Meet Liz Craig | Vegan Interior Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Liz Craig and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Liz, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
For me, it is responsibility that matters the most. As a business person, a mother, a wife, a friend – people rely on me, and I have to live up to my responsibilities. Otherwise, you really can’t be taken seriously as a member of your community. This doesn’t mean that you can’t be interesting or fun or spontaneous, but just that you are committed to whatever is important in your sphere and others can trust in that.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My interior design practice, ecc interiors, offers eco-friendly and vegan design with a focus on wellness and bespoke elements. I have really dived into learning about sustainable materials that are friendly to the environment as well as healthy for humans. You would be shocked to know how many harmful chemicals are allowed to be used on and in our furnishings that we live with every day! I am also vegan and passionate about animal rights, so I select materials that are not derived from animals (unless they are vintage or antique).

Beyond designing homes that are sustainable, healthy, and cruelty-free, it is our mission to create beautiful and functional spaces that celebrate the client by incorporating their story, their identity, and their aspirations. Our aesthetic is eclectic, bold, and sophisticated, informed by extensive travel and a love of art.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love art museums, so in my view no one should miss the Getty, Getty Villa, all three MOCA locations, and the Huntington, which also has incredible gardens. Disney Hall, designed by Frank Gehry, is cool to see – might as well see a concert while you’re at it. I love hiking, and hiking the canyons in LA is like nowhere else. There are lots of different ones, from quiet to crowded, depending on your mood and goals. Also, exploring Venice Beach is a blast.

For food, Dan Tana’s is iconic for Italian food, and Craig’s is great for potential celebrity sightings and has good American cuisine with vegan offerings. My favorite vegan restaurants include Planta, Margo’s, Sage Vegan Bistro, Gracias Madre, Real Food Daily. But there are so many – LA is a great place to eat vegan food!! And let’s not forget about Chaumont Vegan, where they have incredible croissant, tarts, eclairs, and more, and Cake Girl for yummy comfort baked goods that are also gluten-, soy-, and nut-free.

I’m a big fan of vintage stores, and LA has a ton of good ones. But for scoring the best high-end clothes, you can’t beat Gift of Garb and TROVE.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I stayed home when my husband and I started a family, but of course when the kids got bigger, I had to figure out what I was going to do with myself. I used to work in finance, but I wanted to shift to something that would be meaningful to actual people and tap into my latent creativity as well. I did work with a career coach to narrow down to interior design, but my shout-out is dedicated to the Academy of Home Staging & Design. They have a wonderful program to help novices understand this surprisingly complex business and provide the basic foundations for moving forward. Wanda Colón was my instructor, and she was so lovely and energetic and supportive – she gave me the courage to believe I could start my own business in New York and thrive.

Website: https://eccinteriors.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecc_interiors/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-craig/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liz.craig.nyc