Nicole Zarr
photo by Jeff Jones Photo
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would you live? Anywhere on the Amalfi Coast
What are three words to describe your style? Layered, Colorful, Collected
Tell us about your childhood bedroom? Looking back, it's no surprise I ended up in this industry. I slept beneath a pink-and-green floral chintz canopy, surrounded by pink checked wallpaper, with a Queen Anne nightstand on one side and a layered skirted table on the other. It was a thoroughly decorated room, and clearly left a lasting impression.
What’s the first investment piece you ever bought for your house? When my husband and I were engaged, my mother called me from Brian Stringer Antiques (one of the premier antique dealers in Houston at the time). "I've found the most beautiful 18th-century linen press," she said. "You're buying this as your wedding present to David." I still laugh thinking about it. He probably didn't know what a linen press was, much less wanted an antique as a wedding gift. Thirty-one years later, it's still in our bedroom and remains one of the favorite pieces in our home.
In the history of design, if you could hire any designer other than yourself, who would it be? Tony Duquette meets Mario Buatta with a little Miles Redd on the side.
No room is complete without: an accessory that means something so you always have a story to tell
Things you omit from
A flower arrangement: babies breath
An hors d’oeuvre platter: toothpicks with colored plastic tips
A bar cabinet: glasses from that random golf tournament your husband was in
A song for
Dinner at home: Tiny Dancer Elton John
Working at your desk: Man In The Mirror Michael Jackson
Going for a run:live Like You Were Dying Tim McGraw
If you were on an Ambien high and internet shopping, what would you buy? Another pair of yellow heels
Do your clothes reflect your design sensibility, if so, how? Yes. I get dressed much the same way I design a room. I start by thinking about the overall mood and color palette I want to live in that day, then build from there, deciding how tailored or relaxed I want the look to feel. Once the foundation is in place, I add layers and accessories, often with an unexpected element, whether that's a bold ring, an animal-print bag, or a great hat. And then there are the shoes. They're always the finishing touch, and admittedly, a bit of an obsession.
Who is your star crush? Cindy Crawford
What is the thing you would never do on a project, but don’t detest when you see others do it? I could never design a room with just one pattern. I love the tension and personality that comes from mixing prints, textures, and scales. That said, I can appreciate the restraint of a beautifully executed minimalist space when it's done well.
For posterity, what would you like your work to be known for? I'd love for my work to be known as timeless with a point of view. Layered and collected, but never overdone. Spaces that feel inviting, deeply personal, and as though they've evolved naturally over time rather than been decorated all at once.
photo by Rachel Manning
A Few Favorites
Movie: Tie between Good Will Hunting and St. Elmo’s Fire
Book: Same Kind of Different as Me
Scent: currently Loewe
Dream project: Boutique Hotel in Italy
Drink: Grey Goose dirty martini, no vermouth, with three bruised olives.
Hotel: Villa d’ Este Lake Como Italy
Travel Destination: Amalfi Coast
Artist: Too hard to say just one
A cause near and dear to me: Kids Meals in Houston Texas
Thing to collect obsessively: Antique sterling silver napkin rings engraved with family members initials
Era in the history of design: I am loving everything right now…. Period antiques, large scale wallcoverings, layered patterns, but all with modern color palettes and a contemporary twist.
Museum: V&A in London
Paint Color: Currently loving Topeka Taupe by Benjamin Moore (I am on a chocolate brown kick)
