Erica De Mane

I’ve always been a decorator. Even as a kid, I’d make things look better with fish. Fish are streamlined, and most are shiny, and they work in any room, with a little imagination. The kitchen obviously, mackerel, sardines are beyond lovely, and my favorite to eat. Ephemeral décor. But then there’s fabric pulled tight to create sleekness. Or glass, blown glass maybe, of varying colors, like the body of a real fish only human realized. I’ve always said, if you like pink, yellow, and turquoise, work with fish. If you like to stuff things tight, work with fish. If you like things fresh, work with fish, but work fast, unless you’re working in plastic or metallic paper. The only medium that doesn’t work with fish, in my opinion, is wool. Wool is anti-fish. A knitted fish is a thing of horror to a decorator like me. I think most people would agree with this.