Martyn Lawrence Bullard Wants You to Pile On the Coffee Table Books
Martyn Lawrence Bullard Wants You to Pile On the Coffee Table Books
The award-winning designer behind Godmothers shares his favorite songs, his go-to hostess gift, and more.
Some say that a person’s eyes are a window into their soul. For designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, the window is coffee table books. They’re a design element he leans on in his own home—“My entire office is filled with them,” he told Godmothers. “I use them all the time for reference.” But he’s also drawn to other people’s collections: “A coffee table book is a wonderful thing to decorate a coffee table with, but it’s also a window into the owner of that coffee table’s personality. It’s a way that we express ourselves and show who we are and what our interests are, whether that’s fashion or design or cars. Whatever your interests are, a coffee table book can give a little peek at that. And to me, that’s a wonderful thing.”
When it came to designing Godmothers, Bullard sought out pieces as storied as the books inside. His favorites include a 200-year-old ladder from the library of an English country home, which found new purpose as a small-books display. There are also kid-size vintage school chairs in the children’s space that invite the store’s youngest guests to settle in, and a massive 17th-century refectory table from Spain that holds piles of books just inside the main-floor entryway.
Among the 8,000-plus titles you’ll find at Godmothers is Star Style, Bullard’s third book, which is the culmination of his 30 years (so far) in the design industry. Below, the Million Dollar Decorators star shares what he’s currently reading—plus, the songs that always put him in a good mood, and his go-to hostess gift.
GODMOTHERS: Beyond the coffee table, are there any other books you’ve loved lately?
MARTYN LAWRENCE BULLARD: Ludwig Bemelmans’ To the One I Love the Best, which is based on a true story about Elsie de Wolfe, a queen of design, and a relationship she struck up with someone in Los Angeles late in her life. It’s a fascinating, fabulous book.
GODMOTHERS: Victoria Jackson, who co-founded Godmothers with Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, just published her fifth book, We All Worry, Now What? In it she speaks about her own life as a prolific worrier, and how to move on from worry—how not to be paralyzed by it. Are you someone who worries a lot?
MLB: I don’t worry a lot by nature. I mean, for the business I guess I do. I’m very detail-oriented, and there’s an element of worry that comes with that. But I can’t worry about the things I can’t change. I believe what will be will be, and so I kind of use that as my mantra. But, you know, I’m in the service industry, I’m here to create wonderful interiors for my clients and make their decorative dreams come true. And there are elements of worry in that, because things can go wrong.
GODMOTHERS: If you find yourself spiraling a little with worry, how do you snap out of it?
MLB: It’s important to give yourself a minute to re-think on something, or to meditate for a moment. And often that will bring you the answer. Listen, this isn’t brain surgery. There’s always an answer.
GODMOTHERS: One of the tenets of We All Worry, Now What? is that establishing a routine can help mitigate worry. If living in chaos can make you feel chaotic, then the opposite is true: Having rituals and routines can give you a baseline of calmness. So with that in mind, what’s your morning routine?
MLB: You know, I’m a Brit, through and through. So the first thing I do is make a cup of tea. I drink Twinings Earl Grey in the morning.
GODMOTHERS: Wait, is the British way with milk or without milk?
MLB: With milk, of course.
GODMOTHERS: I knew one was right and the other was wrong, but I didn’t know which was which!
MLB: No, no. With milk, of course. And then, it sounds weird, but going to my dressing room kind of starts my creative process. I built out a very special dressing room for myself that allows me to see all my clothes, all of my accessories, all of my things. And getting ready in the morning, picking what I’m going to wear, sort of delineates the mood and the person I feel like I’m going to be that day.
GODMOTHERS: Once you’ve found that person and started your day, how do you get your news?
MLB: Most of it comes at me through my phone. I will turn on the TV for a little bit in the morning, usually while I’m brushing my teeth. And then in the evening, I’ll sit and watch David Muir on TV and catch up on the state of the world.
GODMOTHERS: Are there any apps that you use all the time?
MLB: My step-counter.
GODMOTHERS: How many steps do you get in a day?
MLB: Well, listen, I try my hardest to get between 10,000 and 15,000. Sometimes I fail miserably, but I do try hard.
GODMOTHERS: What are three songs that always put you in a good mood?
