Interior Designer & Chef Dorianne Passman's Carte
PHOTOS OF DORIANNE BY MORGAN PANSING. PHOTOS BELOW OF THEA HOME INTERIORS BY TESSA NEUSTADT.If you purchase through our links, we may receive a commission. We donate a portion of that commission to charity so when you shop, we give on your behalf. LEARN MORE.
Dorianne Passman is the type you can turn to for any and all advice as it pertains to elevated living. Whether you’re looking for a new recipe or the perfect shade of white to paint your walls, the chef-turned-interior designer will have suggestions at the ready. Dorianne trained as a chef at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and worked at a top L.A. restaurant before pivoting to interior design and launching Thea Home, a design firm founded in partnership with her mother, Thea Segal. Having mastered the art of domesticity, Dorianne recently launched her namesake website, doriannepassman.com, where she shares her recipes she’s been cooking up.
Carte caught up with the interior designer to find out what products fill her laid back-chic abode and the kitchen tools getting the most love lately.
Design
Design: Thea Home, Photo: Tessa Neustadt
“When it comes to choosing colors for a space, I keep it neutral and keep it cohesive. I always stick to a neutral palette because a neutral space helps breathe creativity and give you piece of mind.
For wall color, Decorator’s White by Benjamin Moore is one we use a lot.
AMBER INTERIORS Vintage
Willis Pillow
Cisco Home HAVANA SOFA
Cisco Home is a good option for soft, casual sustainably made sofas.
It’s important to have a balance of textures and earth elements like wood, stone, linen and leather. And, to mix new and vintage pieces. If everything in a space is brand new, it loses it’s character and looks overly manufactured. We incorporate pieces that have a family history or a history of its own to ground the space and feel like there’s life in it. There’s never a space we design that doesn’t have at least a few vintage pieces.
We source vintage furniture, accessories and art from Nicky Kehoe, Gallery Half, 1st Dibs & Chairish.
Design: Thea Home, Photo: Tessa Neustadt
namche bazaAR ASTIER DE VILLATTE INCENSE
Kitchen & Dining
Design: Thea Home, Photo: Morgan Pansing
I went to culinary school and worked as a professional chef. My love of cooking influences my kitchen designs in every possible way. Because I’m so experienced in the kitchen, we create a really balanced flow spatially, organizationally and material wise (we’re super practical).
When we design a kitchen, we try to designate a place for every appliance and tool so that your counters are free for you to work on. For example, we like to make a knife drawer and paper towel drawer so that they don’t have to sit on the counter.
My essential kitchen and dining tools —
LODGE CAST-IRON SKILLET
A skillet is the most versatile pan and a kitchen essential, every kitchen should have a cast iron skillet. It’s non stick without having any harmful chemicals. You can deep fry in it, you can sear in it, you can bake cakes in it and it’s virtually indestructible.
Pictured: Dorianne making Mujadara in her Lodge (get recipe)
VITAMIX Professional grade blender
kitchenaid STAND MIXER
Ever since pregnancy I’ve been baking a ton using my KitchenAid mixer. During quarantine I’ve been making challah every Friday. I also make a lot of fresh pasta.
Design: Thea Home, Photo: Morgan Pansing
LSA INTERNATIONAL
Cake Dome with Ash Base
Breville BARISTA TOUCH ESPRESSO MACHINE
This is unbelievable, it’s saved me through this quarantine. It makes coffee like your favorite coffee shop. And it’s no fuss, so easy to clean.
W&P PORTER CERAMIC MUG
Sheldon Ceramics
All of his stuff is stunning and I couldn’t recommend it more. I use everything from his mugs to dinnerware.
Design: Thea Home, Photo: Tessa Neustadt
I buy meat from Standing’s Butchery and bread from Tartine in LA.
Bedding
Design: Thea Home, Photo: Tessa Neustadt
I love how linen bedding looks. If you’re going for linen I recommend Mateo or Parachute. Get this look with Parachute Linen Sheets in White & Parachute Linen Box Quilt in Bone.
PARACHUTE LINEN SHEETS
PARACHUTE QUILT
FRETTE SHEETS
Personally, I love feeling like I’m in a hotel when I’m in my bed so I use Frette sheets at home.
AIRELOOM Mattress
I’m obsessed with my mattress, it’s amazing.
Nursery
Design: Thea Home, Photo: Morgan Pansing
KALON CARAVAN CRIB
I love Leo’s crib by Kalon, I pretty much install it in all the nurseries I design. It’s beautiful, natural, sustainable and made in the US.
Charlie Crane LEVO BABY BOUNCER
— As told to Carte