For Charlotte Moss, Virginia has remained an important thread throughout a career that has taken her from her Richmond hometown to the forefront of American interior design. After graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in English, Moss moved to New York in 1978 and spent several years working on Wall Street before turning her attention to design. She launched her own firm in 1985 and has since built an international reputation through residential design, books, lectures and collaborations. Her work has earned numerous honors, while her philanthropic interests have connected her to organizations including the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello and the Garden Conservancy.
Charlotte Moss: At Home in Virginia
That connection to Virginia is the focus of Moss’ latest book, “Charlotte Moss: At Home in Virginia,” due out Sept. 8. Published by Rizzoli, the 272-page book features photography by Pieter Estersohn and centers on Moss’ Virginia house and garden.
Estersohn’s photographs offer a look at a home shaped around both entertaining and everyday life, with spaces for working, arranging flowers, relaxing and enjoying the surrounding landscape. A tower on the property adds another distinctive element to the residence, providing a quieter setting within the larger home and grounds.
Moss also draws on decades of travel, collecting and studying design. Her archives and collaborations with artisans have influenced elements of the Virginia property, bringing together historic references, decorative arts and custom craftsmanship. These influences help give the home a sense of history without restricting it to one particular period or decorating style.
Moss’ ability to combine pattern, color, texture and furnishings from different eras is especially evident throughout the residence. Antiques and textiles mingle with contemporary elements, creating interiors that feel collected and personal rather than overly coordinated. The result offers plenty of inspiration for anyone interested in creating a home with character, comfort and a strong sense of individuality.
Design Books by Charlotte Moss
Prior to the release of her latest book, Moss built an impressive bibliography over the course of her career, sharing her approach to design through a collection of books that explore everything from interiors and entertaining to flowers and collecting. Her titles range from “Charlotte Moss Entertains,” a treatise on detail-oriented hospitality, and “Charlotte Moss Flowers,” which celebrates the art of using flowers to decorate everyday life, to “Home: A Story,” an exploration of her defining work decorating Southern Living’s 2025 Idea House in Keswick, Virginia. Together, the books offer a window into the layered, personal style that has become a hallmark of her work.
With “Charlotte Moss: At Home in Virginia,” Moss offers more than a look inside a beautifully designed residence. The book reflects the enduring connection between a designer and the place that first shaped her, bringing together the history, gardens, collections and creative influences that continue to inform her work. For Virginia readers and design enthusiasts alike, it is an opportunity to see the state through Moss’ distinctly personal eye, layered with beauty, history and a sense of home. For more information about her design style, read her interview in Wine & Country Life Book 20.~
