Being the daughter of enthusiasts, at a very early age, I learned the paths of the fleas and antique markets around the globe. I was treasure huntings as a young girl for exceptional pieces. Both my parents are collectors of modern sculptures and paintings and as soon as we went on any family holiday, we had to visit the museums, see the galleries, meet some artists, see the history of the place, and explore and live as the locals would. They love art in every shape and form and my mom encouraged me to choose my career according to this passion since I obviously did too.
I would say that my personal design style is when Los Angeles in the 70’s meets Parisian chic. Art Deco in general inspires me a lot. Its fundamentals go through periods and styles without ever going out of style and it’s near and dear to me since I grew up entirely surrounded by it. I guess you can see my love for the 70s by the overload of Milo Baughman that I have in my place. I really love his work for New York apartments. I made my coffee table from a broken tree in my parents backyard. I wrote about the process here. I am thinking about getting a white Eames chair for my next apartment; they are just so classic and while somewhat overdone, I still appreciate the ultra-practical simplicity that is coupled with such innovation that I can actually overlook the fact that many others share the same appreciation. I also am completely seduced by Vladimir Kagan and dream of having one of his pieces in my foyer. I was in Southampton at Michael Loeb's estate earlier this year, and shortly after our conversation about artificial intelligence, we spent a minute talking about his Vladimir Kagan collection. Surely, not the average person that comes to his house will know or even care about Kagan, but for me, I was in absolute awe at his rather capacious collection.
If I was still living in Paris though, my style would be totally different. I would live in a Haussmann-style apartment in the 8th (versus a high-rise modern condo, which is what I have in Brooklyn) and it would be Parisian Industrial (but not how you would normally think of Industrial to look). Undoubtedly, I would have works by Charlotte Perriand, Jean Prouvé, and Le Corbusier which I would have probably acquired at the Saint-Ouen flea. India Mahdavi is very popular amongst many chic Parisians, and for more deco, Gio Ponti’s work is quite incredible. I also would definitely have a few pieces by Hans Wegner and Jean Royère. My dear friend Emily recently purchased a rather spectacular pair of rattan armchairs by Franco Albini that I have been dreaming of, so I think I would get a pair of those too or one of those Pretzel chairs by George Nelson. And I cannot forget a giant leather Roche Bobois sofa that I will have for years to come.
The most important advice that I can give anyone that is looking to furnish their home, is that you can change a room and transform the space with a great piece of art that means something to you. I work closely with Olsen Gruin Gallery in downtown Manhattan and they represent some really incredible artists like George Byrne, McLean Edwards, and Leila Jeffreys. I also really love Emilio Perez’s paintings, and he’s a dear friend so it makes it even better. It is also easiest to swap out a plain light fixture for something quite terrific. But I really don’t believe there are any real rules, except to live surrounded by what you love.
I live surrounded by the things I love and I’ve become quite sensitive to them over the years. My home is a testament of my love for curation. Nothing except the rare and unique acquisitions that I've made over the years exist in my place of rest. As far as I'm concerned, the white walls, the mixture of wood, and textiles couldn’t have more importance on the way I live my life. I always want walls that are all white, matte, and the most natural plank wood flooring as possible. Beautiful paintings and photographs with my dearest friends will also constantly remind me about how loved I am (plus, who doesn’t love seeing their friends smile?).
Each piece in my home has a history. Some come from my very first business that I had, others are from my first student housing at Parsons, or things I picked up in local fleas in Europe, and the rest are family inheritances that may mean nothing to the outside world, but mean everything to me. Decorating is a constant process for me. I don't feel that I am ever "done" per se, I consider my home a space that can constantly change and evolve, as liquid as me. It's a space that will adapt to my desires or needs during that period in time. I think it takes time to make an object or piece fit and I like taking my time finding the things that I want. In the upper basement of my parents house, I have a number of boxes that are filled with unique glasses, plates, and trays that I have found over the years at thrift stores. I think I also have about 12 lamps up there for my future country house and maybe a few wooden stools.
New York apartments are small by design. What you pay for and what you don't have in New York City is space. Space is luxury in itself, so I'd love to sit here and tell you that I have multiple bedrooms for me and my guests- living rooms for conversation, a study for television, a large chef's kitchen for entertaining, and the list goes on. The reality is that I have 815 square feet that includes a bedroom, a living room, an actually very decent chef's kitchen, a relatively large bathroom with double sinks, three closets, a wardrobe, a washer and dryer, and central air (THIS IS LUXURY). When I am at home, I spend a lot of time in my living room. It's the heart of my apartment. My kitchen is shaped in a large U, so it's the perfect place to spend time with friends, dining, conversing, discussing, and relaxing.
In my home, I have three closets and one extended wardrobe with two sections for clothes, and one large section for shoes. If you’d like details on how I created this, feel free to shoot me an email at coco@cocozaza.com. I like to keep my bedroom very simple. It's important that there aren't too many colors that are distracting. When the lights are off and my Santal Le Labo candle is on, it becomes an ode to cocooning and becomes quite difficult to leave. I have Matteo white sheets, white linens, and white pillows on my bed with accents of brass, lucite, and jute. I make my bed every morning.
In my bathroom, I have Italian white quartz counters that hold my vintage silver trays that display my fragrances, lotions, and oils. I also keep similar silver trays on the shelf in my bathtub. It changes colors from the water, but I happen to like that. I keep my shampoo and conditioner in hunter green plastic containers from Muji. I only use white towels that are Frette and my shower curtain is Restoration Hardware.
In the future, I think I would really enjoy having a workshop in my home. I like the spirit of workshops; places that are not too decorated and not too fixed, in which one can continue to think, build, and create. Picasso and Brancusi had workshops that one could get lost in. I yearn for space like that. I also yearn for a sauna and steam room in my house (but one can dream).
More often than not, if the weather is rainy or cold, I will most likely be snuggled up on my velvet sofa, sinking deeply into its cushions, catching up on a marathon of shows on Netflix, typing away at my laptop creating new posts for my blog, drinking some sort of interesting tea combination in my Grandmother’s silver, and being ridiculously lazy in an over-sized custom monogramed shirt with tube socks on. Other times, the weather is just right and I'm twirling around in my home taking photos in a ball gown, listening to old Stones tunes on my record player, packing for my next adventure that I booked last minute.
Coco Wears: Oscar de La Renta Ruffle Blouse, Vintage Navy Skirt, Patent Prada Platforms/ Red Silk Prada Dress/ Vintage Beaded Gown. Photographer: Dana Ferraro. Location: My home in Dumbo, Brooklyn. City Guide: Brooklyn.