Bess Dubose

📍Greensboro, NC | Interior Designer

📝 Editor’s Note | Rob Belk

This week my friend Stephen lost his wife to cancer. I wanted to take a moment before the funeral today in Detroit to acknowledge and celebrate the life of Sadie Peck. I’m grateful to have gotten to know her through their marriage.

A badass spirit, Sadie was funny, resilient, and took her cancer diagnosis head on. I remember a few months back, spending time with her at Sether’s wedding, thinking about how impressive her outlook was as she worked through her treatment. No one owned the effects of chemo like she did. Sadie is gone way too soon at 34. A reminder to cherish time with the ones you love.

Go Lions.

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Without further ado…

Why Bess?

I’ve known Bess for a long time. However, it wasn’t until we both moved to Greensboro ~4 years ago that we got to be close friends. We both followed our spouses to their hometowns. Elizabeth and I are also grateful that its the friendship where she and Bess hang solo and so do I and her husband Hill. I know Hill is begging me to do a profile on him one day….

Self-Description

Working mom, emphasis on mom these days

Bess’s 6 Recommendations

Written in Bess’s own words…

1. Le Set, Kyoto Carpenter Pants and Shorts

For the girls - these are magic pants/shorts. Equal parts comfortable and chic, casual and not-so-casual. I wear them on planes, to carpool, client meetings, out to dinner, tball games - you name it. I have worn them multiple times a week for the past 2 years. They got me through my most recent pregnancy (just add a button down) and postpartum. They are simply the best, and most used staple in my closet. I

have the navy and chalk color pants, and the brown shorts. If you’re too a fan of the “price per wear” justification method, youre basically making money on these.

2. Half Past Seven, Tulip Vase

This medium-sized vase sits on my coffee table and I put fresh TJ tulips in it every other week and wait for them to flop. It has these beautiful little etched stars on it and looks more expensive than it is. Its a perfect wedding gift.

3. Kids Xtratuf Boots

When thinking about things Ive purchased that have made my life better and easier, these come to mind immediately. These shoes have saved us countless toddler meltdowns (he puts them on himself). My son wears these most days to school and to the farm with his dad. The second they get a little tight on him, I order a new pair. Equally cute on my niece.

4. “Strangers” by Belle Burden

Not the most creative given its a major bestseller right now - but if you haven’t gotten on this train, youre missing out. I read this memoir in one day, which if you know me is shocking. Belle Burden tells the story of the sudden unraveling of her marriage during the pandemic. It almost felt like reading a story from a friend. Ive heard the audiobook (which she narrates) is even better. Another big selling point: Gwyneth Paltrow is starring in the upcoming movie adaptation.

5. Coffee Table Books

I could do an entire Rambull on coffee table book recs. You cant have enough. My groundbreaking interior design tip: fill your bookshelves with books (not random stuff). Not only are they full of inspiration and great stories, they instantly make a house feel like a (cozy) home. Fill your shelves to the brim, put them on tables, underneath lamps, give them as gifts. If starting a collection feels overwhelming (and expensive), I often tell my clients to add one to your Amazon cart each month.

My two all time favorites: David Netto and Jeffrey Bilhubers.

My favorites simply for the the cover: “The Japanese Garden” and “Annie & Josef Albers“

My recent favorite: “Summer by The Sea” (would make an incredible hostess gift if you are going to stay at someones house this summer).

6. Kids Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt

Next time you need an activity at home, get a piece of paper and a marker and ask your child to name 5 random things you usually see outside (example: airplane, mailman, large dog, your neighbors). Make a list with check boxes and walk around the block with a marker. They can check off things as they find them. Boom, youre an hour closer to dinner! An alternative to the scavenger hunt, I recently bought my son a pack of these clickers. He will count (aka click) how many squirrels (or people, dogs, cars) we see on our walks.

Plug | Bess Dubose Interiors

My work (Here)

My ShopMy (Here)

Want to get in touch with Bess? DM on Instragram

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P.S. from Rambull — We’ve entered the learning to ride a bike stage. Pretty fun to watch our 4 year old go from tentative to full on cruiser. My wife found this brand Woom that we’ve been pleased with and recommend.