Hi there! I’m Ivy Pierce, interior designer and founder of the block print lifestyle collection, India & Ivy. I was born & raised in Texas, but now live in Oklahoma with my very own circus (my husband, our two-year-old daughter, Heidi, two German Shepherds and a Siamese cat!)

Follow along on Instagram at @indiaandivy

I was raised in a family full of artistic, creative women, so a degree in Interior Design seemed the natural course for me. I graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2012 and worked in the industry for several years before founding my own firm in 2017. 

My husband and I went on a bucket list trip throughout northern India in 2019 before we started trying for a baby. We had a wonderful travel agent who knew my background as a designer and my love for textiles, rugs and traditional Indian handicrafts. She set us up on a tour of some incredible workrooms where I admittedly went a little crazy on the souvenir shopping (I have a weakness for table linens!). On the plane ride home I decided I HAD to do something with my newfound passion for Indian textiles and started brainstorming for what would eventually become India & Ivy a year later! 

During the pandemic I was going stir crazy at home with my new baby - interiors had slowed down for a few months while we were in lockdown, and I had time to really think about what I wanted to do with my knowledge of block printing.  It felt like a natural step for me to start a lifestyle collection that serves other women like me - the mother, the casual hostess, the textile lover, etc.

In this day and age we are inundated with beautiful imagery all day long from social media. It can be hard to narrow down exactly what you like. Select five of your favorite inspiration photos and dissect every detail - is it the fabrics, the colors, the silhouettes or the textures that you’re attracted to? I would say this principle applies to both interior and personal style. My personal interior style is very similar to my taste in fashion - lots of florals, classic lines, and just a touch of granny! 

Ivy wears the Lorena Gown

For interiors projects I typically start with an inspiration photo or a central fabric or element that I will then use to pull out other colors and complementary patterns. For example, my formal living room’s color scheme was inspired by my Chinese Famille Rose porcelain collection. 

For my Indian products, I work closely with our block printers in Jaipur to select a pattern from their library of hand carved wood blocks - sometimes we have our own blocks carved if I want a very specific pattern. Next we go through several different test prints to get the color palette just right. I joke that this business was formed purely out of selfish motives - I design products that I want and need for my own home and life! 

Oh self care is admittedly not my strong suit - after two years I’m still learning how to balance, work, motherhood and time for myself.  If anyone has the secret recipe, send it to me please! 

To me, self-care doesn’t necessarily mean working out or beauty maintenance (although I do love my eyelash extensions!), but rather taking time to clear my mind, spend time with the people I love, and recharge my brain so that I can be a more patient mom and a more appreciative spouse. My favorite way to spend a morning is perusing an estate sale for vintage treasures with a girlfriend or my mom… retail therapy! 

​​The best piece of advice I ever received was to “know your worth, and add tax”. As a small business owner you are truly your best advocate in all situations. I’ve worked my tail off to be where I am today, and I remind myself every day to never sell myself short! 

Settling into our new home (we moved in two day before Christmas), some exciting interiors projects (both personal and professional), and watching India & Ivy continue to grow and expand into new categories!

​​Where do I begin? I’m an old soul, and I adore dressing in vintage 50s and 60s clothing. To me, Mestiza embodies classic, old-school glamour. The pieces are beautifully cut,  timeless silhouettes you can wear this year, next year, and even gift your daughter in 20 years (Heidi should be so lucky!).

I’m wearing the gorgeous Lorena Gown for my first formal dinner party in our new home. I love to entertain at home and believe a hostess’s best line of defense is a beautifully set table and a killer dress - no one will notice the slightly singed dinner rolls or that the dessert is store bought if your dress is this good! I’m styling it with the bow in front, which is so flattering for those of us who aren’t big fans of our mid-sections! I also can’t wait to style it with the bow in back - very Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes!