October 28, 2025
For nearly three decades, Rhonda Eleish and Edie Van Breems have been creating homes and spaces that are thoughtful, personal, and profoundly inspiring. Their boutique design firm, Eleish Van Breems Interior Design, specializes in holistic, full-service residential projects, guiding clients from the ground up with an approach that values collaboration, intuition, and trust.
The origins of Eleish Van Breems trace back to a life-changing trip to Sweden, where the founders explored their Scandinavian roots. During that journey, Eleish’s great aunt, Ingvor Gullers—a renowned textile and dollhouse collector, and antiques advisor to the Swedish Royal Family—took them under her wing. She introduced them to the antiques and art world of Stockholm, opening doors to a heritage of craftsmanship and design that would forever influence their practice.
The firm’s design philosophy is fluid and client-centered. “A home needs to be a conscious project,” Eleish and Van Breems explain. “It takes time to develop trust and intuitively channel what will work in each space. Realistic expectations and open communication make all the difference.” Their ideal clients are those who enjoy collaboration and value the journey of co-creating a space that is uniquely theirs.
Eleish Van Breems stands apart in the design world through its boutique, family-run structure, which allows the team to dedicate time and focus to a limited number of extended residential projects. Sustainability, craftsmanship, and respect for heritage are central to their process. Drawing on early experience as antiques dealers, Eleish and Van Breems developed a keen eye for materials, patinas, and construction. Learning from Scandinavian artisans and studying folk art, metalsmithing, and historic furniture informs their careful selection of furnishings, ensuring each piece blends function, beauty, and responsibility.
A standout project is the historic renovation of their Westport flagship store, a 1760 sea captain’s trading post with original chestnut beams, custom bronze windows, and architectural details from Italy. Once home to the iconic Remarkable Bookstore—Eleish and Van Breems’ beloved childhood bookstore, previously owned by Van Breems’ great-uncle—the property now features a pink/cardamom Fika coffee bar and specialty design bookstore. “Fika in Swedish means to pause and enjoy—a moment to gather with friends,” shares Eleish. The Fika Bar embodies their approach to design: thoughtful, joyful, and rooted in creating spaces that bring people together.
Across multiple locations, the firm creates curated experiences blending antiques, mid-century modern, contemporary furniture, and artisanal decor. Their collections include Cane Line, Lee, Louis Poulsen, Thayer Coggin, Reijmyre Glass, Agneta Livijn pottery, and Georg Jensen, reflecting a commitment to quality and timeless design. Recent additions, like Augarten porcelain and commissioned Swedish mugs, highlight both craft and the delight of sharing spaces with family and friends.
Looking ahead, the new Eleish Van Breems Barn in Roxbury, opening this fall, will serve as a laboratory for mid-century and antique furniture. For Eleish and Van Breems, the ultimate reward remains seeing clients feel completely supported in their homes, knowing that their vision has been realized with skill, care, and inspiration.—evbantiques.com
