
Meet Erica Tanov, Berkeley-Based Designer And Mom Of Teens
Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano
Photography by Michelle Drewes
While we love seeing new mothers with their itty-bitty offspring, there’s something about watching a more seasoned mama lovingly interacting with her older kids that makes us feel instantly inspired. This was definitely the case when we walked into the Berkeley abode of fashion and textile designer Erica Tanov. The supremely talented mother to Isabelle, 18, and Hugo, 12, radiates warmth and hospitality, so it’s no surprise her children seem to be the spawn we all dream of having: sweet, curious, well-spoken, and filled with love for eachother and their mother. Plus, all the warm-fuzzies aside, their house ain’t too shabby either, featuring textile-covered walls, interesting trinkets everywhere, and a killer view of the Golden Gate bridge in the distance. This, our friends, is the stuff boho fantasies are made of. Click and enjoy!
- "Relaxed. Lived-in. Refined hippie." Erica, in a dress from her own label, Erica Tanov.
- "My bedroom, because it's so bright and sunny and is a blend of all that I love—rich in texture, opulence, and raw beauty. And not too cluttered. Except for my closet!"
- "I'm not sure I have a philosophy. I fill my home with things I love, mixing styles, eras, and ethnicities. My advice would be to take your time and only buy things you love. Quality not quantity. Embrace imperfections."
- "It's by de Gournay and was originally ordered for my San Francisco store. It didn't arrive in time for the opening and I found something else to take its place, 'temporarily.' Once the wallpaper arrived, I was happy with the temporary solution, so decided to keep it for my future home. I had it in storage and when we finally bought this house it happened to be the exact width of our bedroom wall...talk about fate! One of the incredible features of this wallpaper is that it is constantly changing. It's hand painted on silver-leaf silk, so it tarnishes as it ages."
- "Pretty much the same as I describe my home: Relaxed, refined hippie, understated glamour."
- "Dries Van Noten is very inspiring, although I don't own a single piece! Ryan Roche makes beautiful, delicate, and thoughtfully designed cashmere pieces. I adore Officine Creative shoes and Araks underwear. And I still love mixing in vintage pieces."
- "I'm actually not much of a shopper, unless I'm traveling, but I do love to scavenge estate sales. And I have been known to do some late night online shopping for the kids."
- "The bedding is all from my home collection, except for the Moroccan wedding blanket at the foot of the bed and the small pillow by Bay Area artist Meagan Donegan."
- "Mostly home repair and gardening things comprise my wish-list."
- Hugo: "Each item has been put on my door one by one, over a 6-year period. No! My parents don't ask for permission before entering my room! Unless the door is closed."
- Hugo: "My room is rustic, part viking, and full of plant life." Hugo wears a J.Crew hat, Urban Outfitters shirt, and Erica Tanov pajama pants.
- Hugo: "I started collecting plants about 3 years ago. It gives my room life and makes me feel at home."
- Hugo: "I bought it on Amazon for a Halloween costume, along with the axe."
- Hugo: "My war axe and viking helmet."
- Isabelle: "Colorful. It started as all pink. I picked the color when we moved in when I was 10 and I''ve been slowly adding more color as I get older." Isabel wears a Skin top and an Ayoyama Itchome skirt.
- Isabelle: "I'll miss my family and hanging out in the yard, enjoying the mild Bay Area weather. I'm going to school in Chicago!"
- Isabelle: "My bed, since, like all teenagers, I like to sleep. And my guitar, because it's a source of entertainment and music."
- Isabelle: "I first used wire for a school project in 8th grade and had a lot left over, so I've been inspired to use it on other ways...experimenting."
- Isabelle: "Stealing her clothes!"
- "As with my clothing and home collections, I love mixing prints. So, I did so in the upstairs hallway. Both wallpapers are by Osbourne & Little."
- "As in most homes, the kitchen. And the dining room ends up being the catch-all—for dinners, art projects...and junk." Erica wears a vintage kimono jacket, pants and top by Erica Tanov, shoes by Coclico, and necklace by Studio Deseo.
- "We had outgrown our adorable craftsman bungalow and had been looking for the right home for a long time when a colleague told me that her grandfather was about to sell his house. It was in a neighborhood that we loved, so I asked if I could see it before he put it on the market. She made a call and I dashed up to see it and fell in love. The light throughout was magnificent and the views of San Francisco and the two bridges breathtaking. He was having work done on it in preparation to sell it and I told him to stop—we would take it 'as is.' He had raised his family with his wife and lived here for 55 years. He sold us the house and bought a smaller, one-level house and moved two doors down from us!"
