Talk Shop: Chiara de Rege // Chiara de Rege Interiors
Photo by Portraitmadame
ABOUT CHIARA
Since establishing her Manhattan based firm in 2010, Chiara de Rege has made her mark creating an impressive range of residential and commercial interiors. She brings a detail-oriented focus to every aspect of her projects and enjoys working with different aesthetics, oftentimes tailoring her designs to create consistently unique environments.
Chiara’s appreciation for interior design sparked while traveling between New York City and Italy during her childhood. Her career began at Vogue, where she worked as an editor and stylist, allowed her to seamlessly transition to interiors, working at notable design firms such as Molly Isaksen Interiors, Nickey Kehoe, and Suzanne Rheinstein. During this time, she gained invaluable experience and exposure to a vast resource of internationally acclaimed craftsmen, artists and dealers.
Whether designing a celebrity’s home in the Hollywood Hills, a polished Upper East Side apartment, iconic (and internet breaking) membership spaces like The Wing, or Carolina Herrera’s Manhattan flagship on Madison Avenue (lauded by Architectural Digest as an ode to boutique, bespoke shopping), to name a few, Chiara de Rege delivers unparalleled service and superior design acumen. All of her projects share a timeless sensibility brought to life with a mix of modern and traditional furnishings—many custom-designed for each project. Chiara often goes well beyond the normal scope, by designing custom stationary, linens, amenities, dinnerware, flatware and libraries, and also works extensively on branding concept and design for each of her commercial projects. We love Chaira’s work for its originality, use of color and shape in novel ways, and a profound sense of quiet confidence and beloved quirk.
In addition to Chiara’s interior design studio, Chiara is also co-founder of Maison C, a wallpaper and textile company with a gorgeous array of unique prints, including “Coven”, a particular favorite at AOI. We sat down with the stylish designer and hope you enjoy our conversation!
Describe your style in three words or less:
Timeless. Thoughtful. Sophisticated.
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
Travel. My heritage. Color.
How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:
I transitioned from the fashion and editorial work at Vogue into interior design by enrolling in some basic architecture classes and working for three interior designer studios I greatly admired. My favorite thing about interior design is how all encompassing it can be. I love that I am not just thinking of form and function, space, and architecture but also colors, textiles, patterns, furniture, lighting, and then of course the people will be using the space.
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
I consider the designers I work for all mentors in the sense that they were my training. For instance, when I worked for Molly Isaksen, I learned the art of fabric stories, thinking of the clients from top to bottom meaning not only their furniture but also their amenities, their silver, their place settings, how they entertain, their flower arrangements, (amongst many other invaluable lessons). While working for Suzanne Rheinstein, I learned the importance of finishing every detail, lining curtains, trimming pillows, and of course I gained further knowledge of antiques and quality upholstery and furniture design. And with Nickey Kehoe, I learned how the clients voice can be reflected in the overall design.
What does your home say about you:
My home is a bit eclectic. Its storied. Its a prewar apartment with beautiful moldings and original plasterwork and even though I rent it, I put Maison C wallpaper everywhere I could possibly deem appropriate. Maison C is a wallpaper line that I co-founded with the artist Costanza Theodali Braschi.
Where do you find inspiration:
Nature, travel, books, history, stories, film.
Who are your style icons:
My grandmother. She simply could not be bothered to over think fashion and yet everything she wore was elegant and easy. She loved couture gowns and evening clothes but just as much as she loved her Supergas with wide legged YSL pants, silk blouses and a cardigan. She was always dressed appropriately but never boring, always chic.
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Lighting. Layers of lighting. I loathe recessed lighting so I always rely on a ceiling light, table lamps, sconces and of course candles. Then beautiful tablescapes that usually involve a mix of family china, silver and crystal with some random flea market finds. I love thinking up a cocktail for the night. Nathan Turner taught me that silver julep cups hold blanched veggies as well as anything else and look so pretty. If the dinner is seated, I strive to make sure that everyone has a great dinner partner so there is never dull banter and if its an informal cocktails or dinner, I love creating inviting areas in my home so people can feel free to get comfy and enjoy my guests but also the comforts of entertaining at home.
