A Cool Interior Designer Talks Style, Inspiration & More
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Growing up in Chicago, art, architecture and design are kind of a religion. From a young age, I was exposed to the collections at the Art Institute and the Museum of Contemporary Art, and just generally exploring the city. Some early influences were ‘local heroes’ like Daniel Burnham, Louis Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright – and then there were Brancusi, Georgia O’Keeffe, René Magritte and Salvador Dalí. Although none of them are Chicago natives, their work is featured heavily in the Art Institute’s permanent collections, so they made an impression on me.
In architecture, I love the work of Peter Zumthor. For his obsession with nature and blurring the lines between art and design, there’s also David Wiseman. The full list of creatives inspiring me today is long and includes visual artists, fashion designers and musicians like Milena Muzquiz, Monica Rezman, Marcela Diaz, Marco Castillo, Rebekah Heller, Zhivago Duncan and Claribel Calderius.
An almost equal love for art and architecture made me choose this path. I have always put my mark on spaces so I could ‘feel’ a certain way in them, and have always viewed furniture as sculptural objects. I was making installation art and non-functional objects, and, at some point, the evolution happened. I’ve always considered my projects very abstractly – i.e. knowing when to follow the design rules and when to break them. Realising the ability to create in a space where lives unfold is very powerful and exciting to me.
I’m lucky to travel all around the world and have discovered some great shops in some of my favourite cities. In Mexico City, I love Trouve for vintage and antiques. In New York, there are Les Atelier Courbet, The Future Perfect and Artemest. In London, The Carpenters Workshop Gallery at Ladbroke Hall is amazing. In Paris, there’s the Pierre Frey shop for textiles, and I love exploring all the great antique and vintage shops, including Marche Biron.
I love to cook. Playing to the Italian side of my heritage, I make an insanely delicious pici al limone with sautéed radicchio. I also make my own contemporary spin on traditional Mexican chiles rellenos – mine are stuffed with rice, goat’s cheese, achiote, pine nuts and grilled chicken then baked with roasted tomatoes. I do believe cooking needn’t be so formal – if you open your refrigerator, I can probably whip something up.
On a whim, I bought a Cindy Sherman photograph at auction and it’s one of my favourite pieces I own. There’s a pale icy blue cast to the image and a little bit of lilac. I’m currently creating an entire room around the palette of this photo.
My favourite colour is coral pink – in all hues. It’s luminous – like capturing ‘magic hour’ in a 2D surface. I like applying it to anything: walls, furniture, textiles or a blank canvas. It vibrates but it's also very soothing.
I am still so in love with Mexico. It has been the source of incredible inspiration for me – travelling here has changed my sense of colour, scale and textures. In Mexico, I’m always in pursuit of antiques and traditional craft. In central Mexico’s mountains and valleys, you can find artisans in copper and ceramics and skilled woodworking. Oaxaca is all about textiles, rugs and weaving in cotton, wool and hemp fibres. In the Yucatan, the hand weaving and dying in palm and sisal (henequen) are amazing. In Mexico City, I never miss an opportunity to visit the Lagunilla market. Walking those aisles early on a Sunday morning is like experiencing a culture through its objects – things both cast aside and of great value. I think that is fascinating, especially when I’m making art and creating collections.
I collect lots of things. I believe artists should have ‘stuff’ around them that inspires. Some people think artists are hoarders, but for me all that detritus is part of the process. I always keep an eye open for interesting vintage chairs, all kinds of ceramics and pottery, artbooks, hand-woven artisan textiles, vintage cowboy boots, silver Navajo bracelets and belts… I really love accessories that have a story. I recently acquired my fourth art piece by Cisco Jimenez – the most I have from any one artist – so perhaps a new collection is developing.
I really enjoy film as an escape and an inspiration. I am a devoted fan of MUBI which distributes films from iconic, award-winning directors to emerging auteurs, showing transformative films from all over the world. I think I gravitate towards classic films but film noir, dramatic thrillers and even sci-fi appeal. I recently binge-watched a series of Wong Kar Wai films. They are good for me to watch on planes, where I love to be transported out of this reality and into another world. Films, wherever I am and whatever is going on in my life, always have that ability for me.
It’s impossible to choose a favourite musician as my music tastes are so varied. I recently went to a large festival in Mexico City, specifically to hear The Cure, which was like an amazing time capsule returning to my youth. I love opera, classical, rock, punk, jazz, all of it. The best thing is being in a small club to experience the artist. Just last week, the legendary NYC chanteuse Joey Arias – with a unique voice like Billie Holiday – performed here in Merida to a packed room. It was a total gift.
At this point I’ve designed well over 1,000 pieces of furniture, lighting, accessories, rugs and textiles. It’s difficult to choose just one favourite, but if I had to, I really love the Mar floor lamp and Vargueno chair from my latest collection with Arteriors.
In terms of bestsellers, my two bath collections – Vir Stil and Paletta – have been bestselling collections consistently for Kallista for 20 years, and I'm thrilled that my Caviar chandelier for Arteriors has been at the top of the company's bestseller list since 2010.
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