Chiara de Rege featuring the Atlanta chair
Published on 01 Jul 2020
In this series of Orior In Real Life we had the pleasure of photographing two inspiring duos in the same shoot : First, Chiara and her adorable daughter Phoenix! Second, the Orior Atlanta chair with Chiara's Maison C wallpaper designs! Both beautiful and clearly destined to be together.
You can't just swing by for a quick visit to the home of Chiara and Phoenix. You need to allow plenty of time to drool over all the specific details which Chiara applies to her own home, and not just the interiors of her high profile clients. If you don't already know this, you will quickly learn that Chiara can, has and will design it all. Nothing is off limits - often designing custom pieces like stationary or flatware for her clients home or being involved in branding concepts for commercial projects. Based on her stunning dress selections for this shoot (shout out to Carolina Herrera) it's no surprise to learn that Chiara started off her career in fashion, working for Vogue Magazine no less!
Q: Has Interiors always been something that you have wanted to do since you were young? If not what else did you want to do and what was the reason for turning to interiors?
A: My Mother was obsessed with interior design and she was always designing our different homes as well as her friends' homes so she greatly influenced me. However, I began my career in fashion not interior design. I worked at Vogue Magazine in the fashion market department and then moved to LA and worked as an editor and stylist for Vogue and Teen Vogue before I basically fell into interior design. I had signed up for an architecture class and it inspired me to intern for a wonderful Los Angeles based interior designer named Molly Isaksen and then I never looked back!
Q: Where do you go for inspiration? Do you have any specific sources, people / places that inspire you and your work?
A: Travel inspires me the most. Which has been a bit challenging these past few months. So instead I look to nature. I have been enjoying nature walks upstate with my daughter and I unwind at the end of the day looking through my library up here which is filled with design and art and architecture books. Sometimes I can find inspiration from a corner of an old rug design or textile. Other times, I find inspiration online but I try to keep that to looking through auctions or 1st dibs for antiques and vintage pieces. I don’t like to lose time falling down a rabbit hole of Instagram, Pinterest or blogs, as I never actually end up inspired from that.
Q: How has your Orior, Atlanta chair been integrated into your house?
A: It is as if it has always been there! We read and snuggle on it. Our puppy Penny perches on it and it has become the most desired chair to claim in the house when watching movies. Personally, I just love waking up and walking through that room and seeing it first thing in the morning. The shape, the color, the fabric, the fringe!, it all makes me so happy aesthetically.
Q: Away from work what other interests do you have?
Travel, books, cooking, swimming, reading, horseback riding, and a new found interest is in gardening. And in a non Covid19 world I love entertaining, seeing movies, going to the theater and ballet.
Q: What current project or designs are you currently working on?
A: Currently I am designing predominantly residential work with one office space in Soho. So I am installing two apartments on the upper east side and in the design phase of one on the upper west side and just beginning a project upstate as well as a commercial project. And my partner in Maison C, Costanza Theodoli Braschi, and I, are launching fabrics to go along with our wallpaper line.
Q: How do you decompress?
A: I meditate but I wish I could say I do that daily, as of now it is just a couple times a week. I read. I walk my dogs, I cook, I stream Ballet Beautiful, I swing on the hammock with Phoenix. And in the city, I go for walks in central park and leave my phone at home.
