Under A Southern Influence: Great American Art and Design

Under A Southern Influence: Great American Art and Design NYC and Lousiana based designer, design historian and educator JEFFERY McCULLOUGH celebrates art and

Jeffery McCullough's "Under A Southern Influence: Great American Art and Design" celebrates the best art and design by artists and designers currently working in the South or Southern born artists and designers working elsewhere. For the best in current art and design in or born in the South as well as art and design history, tune in for updates and features.

On May 11th, I had the pleasure of serving as a reviewer of thesis projects for those completing the A.A.S. Interior Des...
06/18/2026

On May 11th, I had the pleasure of serving as a reviewer of thesis projects for those completing the A.A.S. Interior Design at . My professional colleague, and friend, is chair of what I firmly believe is the best associate’s degree in interior design in New Jersey.

All the projects that were presented to me were impressive and I could write a post about each but there was something extra special about the work done by Ekaterina Kerentseva.

As I tell my students at , every graduate of Interior Design in 2026 is expected to have phenomenal tech skills. That’s not what is going to set one apart from another. But the ability to bring rooms to life in other ways will.

For me, that’s always about the materials and finishes selections, something I consider myself a bit of an expert on. Kate nailed that aspect of her big project. Just spot on with a great mix of scales and textures that created an interesting mix.

Brava, Kate! And brava, Celeste, for another great academic year and releasing a lot of talent into the world of our profession.

On May 12th, the fabulous in charming Red Bank, NJ, hosted a wonderful evening for . Celebrating those from the class o...
06/09/2026

On May 12th, the fabulous in charming Red Bank, NJ, hosted a wonderful evening for . Celebrating those from the class of 2026 at New Jersey’s ASID-eligible colleges, we “corded” 28 now-graduates of , , , . This is the future of Interior Design in New Jersey, and I can tell you that it is mighty bright if this is any indication. Here you have the dynamic host out front with his team of and joining the students we celebrated. It was a special evening that we at ASID NJ were so happy to bring to life with Window Treats! Designers: if you aren’t working with Window Treats on your projects, get with them stat and find out all that they offer. They are a great partner for any designer!

“The kids are alright.” That’s a pop culture phrase about the state of the kids of today — the next generation. After lu...
06/03/2026

“The kids are alright.” That’s a pop culture phrase about the state of the kids of today — the next generation.

After lunch earlier last month with the sibling duo of .jawad_03 and .suhaib , I know that if they continue on their current paths as the people they are, and surround themselves with those on similar journeys, indeed, the kids will be alright. She’ll keep up the great work she’s doing with while on the path to an M.Arch. from at , while also being a key player for .

And he’ll stay focused on being a mover and shaker in the political world after an internship in Washington, D.C., this summer.

Hey, , you need this guy on your team!
I’ll be following along as they make their big impacts. That will be a joy to see!

One major highlight was getting the recently completed dining room in the Sutton Place apartment of a long-time client p...
06/02/2026

One major highlight was getting the recently completed dining room in the Sutton Place apartment of a long-time client published.

The way this is presented, it seems as if I wrote the article. It was written by Sarah Fletcher, the great PR - marketing expert of Asid NJ, based on a thorough interview that she did with me.

Some shoutouts that are needed:
, where I specified the fabric used for the curtains and table runner; , my go-to for trim - in this case, the tape trim on the curtains; , a new resource (for me) for rugs; , the supplier of the main fabric for the dining chair cushions; for the shades on the wall sconces; , the resources for the great bookcase; , the wonderful workroom that made the curtains and table runner.

I hope you’ll enjoy the article as well as the photos by .

Zoom in and around and savor it. And feel free to ask any questions you might have about what you read and see

Here I am at the unofficial beginning of summer wondering how we got here so dang fast!! All the months have seemed to f...
05/27/2026

Here I am at the unofficial beginning of summer wondering how we got here so dang fast!! All the months have seemed to fly by, especially May.

