Meet our Tastemaker Elizabeth Mayhew!

Elizabeth Mayhew is currently the Brand Editor for Reese Witherspoon’s Southern-inspired brand, Draper James, a contributing editor at NBC’s Today Show and a monthly columnist for The Washington Post. She also is the author of FLIP! for Decorating (Ballantine). She has worked for a number of publications including REAL SIMPLE, House Beautiful, Southern Living, and Woman’s Day.

We are inspired by her Instagram posts which usually involve beautiful scenery shots and gorgeous baked goods. She has a keen eye for unique {and memorable} hostess gifts. We hope you enjoy getting to know her!

Q.	What is your favorite thing about being the brand editor for Draper James?
A.	I love working with the dynamic and very talented staff of Draper James. From the design team to the store associates, everyone who works at the company embodies the positive Southern values that Reese Witherspoon, the company’s founder, established from the beginning. It’s a happy brand, where grace, charm, kindness, and good manners are prized. Plus I love the clothes!
Q.	What is one thing anyone can do to update their home?
A.	Install dimmers on all of your light switches! The proper lighting can easily transform a room from looking like an overlit hospital waiting room to a warm and inviting sitting room.
Q.	We know you love to bake. What is your favorite dessert to bring to a get together?
A.	I bake every weekend and post images on Instagram, so my friends who follow me usually call to put in an order. My go-to dessert to bring to a party is some sort of pie, mostly because pies transport easily. The variety I make depends on the season—fruit pies for summer, cream pies for spring, and nut pies for fall and winter. I get the most requests for my lime pie (you could use key limes too, but they are harder to find).
Q.	You are the queen of an amazing hostess gift. What is your one go-to that’s always a hit?
A.	I have three go-to hostess gifts: if I plan well ahead, I like to order personalized guest towels from The Stationery Studio. If I have time the day or night before a party, I will bake a sweet bread, like banana bread and wrap it up in a dish towel so that the host has breakfast the next morning. If I have no time, I draw from my stash of Draper James Orange Blossom Special Candles—it’s my favorite scent!
Q.	What do you enjoy doing in your downtime?
A.	I love to bake of course (see above!), but I also am a big reader. A few of my recent favorites are: A Gentleman from Moscow by Amor Towles, The Art of Rivalry by Sebastian Smee, What She Ate by Laura Shapiro, and Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. And if you haven’t read the Neopolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante, you should!