Do you collect anything:
Textiles, vintage fabric and wallpaper swatches, vintage china and glassware. I just stash things I think might be a good source of inspiration or come in handy down the road.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
I am guilty of not loving instagram for inspiration. I just feel like scrolling through a screen gives me more of a migraine than any source of inspiration.
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
I feel like rules should be broken in interior design! I think the soul of a project gets lost if rules and formula are applied.
What are you working on right now:
A fun range of projects! Designing a house from the ground up in Millbrook, NY, renovating a loft in the West Village, designing two UES prewar apartments, renovating and designing an 100 plus old estate in Greenwich, CT, converting a screening room into a music room for a client in LA, designing a large corporations receiving floor in the GM building, renovating an apartment on Central Park South and a house in Bellport, designing offices on the UES and working with my partner Cosi on launching fabrics for Maison C.
Wardrobe staples:
Dresses that I can wear with sneakers. Range of Khaite jeans. Laura Garcia tops and dresses, lots of Carolina Herrera and my new Hermes clogs that I am obsessed with.
Favorite fabric/wallpaper:
Everything Maison C
Best interior advice you ever received:
Don’t be afraid to let the clients voice come through, in fact embrace it.
Best career advice you ever received:
Stay a small design studio.
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
I will splurge on an antique or vintage piece (furniture, rug, light fixture) with provenance and integrity that I know its very presence will make the room. I will also splurge on furniture by current designers like Anna Karlin, Giancarlo Valle, Orior, BDDW, and JM Szymanski because I believe in the thoughtfulness behind the design as well as the quality. But I might cut corners with materials in kids bathrooms like tiles or instead of splurging on an antique rug, I might choose something simple and cost effective like sisal or seagrass.
Your greatest extravagance:
Wallpapering my rental felt crazy but it was so worth it!
Favorite places to shop for home:
1st dibs, auctions, and designers like I list above but also I have working relationships with dealers all over the world who I respect and trust and I love getting updates with their inventory as it feels personalized for me and my clientele and I can be confidant in the provenance and quality of each piece. My sources are endless and so much fun.
Most prized possession and why:
A Vladmir Kagan sofa because so far it has defined both my last apartments living room and now my current. It is comfy as it is chic.
Your interiors motto:
Comfy as it is chic.
Your life motto:
Comfy as it is chic.
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Always go with your gut. Don’t think about what someone else might think, think about whether the interior decision will bring you joy, peace, calm but also inspiration.
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Sushi
Drink: Tequila
Film: This is so hard. I think the movie I have watched the most in my life is Howard Hawks’ Bringing Up Baby.
Hotel: I have really happy memories at the Bowery Hotel as well as Chateau Marmont. And when I was working in London, I fell in love with Claridges and enjoyed some escapes to Cliveden House and when I was working in Paris I loved staying at Hotel Costes. I really don’t know what my favorite hotel is!
City: New York City
Bedding: It depends on the client or my environment! I love Olatz as well as D. Porthault and Leontine Linens
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Espresso or Bulletproof coffee with coconut oil and grass fed ghee
Playlist: Well I just looked and my 7 year old daughter has definitely hijacked my music. Currently its a mix of the Beatles, ABBA and Ramona Quinby…. I need to work on reclaiming my playlist!
Weekend Activity: Going upstate with my daughter, horseback riding, cooking, reading, walking, puzzles, seeing friends.
Design Book: How about three that I always go to? Living Well The NY Times Book of Home design and decoration. “May I Come In” Wendy Goodman and “Around that time” Horst at Home. But I also love “Home Sweet Home” by Oberto Gili and Vogue Living Houses, Garden, People. As I write this I think “Home Sweet Home” is my favorite.
