Not many people would tell Julia Buckingham she wasn’t ready for a challenge. The former antiques dealer and very in-demand interior designer had been working for years on multiple projects that showcased her trademarked term, Modernique, and Buckingham thought she had enough material for a book. “Three years ago, I met the woman who eventually became my agent, but at that point, she said, ‘You’re not ready,’” explains Buckingham, who kept designing and working with partners, like Global Views, a home accessories brand. Those collaborations put Buckingham in the rarefied company of designers like Barbara Barry and Dwell Studio. “Then [the agent] called and said, ‘You’re ready.’”
That vote of confidence and lots of hard work (five photo shoots in six weeks) led to the just-published Modernique ($40, Abrams). Like the homes she designs, Modernique shows how Buckingham mixes her style of old and new for maximum chic. “I weave together a lot of components in most projects,” she says. “It’s blending the old with the new to reveal beauty and delight in unexpected pairings.”
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