Quick Takes With: Jay and Alison Carroll

Have a look in your pantry, or perhaps on the shower shelf. You probably own (or perhaps have coveted) something created by Alison and Jay Carroll. They’re the couple behind Wonder Valley, the CA olive oil co. that’s since expanded to include skincare and hair care, all in beautiful packages. (We have been guilty of leaving a bar of Wonder Valley soap by the sink, unused, because the wrapping’s too pretty to undo.)

“This year we celebrate our tenth harvest year,” Alison and Jay write. It’s not the first thing they’ve created together: She has a background in marketing; he in fashion design, creative direction, and photography, and together they’ve renovated a desert homestead in Joshua Tree, a beach shack in Maine, and a historic motor court in Santa Fe (see: El Rey Court). 

Today Jay writes in with book (and movie) recommendations, an idea for an architecture themed cross-country drive, and a paint hack…then tune in tomorrow for a tour of their Maine cottage. Read on:

You’re invited to dinner. What’s your go-to gift?

A bottle of the best Wonder Valley olive oil, of course.

What’s on your bedside table?

Books! Right now Land Between the Rivers by Battle Bull (Jay) and Wellness by Nathan Hill (Al). A small touch lamp. Catchalls with the day’s accessories” ring, silver cuffs, watch, chain, etc. And a big glass bottle of water.

What’s your desert island design/art/architecture-related book?

Jay: Wenche Selmer’s book Norwegian Wood.

Al: A Pattern Language, Christopher Alexander.

Collective answer: In Praise of Shadows, Jun’ichirō Tanizaki.

What podcast or playlist do you put on when you need inspiration?

I love to make playlists for inspiration. I’ll send you one. Working on a new one now for the next issue of Desert Dispatch, Wonder Valley’s hi-dez, lo-fi, atlas, almanac, fanzine and bulletin board which comes in the form of a biannual newspaper. Other than that, lately I’ve been really into the podcast “60 Songs That Explain the ’90s”. The host’s monologues offer an incredibly hilarious and very personal take on some of the best and biggest songs to come out of the decade.

What’s a film or TV show whose aesthetic has stuck with you?

Jay: Almost any Almodovar film… especially All About My Mother, Talk to Her, The Skin I Live In.

Al: The Taste of Things. I think Al could live in that kitchen.

Which Instagram account do you go to for design inspiration?

These world creators! Jay: @pepideboissieu. Al: @salmon_creek_farm.

What has been your best house upgrade?

The best house upgrades are the things we made just outside the house: A pizza oven. An outdoor shower. A “haul-off” beachside mooring for the boat.

A simple or budget-friendly design move you wish you’d known sooner?

You can make Farrow & Ball colors in other paint brands bases that are less than half the price. Champagne taste, beer budget.

My favorite sheets are…

…from Nickey Kehoe.

My favorite paint color for the bedroom is…

Farrow & Ball’s Lime White. I’m also a fan of mixing tonal warm whites in one room.

My go-to kitchen utensil is…

A new go-to is Brad Leone’s signature griddle tuner from Lamson. It’s just a perfect-sized small spatula.

Three words that describe my design style:

Timeless, warm, found.

First design love?

Probably Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian homes. I first learned of them in high school art history classes. Al and I have driven cross country so many times we started getting thematic on the experience. A fun and immersive one included visiting a dozen FLW-designed homes on the drive across while listening to his biography.

What item from your closet do you have on repeat?

Jay: Xtratuf deck boots, Jeans from Ordinary Fits, white tee, Kapital pullover.

Al: Beatrice Valenzuela shearling clogs, Rudy Jude wide wale cords, vintage orange sweatshirt.

Favorite design shop to visit (online or in person)?

Shop Commune.

What is the last thing you purchased for your house?

An Interior Define U-shaped sectional.

Something you’re coveting?

I’m thinking we’ll be buying or building a sauna here pretty soon.

Anything else you’d like us to know?

I first heard about Remodelista when I moved from Maine to San Francisco in 2009. I was lucky enough to shoot for it a couple times. We’ve used it often as a design resource for two homes and a hotel renovation. But I fondly remember using it when Al and I first got together as a way to find great homes to rent while traveling. This was before Airbnb became what it is and well-designed homes were a little harder to find. We found spots we loved and had great early memories in places like Istanbul, Tarifa, and Inverness, California, all thanks to Remodelista.