The Design Questionnaire with Pulp Design Studios
In this edition of Love Happens’ Proust-style Design Questionnaire, join us for a peek inside the creative minds of ladies behind Pulp Design Studios, Beth Dotolo and Carolina V Gentry. Beth and Carolina joined design forces in 2007 founding PDS. Today Pulp Design Studio has interior design offices in Seattle, Dallas, and Los Angeles along with Pulp Home, an online shop of original designs and curated goods.
At Pulp Design Studios thoughtful design is at the root of everything they create. Design that results in an irresistible mix of modern and livable, infused with personality.
With their unique ‘Splendid Living’ process to full-service interiors, Pulp Design Studios strives to elevate their client’s daily living experience and improve how they ‘do life’ in their spaces.
Read on for a peek inside the thoughtful and adventurous minds of Beth Dotolo and Carolina V Gentry!
The Lh Design Questionnaire with Beth Dotolo and Carolina V Gentry of Pulp Design Studios
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Carolina: Obviously my friends and family bring me happiness, but one of the things that brings me happiness on a daily basis is how we change our client’s lives by designing beautiful spaces for them.
Beth: Being surrounded by people I care about and love, surrounded by a beautiful space, and having the freedom to travel and do creative work… with of course a martini in hand.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Carolina: Working for one of the 100 giants companies in interior design in my early career. Then following that up by forming my own interior design company with my wonderful business partner, Beth Dotolo.
Beth: My children and building a business.
What profession does your alter ego have?
Carolina: My alter ego profession is a food snob chef, because I love food SO much.
Beth: A business coach. I always want to help other people build their businesses. I enjoy helping people find what they love to do and build it into something tangible.
The project you will never forget.
Carolina: Currently working on a gorgeous modern Spanish Mediterranean home in South Texas. It’s near and dear to my heart because it’s in my hometown. It’s been a labor of love. I’m so excited to see it complete.
Beth: The Glass House Project I’ll never forget for three reasons. First, because it was one of the projects that leveled up our firm. Second, because the clients were amazing and so wonderful to work with. And lastly, because I was working on this project when my mom was sick and passed away. It was one of the projects I would immerse myself in to forget about what was happening.
Your favorite business tool or resource.
Carolina: The number one business tool and life tool is my iPhone, because it’s basically a traveling office. You can literally do anything on it.
Beth: Instagram or my calendar. My calendar is not a business tool, but it’s my everything. I use it to book out creative time and time for myself. It’s what keeps me fulfilled. I book a time to workout, get a massage, etc and it gives me time to stay creative and balanced.
The most timeless design.
Carolina: Timeless design to me is a mixture of collected things that are from different eras. Timeless antiques mixed with modern classics with luxe textiles always stand the test of time.
Beth: It’s the ones that you love or that inspire you. Eclectic because it’s a collection of things you love and are not on trend. If you collect more of the things that inspire you or spark joy—it never goes out of style.
The biggest design faux pas.
Carolina: It’s not my thing for everything to be too matchy-matchy. I prefer things to look a little more layered, found, and interesting rather than predictable.
Beth: Catalog designs—I hate it when a house looks generic. It lacks personality and it has a timestamp.
Your design motto.
Carolina: Our Pulp motto is “modern with a flair for the unexpected”.
Beth: Same!
If you were to design a room around one KOKET piece, which would it be, and why?
Carolina: I like the Serpentine Mirror because it’s simple but unexpected. Perfect for a sexy little powder bath.
Beth: The Serpentine Chandelier is the ultimate showstopper, this would be so fun to add to a project!
Love happens when…
Carolina: …you surround yourself with the people and things you love most.
Beth: …you invest in yourself.
