Talk Shop: Nina Carbone // Nina Carbone, Inc.

ABOUT NINA

NINA CARBONE inc. is a full-service design firm located in the heart of Manhattan that specializes in residential interior design, nationwide renovations, and boutique commercial spaces tailored to meet diverse needs. Founded in 2016, the firm employs a collaborative design process that effectively reflects the unique ideas and individual styles of its clients, resulting in beautiful homes that are both functional and visually appealing.

Nina Carbone, a graduate of Princeton University and the New York School of Interior Design, dedicated eight years to honing her craft at Christina Murphy Interiors before establishing her own firm. She firmly believes that exceptional interiors are the result of a thoughtful combination of various materials, bespoke furnishings, and carefully selected vintage pieces. Nina has a strong preference for natural surfaces, warm color palettes, and items that possess a distinctive character.

Describe your style in three words or less:

Personalized, unfussy, thoughtful.

What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:

Living in NYC, having my daughter, and reading.

How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:

I worked for designer Christina Murphy for just about 8 years before venturing out on my own. Christina gave us the chance to “try it ourselves” but was always there when we needed it.

And I adore working with our vendors, craftspeople, contractors, and project architects—there is something so inspiring about being a part of a larger team all working towards the same beautiful end. It’s from these professionals that I learn and grow the most.

Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:

No official mentors but rather many fellow designer friends who have been such a source of knowledge. As I’ve learned, our aesthetics and styles may be different but the experiences born out of running a design business and working with clients are nearly universal. It’s always nice to talk with someone who “gets it.”

What does your home say about you:

That I’m not at all precious about things but love antique and vintage pieces wherever possible. Also: I don't have a signature style, but love clean lines.

Where do you find inspiration:

Old auction catalogs, flea markets, and, of course, travel. And I love a good Instagram or Zillow rabbit hole.

Who are your style icons:

Fashion icons? Lauren Hutton, 70s Ricky Lauren, Charlotte Rampling, Gwyneth Paltrow.

Design icons include Tom Scheerer, Paul Fortune, Thierry Despont, Mark Cunningham, Daniel Romualdez, Steven Gambrel, Ilse Crawford, Jeffrey Bilhuber, Jacques Grange

What are your key ingredients for entertaining:

Simple food, more wine than you think you need, and great friends. I’m admittedly not the elaborate table design type.

Do you collect anything:

I have a weakness for Jefferson Hayman’s pieces—he pairs his photography with his own handmade or antique frames. No two are exactly the same.

Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:

A mix of design and non-design accounts: @davidnettosays, @jacquigiff, @waldosdesigns, @niall.harbison, @rushmatters, @wildwillyswoodshop

What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:

Always follow: Correctly sized area rugs. No postage-stamps!

Made to be broken: Matching your wood finishes. Why limit yourself?!

What are you working on right now:

We’re in the beginning stages of a historic renovation in Bellport, Long Island, and a total gut of an Upper East Side brownstone. And we also just finished up two long-term, multi-year projects—and are working on photographing them.

Wardrobe staples:

Vintage Levis, cashmere sweaters, linen t-shirts, and sneakers…always sneakers

Favorite fabric/wallpaper:

There are a few fabrics we have on heavy rotation: Chelsea Textiles “Cupid,” it’s such a lovely small print; we’ve upholstered an entire sofa in it, made lampshades with it, and can’t get enough of it as throw pillows. For windows, I love Roger + Goffigon’s “Bonbon”—it’s 125” wide, the colorways are endless, and has a pretty washed-linen texture—as well as Pindler’s “Danville” in Natural. Fabricut carries a faux-wool called “Devon” that upholsters beautifully, is well-priced and great on heavy use upholstery.

For wallpapers, nothing beats a Phillip Jeffries “Manilla Hemp” and I love the latest papers from Zak + Fox.

Best interior advice you ever received:

Understanding scale and proportion is critical. I want a client to walk into a room and see…the room—not the chair or lamp or specific case piece. Just as you play with color or materials or light/dark, etc also think about how scale informs the personality of the space.

Best career advice you ever received:

Do the scary, uncomfortable stuff, it’s the best way to grow.

Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:

Invest in vintage/antique pieces and art you love. Save on technology—residential AV systems are constantly changing, unless you are a homeowner who loves all things tech I always lobby for the most straightforward plan.

Your greatest extravagance:

I have a little bit of an art-habit. One of my dearest friends, Kate Bellin, is an art consultant and has the most well-informed and wonderful eye—she’s always sending me pieces I can’t say no to.

Favorite places to shop for home:

Aero, Laurin Copen Antiques, Etsy, Nickey Kehoe, South Loop Loft, Bloom in Sag Harbor, and Avery + Dash.

Most prized possession and why:

My late grandmother’s simple gold wedding band which became my wedding band when I got married. It was made even more special when I realized I didn't even need to resize it, we share ring size.

Your interiors motto:

Spaces should reflect the people who live in them and give a nod to location and architecture. I have a hard time designing spaces that are wholly dissonant when it comes to the who/what/wheres.

Your life motto:

I’m a people pleaser and perfectionist at heart and sometimes I just need to get out of my own way, so: ”Perfect is the enemy of the good (or great).”

Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:

When it comes to interiors, fabrics, light fixtures or furniture and tile layouts: consume consume consume, have an insatiable visual curiosity. I’m always trying to better inform my eye.

Take Ten: My Favorite…

Food: Pizza, or Pasta. Carbs, basically.

Drink: A glass of French white OR a super cold seltzer straight out of the can

Film: Not a film, but a TV series—The Wire

Hotel: Post Ranch Inn

City: New York City, but Paris is a close second

Bedding: Always an Evangeline blanket and right now it’s Matteo linens.

Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Espresso please, no sugar.

Playlist: Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty, Billy Joel, and any/all of the latest bad pop music

Weekend Activity: Spending time with the fam—my daughter, Agnes, husband, Jon, and absolute lunatic of a bulldog, Toby. And squeezing in a Saturday morning workout at Gleason’s Gym in DUMBO (hi, to my trainer Neuky Santelises!)

Design Book: A Frame for Life, Ilse Crawford; Tom Scheer Decorates; Time & Place, Steven Gambrel; Billy Baldwin Decorates; Rose Uniacke At Work; Jeffrey Bilhuber’s Design Basics (this last one is great for designers just starting out, he walks through the sometimes-instinctual decisions that make up the design process)