Randolph Avenue House Becomes La Mer Design Studio

By SARAH GOLIBART
Cape Charles Wave

July 2, 2013

Referring to themselves affectionately as “Ebb and Flow,” Tammye Delk Van Clief and Nicolle Isaacs Smith contentedly drift about their studio, chatting as they unpack a new shipment from England.

They have named their new design company La Mer, reflecting themselves, the harbor town of Cape Charles, and the fluidity of life.

The big white house at 339 Randolph Avenue is home to their new business: Interiors – Furnishings – Events.

Tammye and Nicolle have given the house a complete facelift, showcasing their skills as interior designers, artists, and buyers of fabulous goods.

Along with the right furniture and decorative pieces, Tammye and Nicolle believe in “transforming a space with colors and lighting.”

The house not only serves as a place to display their fabulous finds (all offered for sale) but as an inspiration to the two veteran interior designers.

A documented structure in the Cape Charles Historic District dating to 1905, the “windswept old house fits exactly what we want to do,” says Tammye.

Rather than a shop, she and Nicolle wanted a studio, — a “work in progress,” where they can “think and put together ideas.”

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The two designers have enough material to write a book. The La Mer website credits Tammye with 20 years of working “side by side with homeowners, contractors, and architects creating functional and inspiring installations in fine homes from Charlottesville to Virginia’s Eastern Shore.”

Nicolle is well known locally as the former manager of Marina Shops in Bay Creek. She also is an experienced event planner.

La Mer studio contains a blend of “upcycled” and vintage items and antiques from all over the world.

Drawing inspiration from Cape Charles and the bay, Tammye and Nicole have infused their shop with a coastal flair based on a quote by John F. Kennedy: We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch — we are going back from whence we came.

In the same way that a visit to the sea (or bay) can be a return to basic, pure, organics,  a visit to La Mer Design is all about finding oneself and “revealing, staging, and celebrating your story.”

Tammye and Nicolle offer to create a space that is a perfect reflection of the homeowner. They see themselves as the “go to girls” in terms of interior design, furnishings, and event planning.

Their hope is that “La Mer Design will become a brand.” Based on their variety of experiences, eye for design, and loving embrace of the coastal atmosphere of Cape Charles, all the ingredients for success seem to be in place.

La Mer is open Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m.-4p.m., and by “Chance & Appointment.” Their website is at lamerdesign.com.