanotte Decorative Field Tile, Island Accent
Primary Bath:
Cafe Latte, shower subway tile
CP Walnut, shower accent liner
Zephyr Mosaic, shower floor
Paloma Limestone, bathroom floor
Blanc Brule Extra Onyx, vanities and tub surround