Liz Caan’s Favorite Finds

Liz Caan and I first met in 2006 during a photo shoot of her own home, not long after she launched her Boston-area interior design business, Liz Caan & Co. Caan buzzes with infectious energy, and her design sensibility follows suit. Both her home and her recently renovated Newton office, where we met over cups of strong coffee, demonstrate her twist on traditional design—“fearless” is how she describes it. The revitalized workspace is designed to evoke a two-level townhouse. She and her team raised ceilings, added specialty millwork, then unleashed Caan’s exuberant mix of antiques, custom furnishings, and an eye-popping, sometimes-sly, injection of color and pattern. Caan studied art and advertising in college, moved to Chicago, and at first pursued a career in marketing. When her husband’s work brought them to Boston, Caan took that opportunity to refine her own professional aspirations. “I’m a classicist at heart,” says the longtime board member of the New England Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. “I have always been drawn to the beauty, craftsmanship, and history of classical architecture and design.” And, she says with a laugh, “I have an obsession with wallpapering the insides of closets.” lizcaan.com(opens in new tab)

1. The last thing I bought and loved…were amazing lightbulbs. I replaced all the lightbulbs in my house with new bulbs from EmeryAllen.

2. The best book I’ve read this year…is Gisèle Pelicot’s memoir, A Hymn to Life. It’s an inspiring story about redirecting the moral burden of shame.

3. I have a collection of…boxes. I have small tortoiseshell boxes, sterling silver boxes, tramp art boxes, Swedish boxes. Boxes are so charming and are not only useful, but they also hold history, craftsmanship, and a little sense of mystery.

4. My personal style signifier…is adding an element of surprise. I like to pair colors that create visual tension, like chartreuse green and cherry red. When designing a room, I’ll introduce a piece of cheeky artwork in an otherwise serious space. When planning an outfit, I’ll pair red shoes with a basic tailored suit.

5. The best gift I’ve given…is a homemade birthday cake topped with fresh flowers from my garden and presented on an antique silver cake pedestal.

6. A place that means a lot to me…is Chicago. I was raised in Wisconsin, graduated college from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and moved to Chicago with my husband. We had two out of three children in Chicago. We bought our first house in the city and lived there for eight very formative young adult years.

7. The best gift I’ve received….is the independence and opportunity to pursue what I love. This is my second career. The first was about survival and providing. This one has allowed me to build a business and a career and shape my life in a way that has been very meaningful.

8. A defining moment in my professional life…was my first major job on a historic home with trusting clients and an amazing builder who taught me immense amounts about construction and best practices.

9. The best piece of advice I ever received…was from Sheldon Tager, who I worked for when I first moved to Boston. He always said, “Perfection does not exist. Strive for excellence.”

10. My favorite souvenirs…are artwork and objects. I bought a Jacques Adnet coffee table in England this past January. It’s been something I have wanted for many, many years, and when I spotted it at The Decorative Fair at Battersea Park, London, I pulled the (gulp) trigger. It’s functional, beautiful, and came with good karma (according to the dealer).

11. When I need to feel inspired I….go analog and slow way down to turn off the noise in my life.

12. My favorite room in my home…is my bedroom. I’m an early riser and tend to bounce out of bed each morning. The room’s eastern and southern exposure feels perfectly aligned with my natural rhythm.

13. In another life, I would have been…a caretaker of some sort. I love taking care of things, maintaining beauty, and creating a sense of order.