- "No big surprises, but it is mind-blowing how much you can love your child. There is no love like that."
- "It's full of love, hope, and inspiration, but has kept me from traveling as much as I would like."
- "Watching them grow and change and become who they are." Hugo wears an Urban Outfitters top, vintage hat, J.Crew cords, and glasses by Converse. Isabelle wears an Erica Tanov top, H&M Jeans, and Philip Lim glasses.
- "I wouldn't say 'nervous,' but I remember when they were babies, especially with Isabelle, the first born, that fear that something was terribly wrong when she had a simple cold or flu. And feeling I would not be able to live if something happened to her. I actually still feel that way with both of them. Not worried when they have a cold or flu, but that feeling of not being able to go on without them."
- "The closer we get to taking her to college (in August), the harder it's getting. It's becoming less abstract. Needless to say, I'm going to miss her like crazy. I'm so lucky in that Isabelle shares so much with me and has never been a typical moody, bitchy teenager, which will make her going off to college all the more difficult for me. It's going to feel really weird without her here—we're such a family unit—I'm sure we'll all feel a void. And...I will terribly miss her baking! But, of course, I'm excited for her and her incredible adventure in Chicago at the Art Institute."
- The honorary third child, Lily.
- Inside the living room.
- "We took our time for sure! There's a 6-year gap between them. We just weren't ready, until then, to give up our time with just Isabelle. I think it was a rude awakening for Isabelle. She had been the only child (and grandchild!) for so long and then all of the sudden she had to share us with her baby brother. It was definitely an adjustment for her, but she loves him deeply and is an amazing big sister. They are super close and have a sweet and loving relationship." Isabelle wears a Layla top, Bella Rose cardigan, and H&M Jeans. Erica wears an Erica Tanov slip and cardigan, Megan Park ring, and antique ring. Hugo wears wears a J.Crew hat, thrifted shorts, and tank from Target.
- "Do what feels right to you, not what a book or 'professionals' tell you."
- Beautiful trinkets and artifacts fill all surfaces.
- "Hugo is passionate about life. He definitely feels the good and bad to extremes. He's an incredibly talented musician (drums, trumpet, and piano), loves building stuff, and cooking. Spicy blackened string beans are his specialty."
- "Seeing how affectionate and caring they are with one another and marveling over their differences...and similarities. Also, watching them grow into beautiful, kind, empathetic, passionate people."
- "Isabelle is our even-tempered sunshine girl. She's artistic, although not the tortured artist. She's an especially gifted sculptor, hence going off to SAIC. She has an uncanny ability to retain information, so she has become our living encyclopedia of random (and not so random) facts. She's especially knowledgable about the environment. It's incredible."
- "My husband, a musician, and I always loved the name Isabelle and knew we would name our baby that if it was a girl. The name had special meaning for him. An old dear neighbor of his growing up was named Isabelle. He had even written a song called 'Isabelle' before she was born. We also loved the name Hugo. I had a great uncle named Hugo who was still living when Hugo was born. He was a wonderful man and an extremely talented photographer, so we thought he was a perfect person to name someone after. He was very touched to have a baby named after him. He gave Hugo a silver baby cup with the inscription: for Hugo love Hugo."
- "Nope, although I love perusing Mother!"
- The light-soaked stairwell.
- "Walking a few blocks to our local cafe for breakfast, going to Tilden Park to visit the little farm and feed the cows and goats (yes, we still do that!), then go on a short hike/walk. Hanging out at home or gardening while the kids are working on a cool project makes me happy. Then, going to see a movie at the Cerrito Theater, where we can order mediocre food and drink wine and soda while we watch a film. Or have friends over for a relaxed dinner...BBQ is a plus."
- "My priorities definitely changed once I became pregnant. I learned how to delegate and let go a bit."
- "It has often felt difficult feeling pulled in many directions. My kids are definitely my priority. I think I struggle most with feeling like I'm not doing either (working or being a mother) as perfectly as I'd like. That gets frustrating."
- Beautiful fabric swatches fill the home studio.
- "The ability to be flexible, making my own rules, and of course the creative process, which, unfortunately, often gets pushed aside. I'm constantly trying to figure out how to give myself more time for the creative stuff."
- "I'm about to launch a clothing and homeware capsule collection in which I collaborated with Bay Area artist Lena Wolff in developing prints from her artwork. It will be available in stores and online in early September. Next year, 2015, also marks the 25th anniversary of my company and collection and I am working on a project with photographer Todd Hido to celebrate the quarter-century milestone."
- Sad to say goodbye? Us, too! Stay tuned for Erica's guide to Berekely in our Travel Section coming up soon!
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