At the Table With: Annie Meyers-Shyer
Ft. an impeccable table and a peach galette
At the Table With is a monthly interview series that explores the ideas of creativity and personal taste through the eyes of my friends (or people I would like to be friends with.) This month’s guest is someone with exceptionally good taste who I am very excited to chat with: Annie Meyers-Shyer!
Like many of you, I consume an absurd amount of interior design content. I was genetically predisposed to love the design world—my mom was an interior designer, and in an alternate universe I might have taken the path marked “interiors” instead of the one marked “graphics” to follow in her footsteps. (Who knows, I still might!) I deeply respect people who are experts in their craft—the type of designers who exist beyond the trends—creating spaces that transcend time or place and tell the layered, intimate stories of the people who live in them.
With the exception of a select few TV shows (Devol Kitchens’ For The Love of Kitchens, Leanne Ford’s Restored By The Fords, Nate and Jer’s various projects) I typically don’t love home reno content. Not to be a snob about it, but I find it utterly frustrating to watch people cut corners to save money or make decisions that will age in mere months. I simultaneously believe that you can and should do whatever you want in your home and also that 99% of what’s out there is cheap and ugly and boring and I want no part in it. So I tend to opt out.
But when I stumbled onto @thisoakhouse, an Instagram account by the one and only Annie Meyers-Shyer, dedicated to documenting the renovation process of a historic home in Beverly Hills, I knew I had to follow along. I mean, look at this drawing of the house:
It’s pretty clear in everything Annie shares via her Stories that she cares a lot about the quality and timelessness of the choices she makes. Watching Annie decide between ¾-inch cabinet knobs or 1-inch cabinet knobs, or choose a paint color for trim (and opt for visible brush strokes in the paint) is so satisfying for a compulsively detail oriented person like me. Rarely do we get such an intimate look into the process of designing and building a house, (and I totally understand why—designers don’t often want to share their sources, for obvious reasons,) but thankfully Annie has let us all into the process. I have no doubt that This Oak House (a collaboration with designer Mike Moser, whose work I love) is going to end up being something really special. One peek at her Pinterest boards and you’ll see what I mean.
And yes, Annie’s last name might ring a bell… Her parents are Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer. They’re a family known for their great taste and their ability to tell meaningful, charming, pull-at-your-heartstrings stories that stand the test of time. So it makes perfect sense to me that Annie has brought all of that heart to the process of designing her dream home, too.
I asked Annie a few questions…
Ali LaBelle: First things first, tell us a little about yourself!
Annie Meyers-Shyer: I was born and raised in Los Angeles—I loved growing up here. LA is an industry town and I grew up surrounded by the creative side of it. I had a vibrant and wonderful childhood.
I went to college in Washington DC, then after graduating I moved to NYC and worked as a fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar. It was the early 2000s, which was a really fun time to work in fashion… It was the era of town cars, messengers, and charge accounts. It was glorious.
I moved back to Los Angeles in 2009 and worked in-house at CHANEL. I was there for a little over 5 years as their West Coast PR. I left CHANEL after I had my second son in 2015. I loved working there and felt very lucky to be at the brand during Karl Lagerfeld's reign.
My husband Robby and I have two boys ages 8 and 11. During the pandemic, my mother-in-law moved to Montecito full time, leaving behind a beautiful 1940s Gerard Colcord house. In an effort to keep this special house in our family, we decided to move into it and do some “updates.” Cut to 4 years later and we’re still in construction. (To be fair, the construction has only been the last 2 years.) To document the project, I started the Instagram account @thisoakhouse, which I initially created just for fun, but it has unexpectedly grown into a cherished source of joy and community.
AL: I’m such a big fan of your Instagram, and I really appreciate how open you are about the choices you’ve made, your sources, and any specific little detail someone asks you about in the DMs. We don’t often get a glimpse of the design process from the client side… What inspired you to let us all in on it, and how has building a community of fans in the process affected the experience? (Side note: I wish someone was filming it all—I’d 100% watch that reality show.)
AMS: Thank you! Honestly, I never expected it to take off. I thought it would be a fun way for my friends from NY and elsewhere to watch our house renovation progress. I had and still have no real roadmap for the account and didn't foresee gaining a significant following—I’m truly an accidental influencer.
As I began the design process, I noticed how much gatekeeping exists in interior design. Especially compared to the fashion industry, where influencers tag every item on their bodies. In design, finding sources often feels like a game of mental gymnastics; I’ve spent countless hours reverse-Googling lamps and such.
It’s in my nature to thoroughly research everything, from smart locks to gutters, leaving no stone unturned. Literally. If I can save someone time by sharing what I’ve learned, I see that as a valuable contribution. I’m enjoying sharing everything I discover and hope my insight is helping others in their own renovation journeys.
AL: To design a house down to the tiniest detail seems like a dream project, one that I bet will feel so satisfying when it’s done. I think you likely have a strong sense of what you love and what you don’t, but I can imagine that there have been creative challenges along the way. How do you keep yourself from losing sight of the vision? How do you stay centered on what feels like you without being influenced by trends, or overwhelmed by a sea of inspiration?
AMS: I am definitely not someone who gets influenced by trends, not in the way I dress or in my interiors. My mom built her house in 1998 and made timeless choices—the house is still perfect today, almost 30 years later. I think about that all the time.
