Michele Keith

Michele Keith is a freelance writer based in New York City. Her untraditional career began as photography editor of Seventeen, and was interrupted by a spur-of-the-moment, two-year sojourn around the world highlighted by tea taken with a Pakistani minister of state in his Islamabad garden, climbing up Machu Picchu and hitching across Canada. Upon returning home, she entered the public relations field under the tutelage of Eleanor Lambert, the grande dame of fashion public relations.

After a time, seeing the positive impact that knowledge of French would have on her career, Keith headed off to Paris. There, in addition to studying the language, she wrote for Fairchild Publications’ Footwear News, SportStyle and Children’s Wear Business, and interviewed dozens of luminaries including HSH Princess Grace of Monaco, Frederic Chandon of Moët Chandon and legendary actress Arletty for a book on the life and times of the 1950s’ preeminent party giver, Elsa Maxwell.

These experiences propelled her into a full-time writing career that today includes editorials and advertorials that appear regularly in The New York Times, Departures, Traditional Home, New York Living and O the Oprah Magazine among others. She has two books to her credit: Great Country French Style (Meredith Books, 2006) that highlights American homes with French themes, and Country Living’s Easy Makeovers: 101 Quick Design Fixes You Can Do in a Weekend (Hearst Books, to be published January 2009).

Her next book will be Designers Here & There. It will be an illustrated exploration of how renowned interior designers throughout the United States decorate their primary and secondary residences. Juxtaposing 25 designers’ two homes in a fresh new way it will show how these gifted artists express their personalities, employ their talents and channel their passions. With lush color photos of each of the designer’s two homes, Keith will offer brief explanations of their take on each residence: why they chose the décor; how they accomplished it; and how they spend their time there. The designer’s five favorite decorating tips, a brief biography and list of awards and honors will be included in each profile. The text will be sprinkled with the designers’ own words based on her interviews. It will be published by Monacelli Press, a Random House imprint, in 2010.