Talk Shop: Corey Damen Jenkins // Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates
Photo by Werner Straube
ABOUT COREY
When we first walked into Corey Damen Jenkins’s room at the 2019 Kips Bay Showhouse, we stopped in our tracks. A little jewel box, the room perfectly melded traditional and glam in a way that felt very contemporary and fresh. “My goal is to ensure that my clients’ homes are always classic, livable and without an expiration date,” says nationally acclaimed designer Corey Damen Jenkins. We love his mix of vivid colors with layered patterns that create architecturally inspired spaces that are polished, inventive, and unexpected. The NYC and Michigan-based designer is a member of the AD100, Elle Decor’s A-List, and has been published in numerous publications such as House Beautiful, Traditional Home, WSJ, NYT, and more!
Corey flew onto the scene after he was named HGTV’s Showcase Showdown winner, and has been making stunning interiors ever since. Most recently, Corey just published his new coffee table book (!!) Design Remix: A New Spin On Traditional Rooms for Rizzoli. We were thrilled to be able to sit down with Corey, and hope you enjoy the interview!
Describe your style in three words or less:
Bold, maximalist, mix.
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
Mario Buatta, the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, and my mother.
How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:
I started my company by knocking on 779 doors during The Great Recession in Metro Detroit. I got my first break when a couple gave me a shot to complete their home. I had the project photographed, and it was discovered by HGTV producers online who in turn cast me on my first show, a reality Television show competition that I won! That set the stage for company momentum.
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
I have had several mentors. Mario Buatta has given me great advice. Jamie Drake, a gatekeeper in the industry who wrote the foreword of my book. My father because he taught me everything I know about the finances associated with running a business. He was a banker, and he showed me what it means to run multi-million dollar budgets. Having that education is key when you’re working as an interior designer, because oftentimes handling money is not our specialty.
What does your home say about you:
My home says I am eclectically exuberant. I love mixing and matching all different types of styles, colors, cultures, textures, and art from all around the world. I don’t believe in being confined to one particular genre or category of design for a timeless aesthetic. At least not in my home.
Where do you find inspiration:
I find inspiration from the fashion runway, especially in Paris. I love seeing what Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Balmain do on the runway. I also love to look at nature. I’ll consume inspiration by walking around the Flower District and other flower shops just by looking at all the organic flowers. Color schemes that you see on flowers are so naturally beautiful, with how they bloom and their color combinations. I like to utilize that same idea in a room.
Who are your style icons:
Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier, Ralph Lauren, Anna Wintour, and Halle Berry.
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Having a great mix of hors d’oeuvres. Sometimes you can have a really great meal using just hors d’oeuvres and appetizers. Presentation is also key. It’s great to have flourishes, like fresh flowers, everywhere. I love the scent they bring and the visual aesthetic. They make everything look finished and intentional. Fresh flowers are an essential part of the presentation of entertaining. Another is to make sure you have your music just right. Having an appropriate soundtrack is great for the occasion. It’s very helpful for setting the mood.
Do you collect anything:
I love to collect art, and also Chinese calligraphy brushes. I love to collect music as well. Right now I am collecting vintage CDs and cassettes. Now they’re considered vintage, even though when I was growing up, they were considered a necessity.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
Douglas Friedman (@douglasfriedman)!
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
I believe in good design principles instead of rules. Principles are meant to be applied, and rules are meant to be broken when it comes to interior design.
What are you working on right now:
I am working on a new fabric and wallcovering collection for Kravet. My book DESIGN REMIX just came out last week, so we’ve been busy spreading the word about that. We are also working on filming an exciting new series (which I can’t name right now) and I am launching an art collection and a new bedding collection in June. I also have some really amazing design projects in the Northeast and Midwest.
Wardrobe staples:
Great bracelets, Gucci glasses, loafers without socks (except when it’s really cold). I love denim jackets and pairing them with vests and bowties. I find that I can pair a denim jacket with almost everything, whether I’m dressing casually or dressy. It’s a very transitional piece. Denim jeans, denim jackets, I always find a way to incorporate denim into my outfits, whether I’m dressing up or down.
Favorite fabric/wallpaper:
My favorites are the patterns and motifs I’ve been designing for my upcoming Kravet collection!
Best interior advice you ever received:
Measure twice, cut once. Talk less and listen more.
Best career advice you ever received:
To remain humble and grounded, no matter how successful you become. You never want to pass people on the way down that you snubbed on the way up.
Always be kind to everyone you meet. No matter who you are or who they are, be respectful, be kind. You never really know what people are going through.
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
Always invest in good furniture and art that speaks to you (and even if it’s inexpensive, get a great frame for it). Invest in good barware: good glasses, good silverware. Get things you will enjoy using to set your table and while creating memorable experiences.
As for saving, you only get so much square footage for your home and you only live once. I tell clients I’d rather them save and get what they really want rather than spend money on junk pieces that fall apart within a year. Save up your money, then get what you want – it’ll save you in the long run.
Your greatest extravagance:
Friends, family, and colleagues who love me and meet me where I am instead of where I was or where they want me to be.
Favorite places to shop for home:
Anything at the D&D building, New York Design Center, flea markets, estate sales, and auctions. You can find some great things for really incredible low prices.
Most prized possession and why:
My health. Every day I take that for granted because I’m only 44. Health is something so precious, and it can be snatched away from us at a moment’s notice. Health is the most valuable possession you can have.
Your interiors motto:
We design with a vision where the client’s vision becomes our vision. It’s not a dictatorship, it’s a collaboration. That’s what we set out for – a real creative collaboration with our clients.
Your life motto:
Life is short, so live well and beautifully.
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
I would encourage them to look at their wardrobe because what we feel comfortable putting on our bodies is often a signal of what we are comfortable putting on our walls. Often what a person’s temperature will be in terms of pattern and color is reflective of what they wrap their own bodies with.
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Pizza
Drink: Hot Toddy
Film: The Devil Wears Prada
Hotel: Marina Bay Stands in Singapore
City: New York
Bedding: Bedding by DownTown
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): I like a little coffee with my sugar
Playlist: SWB
Weekend Activity: Sleep
Design Book: Design Remix: A New Spin on Traditional Rooms (of course!)
