BEHIND WHITE SLATE STUDIO

Julie Sanford

owner and lead designer

Since childhood I have been drawn to color, prints, and organic elements. I can remember creating design boards for my childhood room, entreating my parents to let me install the design and then doing it again the next year.  

I studied communications and business at the University of New Hampshire, grounding myself in relationship building and entrepreneurship. It was during my junior year that I took the opportunity to study abroad in London and landed an internship at Burberry of London. My days were filled getting lost in the archives, looking through vintage textiles and patterns. My love for modern design mixed with traditional elements had begun!

 After graduation I spent the next fourteen years in retail working at Abercrombie and Fitch, and then lululemon developing new markets, designing stores, and creating exciting experiences for guests. Along the way my husband and I opened our own vintage boutique in Chicago, this experience allowed me to take a step back and create a future for myself that incorporated design.

Today I live by the beach in Rhode Island with my husband and three children. Our days are crazy and fun, and design is my one constant. We are currently renovating our own mid-century modern deck house and creating our dream live work space.