Jewelry designer Anna Sheffield is a pioneer of the alternative bridal marketplace, creating unique fine jewelry and striking modern heirlooms. Sheffield’s childhood in the Southwest has had an enduring influence on her work, fusing natural beauty and spirituality with jewelry production.

Her roots also shine bright in her Los Angeles home, with meaning behind all of the decor. There are Navajo rugs, Pueblo Pottery and Kachinas. But, since she is a jeweler, there are also added layers in the colors and the materials she’s decorated with. A muted desert palette and natural gemstones are mixed in with art, sacred objects and precious things she’s collected throughout the years.

We had a recent chat to learn more:

Tell us about your home. How long have you lived there?
The house is located in Los Angeles- on the East side, in the Silver Lake area and we closed on it in December 2016. However, moving in took some time as we were still officially living in New York City. It started out with us going to Los Angeles in few months-long trips and didn’t really become full time until this Spring. The house had been recently renovated, which was a godsend considering my bicoastal living arrangement.

What did you initially love most about the property, and how did you highlight those elements?
The house was built in 1924, as a two bedroom / one bath setup, which became a guest room and my office. Our bedroom and en suite bath were added during the renovation and are tucked away at the back of the house. The window above our bed looks out on the back yard – occupied largely by a huge ash tree – which I love, having come from a city with little to no outdoor space. I wanted to let lots of natural light in there, so I chose sheer instead of linen curtains and we found a sort of mid-century meets French antique fixture of wrought iron calla lilies at the Rose Bowl. It’s not something I would have planned, but it works- and really feels as if it brings the foliage from the garden through high window into the room. 

When it came to decorating, did you have a solid ‘design plan’ or did you take a more organic approach?
In terms of decorating- I had a sense of the space I wanted to create. Knowing that over time my bigger pieces (all the lifelong items I’ve collected) would be coming from the East Coast, I started slowly with what was necessary (sofa, beds, pieces for the kitchen, backyard etc.). In some instances, we hunted for flea market finds to fill in gaps whilst we prepared for the big move. Some of those pieces have stayed, which is lovely.

Your Southwestern roots inspired the space! We’d love to know about a few of the elements that are particularly meaningful to you.
I most definitely bring a Southwestern feeling (and many a relic!) to every space I occupy. I have quite a few pieces that I inherited from my dad when he passed. There is a quite old, maybe 60’s, Navajo (Diné) rug on the wall in my office and a few of Hopi Kachinas live on the cabinet in the dining room and on my dresser. 

In 2020, we spent more time than ever at home. What did this time mean to you, and what is your “perfect day” at home like?
It was kind of extra special for me as it meant staying put for an extended period of time. I truly relished that from the start. A perfect day would start with making my tea concoction in my favorite Talavera mug (gotten at an estate sale), then moving into the living room to get ready for my day. I spend quite a lot of time in office, naturally, but I love those days when I can open the doors onto the porch and let all of the bird and bee sounds filter in. My husband and I love to cook, we both are vegan which means this is usually quite a process! Making a beautiful, complicated (like 15 ingredients!) salad and having lunch in the pergola is a nice midpoint to the perfect day. I might wrap up the day with a long walk thru the hills and staircases of the neighborhood then a bit of weeding and watering the plants in my garden when I come back. Both of those sound like work, but I quite enjoy both. I get into a meditative state doing quiet things, which again, is such a treat after so many years living in Manhattan.