I like to think my style is classic, warm, and inviting. My mom and my sister are two key influences. Other major inspirations are Rose Tarlow, Rose Uniacke, and Gil Schafer; all three are the greatest.
Doing a house is a very expensive endeavor and I want to make choices I will love forever. And yes, there have been many challenges along the way. I don’t always make the right choice, but I try to make the best choice given the circumstances.
I never rush things. I like to see options, samples, etc. I always try to listen to my gut. I also have a few select people I really trust and I get their opinions.
AL: With the knowledge that you have now, if you were giving design advice to a past version of yourself (maybe at a time you were a renter, or were just starting to understand your aesthetic,) what would you tell her? What things could she do to make her space her own?
AMS: Oh, I’d just tell her to start saving her shekels!
I think paint and hardware can really upgrade a place. When in doubt, paint it white!
AL: I can imagine the new house is going to be the perfect place for entertaining. What do you do to prepare for having people over? Do you have any tips for someone who is intimidated by the prospect of hosting? And bonus question: If you’re a guest at someone else’s house, what do you bring?
AMS: I am SO excited to host… I’ve been dreaming about it! Great hosting takes prep on the front end. Figuring out serving pieces, marketing lists, flower arranging…
When I’m a guest at someone else’s house I like to bring something useful, thoughtful, or tasty. Recently, I made homemade butter and brought it to someone with a loaf of crusty fresh bread (that I didn’t make.)
AL: Let’s do a little visualization exercise! Imagine your dream dinner party. You can invite anyone (living or not, famous or not,) serve anything, and host it anywhere. Where’s the party?
AMS: The backyard at This Oak House.
AL: What’s on the table? How are you decorating?
AMS: A Catswood tablecloth, William Yeoward hurricanes, and Gien green rimmed plates. My outdoor dining table is 44 inches wide, so hopefully I’ll be able to serve dinner family style. There would be simple flowers and soft throws on the back of each chair in case my guests get chilly. (We’re putting in heaters from Infratech, so I hope it won’t be too cold.)
AL: Who’s invited?
AMS:
My great-grandmother Annie, who I never really met—she died when I was a baby. My mom loved her so much and I’d love to have her over for dinner.
My parents.
Jon Stewart and Bill Maher, because there's just a lot I’d love to chat with them about.
Michelle Obama, for obvious reasons. I’d love her husband to come, too.
I’d have my best friend Zoe Winkler and her husband Rob Reinis. Zoe started This Is About Humanity, a charity dedicated to supporting separated and reunified families at the border. Her husband is an amazing builder here in LA.
My husband, of course.
A smattering of people I find super cool and interesting: The brilliant architect Gil Schafer, Martha Stewart, and Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach—I love their podcast.
Oh, and David Blaine! Hanging with him sounds very fun.
AL: What are you wearing?
AMS: I’m wearing flats—my days of heels are o-v-e-r. Maybe a pair of The Row Gala pants and a thin cashmere sweater.
AL: What’s on the menu? What are we drinking?
AMS: I don’t drink, but I’ll serve Avaline Wine made by my friend Katherine Power. (We should invite Katherine to the dinner party too.)
And I’ll have a signature cocktail: a riff on the Ivy Gimlet. It’s a recipe from my longtime friend and caterer Jennifer Naylor. (She catered our wedding!)
For the meal, I think I’ll cook and serve it family style. We’ll have:
Chicken Milanese
Braised short ribs
Peach, tomato, burrata salad
Bucatini with pesto and peas
Skillet string beans with bread crumbs
When crafting a menu it's nice to have options for people with dietary restrictions. A vegan or vegetarian would be just fine at this party. Phew.
I’m very into making stone fruit galettes at the moment, so I’d serve a peach galette with vanilla ice cream.
AL: What music is playing?
AMS: My sister Hallie makes the best playlists, so I’ll have her make one. Let's invite her too! And her husband Ophir.
AL: Quick fire round. What’s your favorite scent or smell?
AMS: A roast chicken in the oven.
AL: Favorite artist?
AMS: Claude Monet.
AL: Last thing you read?
AMS: My son’s 5th grade summer reading book… I wanted to see what his school was suggesting he read, so I read it first. Hellloooo helicopter mom!
AL: Comfort food?
AMS: Pasta with butter and parmesan cheese.
AL: Thing you bought recently?
JJ: Some beautiful pitchers from La Tuile a Loup.
Annie, the biggest thank you for saying yes to letting a random internet stranger pick your brain! Follow @thisoakhouse on Instagram to follow along with the home reno process (and for her weekly Q+As—my favorite.)
x
Ali
In case you missed it:
Your “I don’t drink” comment made me think to suggest checking out The Red Thread Atelier on Instagram. Not only is Vaughn setting trends with her new “not your grandmothers needlepoint” biz on Long Island, but she’s just designed an incredibly beautiful, thoughtful and smart “Sober” set of canvasses just for her friends who prefer mocktails these days. It’s a special project that I found incredibly touching. And, full disclosure, I had no idea of it until she revealed it on her “What’s doing Wednesday?” live reel…& I’m her Mom!
this is internet comfort food