In Bed With: Eny Lee Parker

Welcome to In Bed With, a series that explores the rituals of rest that inspire us to find moments of ease. This week, we caught up with New York City-based furniture and lighting designer Eny Lee Parker. Using clay as her primary medium, Eny's work is intentionally slow by nature, yet her designs reflect her unmistakeable eye for contemporary design. She has exhibited her most popular works, like the Oo Lamp and Daisy Sconce, in global design fairs from Miami to Milan. In her art-filled Brooklyn apartment, Eny shares with us her process for getting creatively and mentally refueled and the other mediums that have inspired her design philosophy.

Can you walk us through your journey to becoming a ceramicist and furniture designer?

I studied interior design for my undergraduate, then furniture design for my master’s. Ceramics came later through an artist residency, and it became a material I now use across my furniture and lighting.

How have your early life experiences and surroundings informed your current practice and design philosophy?

The way my mom raised me, and how supportive my community was growing up. That sense of care and support is something I try to bring into how I run my studio.

Aside from clay, what other mediums inspire your self-expression?

Crafting, cooking, and dressing up for sure. 

Organic shapes and floral motifs seem central to your work. Where do you find inspiration for these recurring patterns?

I’ve never overanalyzed it, but at the end of the day, I’m just a girl... I’ll always gravitate toward things that feel soft and beautiful.

In an artform as physical as ceramics making, how do you recharge yourself, both mentally and viscerally?

Being in the sun, by the ocean, or at home alone cleaning and organizing. I like listening to books while working with my hands, whether that’s folding laundry or making lamps.

Outside of NYC, what place refuels you?

Connecticut, where I own a small farm house. Recently I was able to spend a month in Mexico city and that was also very wonderful.

Walk us through how you came across Brandy Hill Farm, your 19th century farmhouse in Connecticut. What part of the renovation has been the most rewarding?

It was a foreclosure I found during COVID. Renovating it with my friend Soren has been the most rewarding part. He can build anything. Watching our ideas go back and forth, then seeing him execute them so quickly, has been incredible. He’s kind of a unicorn and really made the renovation possible.

How has renovating a historic home shaped the way you think about comfort and rest?

I’m constantly aware of what the home used to be and what it is now. That contrast feels like a quiet reward, especially in small moments, like cooking or watching a movie.

Whether at home in your NYC apartment or Brandy Hill Farm, what tone do you intend to set for your home environment?

I’m not rigid about it. As long as it’s clean and organized, I feel good. My taste shifts often, so I let the space evolve with me.

What does rest look like for you these days?

Spending more time alone. My life can be fast and social, and I started to feel like moments were blurring together. Being alone helps me feel more present, and appreciate time with others more.

What nighttime rituals do you rely on to wind down?

Watching something on my projector feels like a treat. But lately, it’s been as simple as drinking a glass of water and doing my skincare, small acts of self-care.

What does your perfect weekend look like?

One day at home, enjoying my space while it’s clean and organized—walking my dog, iced coffee in hand. The next day, being out with friends, having drinks in the sun, and going to dinner dressed up.