Christina S. Roughan
Roughan began her design career with iconic brands Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, designing and overseeing the implementation of retail stores and showrooms worldwide.
In 1996, she started Sullivan Design, an interior design firm based in NYC. Her talent for combining modern and traditional interiors in unexpected ways garnered the attention of prominent clients such as Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan and Takashimaya. In 1998 Sullivan Design decided to expand and take on a business partner to co-found Tocar, Inc, an interior design firm focusing on residential and commercial interiors.
In 2009, Roughan was founded and became a global international design firm with offices in Weston, CT and NYC.
With a reputation for listening carefully to the needs of clients, attention to detail, and discretion, Roughan has become a favorite of international celebrities as well as design editors at Interior Design magazine, House Beautiful, Elle Décor, CT Cottages & Gardens and AtHome Magazine to name a few. Christina lives with her husband and two daughters in a 200-year-old house in Weston, CT, which is, no surprise, in a constant state of renovation.
Continue reading to discover more about this talented designer…
Iván Meade – What was your first experience with design?
Christina S. Roughan – My first experience with design was grade school. My sister and I would put on neighbourhood variety shows during summer break while channelling “Captain & Tennille” for multiple performances of “Shop Around”. We would design the costumes and sets by using old patio furniture, kitchen utensils and our mother’s drapes. The entire neighbourhood would be involved in this Sullivan production.
My favourite “home” was an underground space accessed through a giant round pine bush in my backyard.
Interiors by Christina S. Roughan
Iván Meade – Who or what has influenced your style?
Christina S. Roughan – Travel, Music, fashion and old Hollywood have all influenced my style a great deal. From the designs of Edith Head to the streets of Paris anything that was visual appealing was always attractive. All of the above influences the way I design today.
Interiors by Christina S. Roughan
Iván Meade – How would you describe your style?
Christina S. Roughan – My style is modern traditional, depending on the project I gravitate towards one or the other. I constantly find inspiration in TH Robsjohn Gibbings and mid century modern design. Every time I view furniture pieces from that time period, it appears that the furniture was created through a combination of modern design while extracting elements from a more traditional past. This is the way I design when completing interiors.
Interiors by Christina S. Roughan
Iván Meade – What designers of past and present do you admire most?
Christina S. Roughan – I admire Billy Baldwin, David Hicks, Dorothy Draper, Chanel and Yves St.Laurent.
Interiors by Christina S. Roughan
Iván Meade – What do you consider to be your greatest strength and your greatest weakness?
Christina S. Roughan – My greatest strength is the ability to create a vision for our clients and complete the project in a reasonable time line through a series or organized installations and follow-ups. My greatest weakness is the disappointment when others do not follow-through with the same ideology.
Interiors by Christina S. Roughan
Iván Meade – What books are currently on your bedside or coffee table?
Christina S. Roughan – I must edit because there are so many, “The Russian Concubine” by Kate Furnvall, “Edward Wormley, The Other Faces of Modernism”, a vintage copy of House Beautiful, July 1936 and a vintage 1962 edition of “House & Gardens, Interior Decoration”.
Interiors by Christina S. Roughan
Iván Meade – What are you excited about right now in the world of design?
Christina S. Roughan – Great photography mixed with art and the ability to research new artist via the web. Also design blogs are a wonderful source of inspiration as well.
Interiors by Christina S. Roughan
Iván Meade – You both have a strong background with the fashion industry; what design cues do you take from the runway to incorporate into your interiors?
Christina S. Roughan- When viewing what’s on the runway, classically tailored looks that are modern and fresh like Ralph Lauren collections are always an inspiration to our interiors. The overall feel of a look can influence the interiors through color and texture.
Interiors by Christina S. Roughan
Iván Meade – What would be your dream project?
Christina S. Roughan – To design the interiors of a Mega Yacht and Private Jet and give the clients the “Roughan” stamp. How exciting to create interiors that literally will travel all of over the world. That’s Amazing! and of course Extremely FUN!
Interiors by Christina S. Roughan
Iván Meade – What project has given you the most satisfaction?
Christina S. Roughan – We recently completed a 1910 limestone townhouse on the upper eastside, NYC. The architecture alone was extremely beautiful and our clients art collection extraordinary. We completed this in two phases are per our clients request and the end result was superb. Each room had a purpose and we not only created beautiful interiors but they were functional for a young family of 6 as well.
Interiors by Christina S. Roughan
Iván Meade – What is your next design venture?
Christina S. Roughan – We have just started a wonderful Georgian style stone house in Greenwich CT. The interiors are going to be chic, sophisticated and friendly.
Interiors by Christina S. Roughan
Iván Meade – Lastly, you have already created a stunning body of work with many mediums and styles. What would you like your legacy to be?
Christina S. Roughan – I would like my legacy to be that I designed sophisticated, elegant modern traditional interiors that are timeless
Interiors by Christina S. Roughan
I invite you to visit Roughan Interior Design’s website and enjoy their stunning work.
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