Designer Spotlight: Carly Blumberg of Carly Home Likes a Touch of Whimsy

Carly Blumberg, owner and designer of Carly Home, creates original wallpaper, textiles and home products. Based in Ojai, California, Blumberg’s business offers a line of colorful and whimsical products, and a showroom that features pillows, found objects, antiques, ceramics and more. Her work has appeared in “Architectural Digest,” “Domino” and “Country Living.”

Fabrics & Home: How did you get into this industry? Take me through that journey. What was your first job? What led you to your current job? 

Carly: After graduating with a degree in art history I decided to go to textile design school for my graduate degree. Upon graduating I entered the fashion industry working for J. Crew as a textile designer. I always loved fashion but my dream was to work in the interiors world. I wanted to be in the home.

I left J. Crew and started my next role as a designer for Anthropologies Home line. This was where I received what I call my third educational degree because I began taking my two dimensional textiles and designs into 4-D physical products such as ceramics, bedding, furniture, rugs, curtains etc.

After a few years with Anthropologies, I left to start my own brand and consulting business. I designed and creative directed for some big brands while simultaneously chipping away at what would become Carly Home. Just as the pandemic hit, my first licensing deal for wallpaper happened, which was the catalyst for moving into Carly Home 100 percent. 

Fabrics & Home: Where do you find inspiration for your work in general? Does one moment/job stand out for you as an especially motivating time? 

Carly: I am inspired by nature, flowers, fashion, travel, music, interior design, hospitality and generally the way people live. I was very motivated when I first began my entrepreneurial career but to be honest, I am finding the present day to be especially motivating. I am now a mother so my time needs to be spent wisely as I need to be with my daughter every afternoon. I get about four hours a day to work and I try daily to motivate myself to the fullest daily to achieve the most in that amount of time so that I can get home and be 100 percent present with my most precious job.  

Fabrics & Home: What do you like about the work you do? What informs your designs?

Carly: I like making people happy through color and pattern. Feelings inform my designs. How does a flower make me feel? A color? A layout? When designing interiors it’s the same to me. It’s all about the feeling. The projects vary in time. Some fly by in just a few short weeks while others I have been working on for a few years. 

Fabrics & Home: What moments of your career were especially important for you? What type of advice would you give to a younger you trying to become a designer?

Carly: There have been many important moments throughout my career thus far. As you grow, change or adapt you will find that there are stand out moments in each chapter. If I were to give my younger self some advice it would be, focus and let your innate ability shine through. Do not second guess yourself. Do not change the things that make you uniquely you. Own yourself and your work and also do not take everything so seriously. Be lighter. Enjoy it. Have fun. 

Fabrics & Home: Tell me about some of your favorite designs. Why are these so memorable? What was difficult about creating some of them? 

Carly: Some of my favorite designs are the Casia Flowers and Monkey Garden. I feel these are two patterns that really show Carly. They have held up over the years and that’s my goal. To create timeless designs that are uniquely Carly Home. 

Fabrics & Home: What goals do you have for the next three years?  

Carly: To grow Carly Home's business into a global brand that is recognizable and has clout in the industry. I want to scale our offerings into furniture and interior design and to extend our fabrics and wallpapers to the trade in addition to having our direct to consumer website.  

Fabrics & Home: How would you describe yourself to a stranger? What is your most favorite thing to do, eat?

Carly: I am friendly, sincere, passionate, driven and kind.  I love being around people, learning and sharing. Some of my most favorite things to do are design research, antiquing and estate sale shopping, play tennis, travel cook, make things with my hands and most importantly, hangout with my daughter, husband and dog. 

All photos provided by Carly Home.

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