Inspired By: Lisa Przystup

Lisa Przystup is a writer, florist, model, creative and author based in Upstate New York. Her work has appeared in  Domino, T Magazine, and Harper's Bazaar, and she previously held the position of beauty editor at Garance Doré. She and her husband, musician Jonathon Linaberry, recently moved full time to Delhi, New York - where they have been in the midst of transforming their Catskills farmhouse. Lisa's Instagram, @brass__tacks, is a visual diary documenting her life Upstate and her travels, inspiring wanderlust through the lens of a friend you have not yet met. Her photography captures beautiful spaces in her home and beyond, pairing each with sincerity and a sense of humor.

She recently published her first book, Upstate: Living Spaces with Space to Live by Lisa Przystup with photography by Sarah Elliott. Inspired by her surroundings in Upstate New York, the collection of interiors and stories captures Lisa's fascination with design, architecture and the way people truly live. You can shop Upstate: Living Spaces with Space to Live by Lisa Przystup with photography by Sarah Elliott via Bookshop.org (which supports local bookstores) or on Amazon here.

As longtime fans of Lisa's work, we are excited to share an interview with her below and a peek inside her home... featuring a few Norden goods. Thanks for following along! All images provided by Lisa Przystup. 

 

We actually bought our house upstate five years ago with the intention to move there full-time but there was always something keeping us in the city. The fall before Covid hit we came to the hard realization that living in the city just wasn’t financially viable for us anymore and then Covid hit and my husband, who’s a musician, found himself out of work (no touring etc.) so our hand was forced and we finally made the jump. It’s great because he’s originally from central New York so now we’re much closer to family and all that good stuff. 

How have your new (-ish) surroundings impacted your work and inspired you?

To be perfectly honest, I haven’t really found that living upstate has impacted my work in any measurable or significant way. That being said, living so close to nature is endlessly inspiring—being able to go on hikes and walks and be hyper aware of the shifts in the seasons is really special. 

Norden is based in Southern California - where seasons are non-existent. How do the seasons in Upstate New York impact your day-to-day life?

Profoundly. If I had to choose between being warm/hot and being cold I’d choose the former every time. Summers upstate are short and glorious so you’re really forced (in a good way) to appreciate them. To lick the plate clean and drink it all in. Winters are long and often stretch all the way into May–the fact that it’s approaching is always at the back of my mind and there are certain things we need to do to prep for it—our house is heated with a wood-burning furnace in the basement so we get our first cords of wood delivered in the summer, which means that even when it’s gloriously warm we’re stacking wood for winter. 

How does fragrance play a part in your life?

I hyper sensitive to smells and scents of all kinds: the smell of fresh cut grass could make me pass out from happiness. Or the smell of baking bread. Fresh laundry, a nice candle or some good incense can really change my mood in a big way. 

What are some of your essentials for the summer? And what’s on your to-do list this year?

Beaches, ponds, swimming, popsicles, grilling, fresh local blueberries/peaches/tomatoes, soaking in some sun, taking it slow, eating dinner outside, watching the fireflies, sunset drives, making fires, spending time with family.