MLB: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” the Diana Ross version. “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John, that’s my absolute favorite. Elton sang that once at one of my birthdays. It was amazing. And “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. It aways makes me happy. Every time I hear it, it makes my toes tap.
GODMOTHERS: How do you get yourself out of a funk if you’re just feeling blah or uninspired?
MLB: Music. Music always changes my mood. I surround myself with music, and I find listening to it a really uplifting experience. I have a great record player and a little collection of vinyl. But everything’s really on Spotify in my house. And I have some friends, like RuPaul, for instance, who puts together these great playlists and sends them to me. My father was an opera singer, so music is in my blood. I need it around me.
GODMOTHERS: Besides music, what are some other things that make your day more enjoyable, whether it’s your favorite pen or water bottle or ...?
MLB: Definitely my tea. In the afternoon, iced green tea from Starbucks. It gives me a little pep in my step. And I love fragrance.
GODMOTHERS: Is there a candle that you love?
MLB: Well, I have my own candle line, Signature Extraordinaire. And there’s an incense by Saint Rita Parlor called Rita’s Car. It’s a super-unusual smell, but I love it.
GODMOTHERS: Is there a charity that’s important to you at this moment?
MLB: The Elton John AIDS Foundation. Elton and David Furnish have been longtime clients of mine and also friends. They’ve devoted the better part of their life to that foundation. And they’ve changed the face of the world in so many ways.
GODMOTHERS: You spend most of your time in Los Angeles. What are your favorite local businesses there?
MLB: There’s a wonderful small café called S.O.L. They have fresh food that’s beautifully made and great coffee. It’s just a really cool little spot and I love it. There’s also Orange, a vintage furniture business. They have a fabulous eye, and I really love their aesthetic. And then Santa Maria Novella, a perfumier that started in an Italian monastery 800 years ago.
GODMOTHERS: What’s your go-to hostess gift?
MLB: Often a candle. I also love to give fragrant drawer liners. They just give the most wonderful fragrance, and a little touch of luxury. And they’re something people don’t think about buying for themselves.
GODMOTHERS: What’s your nighttime routine?
MLB: I always drink a big glass of water before bed. I wash my face and use a serum and a face cream. I’ll snuggle with my dog, Daisy, and read a chapter—or at least a few pages—of a book, because that really puts me to sleep.
GODMOTHERS: Moving on from your day-to-day life, Godmothers celebrated its grand opening earlier this month. The name of the store, as you know, was inspired by fairy godmothers—the women who cheer us on, celebrate us, and light us up. Is there a “godmother” who shaped your life?
MLB: Liz Heller. I met her when she was the executive vice president of Capitol Records. She was one of my first-ever clients, and she now oversees the product and licensing parts of my business. She’s an extraordinary friend, and she’s someone who I look to for guidance.
GODMOTHERS: What’s the best advice she ever gave you?
MLB: One day about 30 years ago, we sat in a little café in West Hollywood, and she had me write out my career goals on the back of a napkin. And systematically, every single one of those goals has been achieved. And she kind of made that happen, from that napkin. I wish I still had it, because I’d have it in a gilded frame. It was such an extraordinary thing.
Star Style by Martyn Lawrence Bullard.
To the One I Love the Best by Ludwig Bemelmans.
We All Worry, Now What? by Victoria Jackson
Twinings Earl Grey Tea. (Ahem, serve it with milk.)
Photo courtesy of Mitch Filippo. Shop Martyn’s Signature Extraordinaire candles at the Martyn Lawrence Bullard Atelier, 8550 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, California 90069.
Saint Rita Parlor Rita’s Car incense.
Quotes have been edited for length & clarity. All products mentioned were independently selected. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Godmothers Gather: Upcoming Events
6 p.m. | Wednesday, September 18
In Conversation with Ed Burns
actor, filmmaker & author of A Kid from Marlboro Road
6 p.m. | Thursday, September 19
In Conversation with Diana Raab
author of Hummingbird: Messages from My Ancestors
4:30 p.m. | Saturday, September 21
The Revolutionary Love Bus Tour
6 p.m. | Thursday, September 26
In Conversation with Laura Dave & Jordan Moblo
author of The Night We Lost Him & EVP of Creative Acquisitions and IP Management for Universal Studios
11 a.m. | Saturday, September 28
Storytime with Elisa Stad
author of Mama’s Love Language
1 p.m. | Saturday, September 28
Book Signing with Marissa Meyer
author of With a Little Luck