Low ’ s true love , however , was interior design . Every night after work , she pored over design books . The feeling that function has to come first , with no wasted space — an influence from her grandmother — gradually shaped her aesthetic . “ People ’ s spirits are lifted by beautiful or relaxing elements .”
After ten years at Google , Low left high tech behind . Without a job , she haunted the San Francisco Design Center , a massive collection of 100 showrooms featuring home furnishings and accessories from all over the world , then worked for a local interior designer . Meantime , her husband , Chris , was getting the itch to move back to Rhode Island , and after two years of scrutinizing Zillow listings from 3,000 miles away , the couple discovered their dream house on the East Side of Providence . They made an offer the same day . Low , who ’ d never lived outside California , was now in Rhode Island , where she landed a job working for Janelle Blakely at Blakely Interior Design . “ I learned a lot from her , on both the design and business side . Other than that , I didn ’ t know a soul ,” Low says . She opened her own firm , Corey Low Interiors , in September .
THIS PAGE , ABOVE : The green brick fireplace provides the family room ’ s focal point . The pillows are custom-made fabric by Mark Sikes for Schumacher . The Nicolette rug from Pottery Barn features an Oushak pattern . FACING PAGE , RIGHT : Corey Low . FAR RIGHT : The gray-green bookcase and cabinet belonged to the previous owner ; the tufted leather ottoman is from Etsy . The guitar is Chris ’.
82 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l MAY 2021