Quick Takes With: Erin Rouse

If ever there were a household object that epitomizes beauty in utility, it’s a well-made broom. Specifically, an Erin Rouse broom. Through Custodian, Erin makes Shaker-style brooms that are as stunning as they are functional, from the maple handles and low-water sorghum used to make the brushes down to the nails (from a heritage American company that’s been making them for over 200 years). The brooms are so special that when Fan first clued us into Erin’s work, we featured them as an Object of Desire.

Erin’s also a textile artist: “I do natural dyeing, a bit of teaching, and have returned to weaving, which I first learned 10 years ago—around the same time that I started reading Remodelista!” she writes. And coming up? “I’m having a brooms and hats party with my friend Gigi Burris at her studio on Tuesday evening. You’re invited! Future projects: some big woven tapestries in naturally dyed celadon and Inga red. And on a personal note, I’m looking forward to voting early next week. Go Harris!”

Today Erin writes in from Brooklyn with a “dreamy” movie recommendation, the shelves that keep her apartment in order, and a smart skill to learn. Read on:

You’re invited to dinner. What’s your go-to gift?

Pretzel shortbread cookies from Lost Bread Co. I get them at the Grand Army Plaza farmer’s market, but they ship, too. The flavor and texture are unexpected and satisfying.

What’s on your bedside table?

A table lamp that I hand-carried home from Copenhagen many years ago. A short stack of books (I’m about to finish the new Sally Rooney), The New Yorker, and a pen for the crossword; Gehwol hand cream; a tiny and torturous trigger-point ball to release my achy muscles (making things is hard on the body); lovely Ted Muehling earrings from my husband that I take off before bed; a dish from my friend Michele of Elephant Ceramics; and a handful of rocks/leaves/acorns/twigs that my children gift me every day.

What podcast or playlist do you put on when you need inspiration?

Audiobooks from the library. Currently Pride and Prejudice.

What’s a film or TV show whose aesthetic has stuck with you?

La Chimera by Alice Rohrwacher. Oh my gosh this movie! It follows a former archeologist who is part of an Italian grave-robbing gang searching for Etruscan artifacts in the 1980s. It’s dreamy, gorgeous, shabby, and sublime. One of the primary themes is who gets to experience beauty, and what is it worth? I was so enamored of Josh O’Connor’s suit, and really whole vibe, that I bought a book by a Saville Row tailor on designing and sewing your own. A spring project.

What has been your best house upgrade?

Modular shelving. I have six bays of the String system and love rearranging the components to suit the ever-changing needs of my family. In a small Brooklyn apartment, there are only so many ways the furniture can fit. But the bookshelves can be reconfigured endlessly. It scratches the itch to freshen things up. 

A simple or budget-friendly design move you wish you’d known sooner?

Learn how to rewire a lamp. It’s easy! Lamps are like chairs: They can add so much personality to a room in one discrete item. I have lamps from my childhood home, ones I’ve picked up on travels and in thrift stores, and I’ve rewired them all. You can use really nice cloth cord and even add dimmer switches. 

My favorite sheets are…

A linen set from Bed Threads in Pink Clay. 

My favorite paint color for the bedroom is…

Farrow & Ball Studio Green. It’s dark and moody and everything looks good against it. Especially pink sheets.

My go-to kitchen utensil is…

A flat wooden spatula/scraper that my in-laws gave me for Christmas. It’s the perfect size and shape and feels nice to hold.

First design love?

My tante Inga’s German kitchen. Her favorite color was “Inga Red,” a bright tomato hue. Such a great color. She and her husband built their house in the early ’70s, and the kitchen, her domain, was top to bottom Inga red. She was confident in what she liked, and even as a child I could recognize and admire that. She also took meticulous care of everything.

What item from your closet do you have on repeat?

A pair of black raw silk drawstring pants from The Row and black floral jacquard cotton wrap pants from Caron Callahan. Both scored secondhand. I need clothes made to move, and these are light, comfortable, and wonderfully made. 

Favorite design shop to visit (online or in person)?

Is anywhere more inviting than John Derian? I also admire Rennes in Philly and Pod in Cambridge, MA. 

Something you’re coveting?

The Nickey Kehoe Modern Sofa in Claremont Tree of Life fabric was love at first sight. I have two young children and a senior dog, so for now we’re sticking with our 2014 sofa.co.uk two-seater. But one day…

Thanks so much, Erin! Follow her work @custodianstudio and custodian.studio.