What have I done? What’s happened? Well, a lot, including things that have been posted about over the last few weeks and so much more.

Let’s look at other goings-on, starting with “Hard Copy”, the show that our neighbor curated, at , that and I enjoyed on May 4th.

Using photo-copied images at different scales, the show explores “photography’s inherent power: its ability to offer a profound, democratic, and tangible experience” during a time when fewer physical copies of photos are being made.

While I enjoyed seeing all the images through the beautifully curated exhibit, there was one grouping of six images that I was drawn back to for another look. When I’m still thinking about an image I saw three weeks ago, I know to pay attention. There’s something I need to learn.

Here are photos from ’s “Gates Ave., 2nd floor, 2015-2020” series. The photographer wrote that his work is “a vibrational mark from a particular moment in space and time.”

Well, these are moments in space and time that I would have liked to witness from his second-floor window in Buschwick. Life. Just life happening on the street. Something to capture. Zoom in, study them.

Well, another academic year is coming to a close. That’s both shocking to me and somehow this years feels like one that ...
05/17/2026

Well, another academic year is coming to a close.

That’s both shocking to me and somehow this years feels like one that has packed such a punch that it kind of feels like two, or even three, rather than one.

A major highlight of the end of the school year for is portfolio night. It’s a thrill for an educator to see the phenomenal projects that are a result of great talent combined with hard work. And when it’s a student that you had in multiple classes over their four years of college, it’s extra special.

Here I am with one such student, Gianna Prinzo, who surely has a mighty bright future in the design profession. Photo by Angelina Vicente.

A foundational belief of my interior design practice is that every room should have a comfortable reading spot complete ...
05/13/2026

A foundational belief of my interior design practice is that every room should have a comfortable reading spot complete with lounge chair, foot stool or ottoman, a good reading lamp and a surface for a drink. I’ve created many of these spots over the years for client and this is the latest.

For a fantastic apartment on Sutton Place in New York City that is the third apartment I’ve done for this client, an antique footstool that the client purchased was reupholstered in Schumacher fabric with Fabricut trim, and partnered with a Hickory Chair lounge chair upholstered in a fabric.

I designed the skirted table and had a custom skirt made by , using a fabric and trim from

May this dear client enjoy many hours of reading in her special spot.

On nominations day, sacred to us theater queens, I must feature “Every Brilliant Thing” (). We experienced the tour de ...
05/05/2026

On nominations day, sacred to us theater queens, I must feature “Every Brilliant Thing” ().

We experienced the tour de force performance of this past weekend in this jewel of a show. When you cry from basically start to finish of a show, you know you needed it exactly when you got it.

And boy did I get it. It’s just beautiful, really. The two Tony nominations are well deserved.

Here on a cool, crisp early May day reflecting on a few gorgeous days spent in Charleston in mid-March. One of those out...
05/04/2026

Here on a cool, crisp early May day reflecting on a few gorgeous days spent in Charleston in mid-March.

One of those out on at the beautiful Kiawah Island Club . We were there for Tim to speak about his for the ‘s speaker series at Kiawah.

Oh to have the success of that day and that weather right about now when we are desperate for it in NYC!

OH—check out the tres chic folding calendar cards that CLS designs and produces in the divine floral pattern.

I’m a sucker for stained glass windows! And let me tell you, has exquisite, mid-century stained glass as part of the 19...
04/21/2026

I’m a sucker for stained glass windows! And let me tell you, has exquisite, mid-century stained glass as part of the 1958 design by the Lafayette, LA, architecture firm H.J. Lagroue and Hal N. Perkins.  

As part of my research for what will hopefully become a book or exhibit, I received a very special tour of Fatima last week.
The more I learn about the mid-century modern work of Lagroue and Perkins, the more committed to this project I become.

Their work deserves to be seen by a wide audience. That’s because it was on par with that which is considered the best in America.

halperkins mcm midcenturymodern 1958 lafayettela mcmacadiana

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