Designer Brings The Outdoors Inside The Home
By Meredith Diers
Special Contributor
Two years ago, Traci Clancy and her husband remodeled their 1956 ranch-style house in Preston Hollow. Clancy’s vision was a modern coastal style, and she wanted to include organic and sustainable materials.
“The concept of bringing the outdoors into our homes is not a new one, but one that has become more significant in modern design,” Clancy said.
Clancy, her husband, and their two children, ages 5 and 8, took a family vacation in California. While there, Clancy noticed the beauty of natural driftwood scattered along the beach. She began experimenting with some collected pieces when she got back to Dallas, adding gemstones, flowers, and succulents, creating centerpieces for her mantle, foyer, and dining room table.
“I loved how the arrangements gave my home a modern, organic feel,” she said.
As a former elementary school teacher, Clancy didn’t have a background in design, but her favorite lesson plans were integrating art with math and science.
Clancy noticed a hole in the market for moderately priced home décor. Soon she began selling her unique driftwood pieces in art shows, school bazaars, and via custom orders.
“I have been very fortunate to have a great word-of-mouth client base,” said Clancy, whose company is called Drift Modern.
Clancy’s art pieces also incorporate sola wood, a material derived from the tapioca plant.
“The sola wood is carved into the shape of a flower,” she said. “It looks gorgeous paired with driftwood.”
Clancy designs and creates her pieces in her home studio, selling 15 to 20 pieces per month. The driftwood art ranges from 12 to 30 inches long and can cost $85 to $200 per piece.
“My favorite part about creating the driftwood pieces is that each piece of driftwood is a unique wonder, fashioned over time by [the] ocean, winds and sand,” Clancy said.
Because of her interest in organic and sustainable materials, Clancy partnered with The Nature Conservancy. For each purchase, she makes a $2 donation to the nonprofit organization.
Clancy not only creates driftwood art, but she recently expanded her business to include modern, organic-gemstone jewelry.
In addition to online, the Drift Modern art pieces will be shown and available at the Hyer Elementary School, Ursuline, and Christ the King Catholic School bazaars in November.
