Design in Mind I: Bunny Williams & Elizabeth Lawrence
Welcome two influential voices in American design for an inspiring conversation about interiors, creativity, and the art of living beautifully for the first Design in Mind lecture of the four-part series. Join us at the historic Second Presbyterian Church for the Design in Mind Lecture Series with featured speakers Bunny Williams and Elizabeth Lawrence.
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Event Details
Welcome two influential voices in American design for an inspiring conversation about interiors, creativity, and the art of living beautifully. Bunny Williams brings decades of experience and an unmistakable point of view, while Elizabeth Lawrence adds her own thoughtful perspective to this engaging exchange. Together, they offer a rare opportunity to hear how experience, instinct, and curiosity continue to shape a meaningful design practice.
Speakers
Considered one of the most talented names in design, Bunny is also an accomplished businesswoman, entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist. A lover of dogs, gardens, and china, Bunny’s knowledge and expertise is on par with her enjoyment of life. Her business, Bunny Williams Inc., includes Williams Lawrence, Bunny Williams Home, and range of product and fabric lines, as well as her series of bestselling books.
Bunny launched her interior design firm in 1988 following a 22-year apprenticeship with the esteemed Parish-Hadley Associates, and in the following three decades, it has wrought its own indelible imprint and legacy. Bunny Williams Inc. is renowned for balancing refined beauty, welcoming livable appeal, and attention to detail. While the creation of delightful rooms is Bunny’s passion, the firm’s success is, above all, anchored in long-lasting and valued relationships with its clientele. The resulting commissions — many for repeat homeowners — are found across the United States and abroad, in city apartments, country estates and cottages; in the mountains and by the water. Bunny’s own houses and her long career have provided ample material and inspiration for eight books to date, and she is a sought-after speaker and mentor on design, decoration, gardening, and entertaining.
Bunny grew up in the countryside near Charlottesville, Virginia. A watershed moment at age 15 was visiting the Dorothy Draper-decorated Greenbrier Resort, which had a color palette unlike anything Bunny had ever seen. “It really opened my eyes and the lesson I learned was not to play it safe,” shares Bunny. Her parents encouraged her passion for the arts and led her to Garland Junior College in Boston, where she studied interior design.
Upon moving to New York, Bunny worked at Stair & Co., an antiques gallery frequented by Sister Parish and Albert Hadley. Bunny subsequently joined Parish-Hadley and remained at the venerable firm for 22 years.
“I was honored to work there and was exposed to so much; their extraordinary projects and partnership, the design process, everything. By the time I left, I’d been the secretary, an assistant, and a buyer. I had the tools and experience to run my own enterprise, which I did — starting with three people working out of my guest bedroom!”
Shortly thereafter, fueled by her devotion to gardening, Bunny opened Treillage in 1991 along with her husband, the antiques dealer John Rosselli. Considered both groundbreaking and industry changing, Treillage drew A-list designers, editors, and tastemakers to its off-the-beaten- track, Upper East Side destination for the ultimate in home and garden. “We had Treillage for twenty-five years, but all good things come to an end. Now, with Bunny Williams Home, I’m proud to show an entire line of furniture, lighting, art and accessories under one roof.”
Never one to rest on her many awards, accolades, and honors, Bunny keeps her eye on what’s next, whether it’s a new interior design project with her business partner at Williams Lawrence, Elizabeth Lawrence; her new collections for Bunny Williams Home; her collaborations with Ballard Designs; a new fabric line; or her next book. Follow along with Bunny’s personal adventures on Instagram @bunnys_eye.
Elizabeth Lawrence is a partner at Williams Lawrence. She has spent her career working alongside Bunny, designing projects across the country, from Manhattan to Palm Beach to Los Angeles. Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Elizabeth attended the University of Richmond and then the New York School of Interior Design. She was honored by The New York School of Interior Design at their annual gala in 2020 and her work has been widely published in The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Veranda, Galerie, House Beautiful, and many others. A few of her current projects include a new country estate, a glamorous New York City townhouse, a Palm Beach getaway and a young family’s apartment overlooking Central Park. The firm’s newest book, Decoration, will be published by Rizzoli in the fall of 2026.
Elizabeth and her family live in New York City and Elizabeth often shares snapshots of her work, travels, tablescapes, great design finds, and other adventures on her personal Instagram, @elizabeth_m_lawrence.