Photos courtesy of Joshua McHugh and Pam Connolly

Princeton Magazine gets an inside look at the creative force behind Eastridge Design. 

When asked why she chose Princeton, New Jersey as the home base for her eponymous interior design firm Eastridge Design, Kate Eastridge’s answer is simple: “I love Princeton.”

It’s a small town with a big heart, and it’s a community,” she continues. “It has an international population due to the University and the pharma-corridor. People in Princeton are smart people, and smart people are interested in learning about things they may not know. When Eastridge Design does a project for a customer in Princeton they are so curious, and we have a lot of fun working with them.”

Having had a hand in crafting the houses of both Princeton University and Brown University’s Presidents, it’s clear that Katie also possesses the keen sensibilities of a Princetonian. As a 25-year resident of the town, this comes as no surprise.

The former TriBeca gallery artist and photography teacher at the New York City School of Visual Arts has decades of experience in the creative arts sector. Always doing interior design on the side, Katie transformed her passion into a business while living in NYC, and in 1991, she took her two sons, husband, and Eastridge Design to Princeton.

Although geographically located on the corner of Nassau Street and Harrison Street, Eastridge Design does work through out the country. In the past five years, Katie and her team have transformed homes in the tri-state area, Florida, and California. Whether it’s a cottage in Princeton or an estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, Eastridge Design stays with its customers from beginning to end. “We attend every installation,” explains Katie. “Nothing ever goes into a home without a full staff there to greet the truck and ensure that everything is exactly as we planned. No matter the project, my main goal is to make a family feel good about living in their house and have it last.”

Not only does Katie create enduring spaces, but also enduring client relationships. It is not uncommon for repeat clients to call Eastridge Design every few years for updates on their interiors. Retaining a particularly strong following in NYC, Katie’s firm is currently spearheading the public areas of buildings on Central Park West and Central Park South in addition to private city residencies.

A true artist, Katie explains that “every day of being alive” inspires her work. Along with her world travels, photography, the vibrant city, and nature, Katie’s source of inspiration is often her clients. Her organic approach to design emphasizes the simple notion that a home should reflect the people living in it. As a result, her aesthetic grows and changes with each project while maintaining an unmatched level of sophistication, luxuriousness, and livability. Designing furniture, carpets, and lighting in house, Eastridge Design is able to create residential interiors that are tailored to the distinct needs, lifestyle, and taste of each client.

Eastridge Design, located at 342 Nassau Street, has a showroom and shop that offers their line of upholstered furniture and beautifully curated gifts. Store hours are Wednesday-Saturday, 11am – 4pm, but Katie and her team are open by appointment all of the time. Simply put by Katie, “We’re here any time for anyone who needs us.”

From Hawthorne trees to the New York Times home delivery, Katie Eastridge of Eastridge Design shares the things that drive her creative spirit.

The New York Times home delivery is the quintessential spark that begins my day. By 5:00am the paper arrives and I love reading it from cover to cover while sipping a delicious espresso in the dim morning light. I particularly look forward to Mondays and Fridays as a certain special op-ed columnist publishes on those days.

Being surrounded by Creative People. We think differently. We make connections relating tangents. We see relationships amongst unexpected things and see details others do not. My entire family is creative; my parents, my sister, my children. We hear something and it reminds us of something else. We see a rock and it turns into a chair. I am accustomed to this pliable mindset and love the riff.

My Husband is the funniest person I have ever known. That’s why I married him. He never fails to make me laugh when I have stopped wanting to laugh and am feeling very serious.

Pretty. Pleasing, organized, simple, beautiful proportions, luxurious fabrics, and wonderful shapes, put it all together. It’s so pretty!

Visiting Art Museums with my family and friends. Each time I see a new exhibition I am informed, and by visiting with others I learn what inspires them, and I see the world differently. The New Whitney inaugural show inspired me for a solid year. Last week, I saw a Morandi painting at the Princeton University Art Museum that inspired my next project’s color palette – pale greys through yellows, and lavenders. No matter how many dozens of times I have seen the permanent collection…there is always something new that inspires.

Walks through Princeton University Campus. Well cared for buildings, collegiate gothic architecture, big trees, and squirrels running around. A snapshot of American architecture, right here in our town.

Doing Nothing. Thinking Nothing. This is really hard for a workaholic. I am learning that an empty mind makes a better foundation for a fresh view on life and the work each new day brings. Experience enters when the mind is free to receive it.

Designing Chairs – a gorgeous, comfortable chair is the best foundation for a peaceful and happy home. I will never run out of ideas for the next best chair.

Hawthorne Trees – All trees are beautiful, but if I had to pick a favorite it would be the modest Hawthorne with its berries, flaky bark, and white flowers. It is a three-season showstopper. Every home I have landscaped has a row of Hawthorne trees near the breakfast table. Birds love them, and I love watching the birds, while reading the New York Times.

Setting the table for Thanksgiving – It’s almost as much fun as the party itself! I have never not had Thanksgiving at my house… each year, the flowers, the tableware, the candles are so much fun to put together. True confessions… I like it better than cooking.