A home is never truly finished, and that’s what makes it exciting. For young collectors, curating their spaces is an ongoing experiment filled with discoveries and happy accidents. Their advice? Don’t overthink it. Collect pieces that hold meaning for you.
For a new generation of collectors, art is more than acquiring beautiful objects—it’s about transforming blank walls and empty corners into a space that feels authentic and lived in. In this feature, we speak to a young couple building a home where nostalgia, creativity, and personality intersect.
Their space seamlessly blends vintage finds, contemporary works, and personal collections, forming layered environments that evolve alongside their journeys as collectors. Here, they share how collecting has become an organic part of their daily lives, shaping homes that feel both curated and deeply personal.
In an apartment splashed out in various shades of green, they build upon lessons learned from their first apartment, crafting a second space with evolved sensibilities:
How did growing up surrounded by art influence your own aesthetic sensibilities?
For as long as I can remember, I was always disciplined never to touch antiques and art around my house or, if needed, to handle them with care. As I grew older, I’d like to think that respect grew out of the discipline instilled in me at a very young age. A respect for history, for heritage, for the stories that made a piece what it is today, for the generations before me who cared for and handled that very piece.
I think my exposure to antiques has given me a natural affinity with the past. From music to fashion to jewelry, I’ve always been drawn to things that no longer exist or aren’t made the way they used to.
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How would you describe your overall aesthetic or style?
I don’t think I have a specific one—I’ve always liked mixing and jumbling different styles to see what works for me. One thing that hasn’t changed is that I’ve never liked things to look too perfect or overdone; they always have to have that effortless feel.
I’ve always had an appreciation for beautiful things. Now that I have my own space, I naturally gravitate toward pieces that I find interesting and colorful—things that add life and substance to a room.
How do you integrate your husband’s vinyl collection to your home’s design?
During one of our first meetings with our designer, Jonathan Matti, he asked us about our main intention for the living room. Since we’ve always liked having people over, we already knew that we wanted an entertainment area. On my end, I wanted plenty of bookshelves and a bar area, while my husband wanted space to store his vinyl collection and audio setup. Jonathan suggested an entertainment wall that would merge our interests, and it’s one of those things that just worked, both aesthetically and functionally.
What are some of your favorite elements of your home?
One thing that people always comment on when they first visit is how everything is green. Each room is a different shade of green, from moody olive to calming sage. Green is my husband’s favorite color, so he definitely chose well when suggesting the color palette for our apartment!
The vintage chandelier in the dining area took a while to arrive, but it was well worth the wait. It’s a piece from the 1970s that Jonathan found, and whenever I look at it, I just think of the many parties it must’ve witnessed.
Seeing our shelves filled with vinyl albums and books makes me so happy. With everything online now, it feels grounding to have tangible things that you can physically hold and care for.
How do you go about finding new pieces for your collection?
I never really plan on getting anything—things just kind of turn up, whether through online auctions, browsing social media, or when exploring new cities. If my husband and I find something we like that makes sense for our home—and we have the space for it—then welcome home, new piece!
One important thing to note is that most of our pieces are from family. From our vintage crystal ashtrays to Beatles vinyl records to our artworks, our home wouldn’t be as well-decorated without the pieces passed down to us.
Do you have any favorite pieces or interesting stories about specific pieces in your collection?
One of my newest items is a miniature art piece commissioned from my friend, Chino Yuseco. I think miniature art is actually insane, in the best way possible, because I can’t understand how artists are able to replicate every minute detail so perfectly. Anyway, I went to one of Chino’s art shows last year and saw his miniature of a dirty ice cream cart, which gave me the idea to ask him to make me a custom fishball stand. I love the end result, but what I enjoyed most was collaborating with him.
What are some small touches you believe can truly transform a space?
Beautiful objects, meaningful trinkets, and knick-knacks help inject warmth throughout your space. Your home shouldn’t look like a catalog or a showroom—it should always reflect your personality.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in creating your home or collection?
One of the biggest challenges is not knowing when to stop adding things to your home. It’s in our nature to always want to enhance and improve. But the best realization is that there are no rules, and your home will always evolve with you.
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Can you tell me a bit about what it’s like to entertain in your home? Does the space lend itself well to gatherings?
Our home is always where our friends end up. I think it works well for our group because there’s plenty of space to do their own thing while still maintaining that intimate setting—something that’s so hard to find when you go out.
They know the drill as soon as they walk in. They grab glasses from the bar cabinet, mix drinks on the bar cart, smoke out on the balcony, lounge on the couch with music—whatever feels right. No matter what, we always end up at the dining table, whether we’re just hanging out or playing Catan.
What advice would you give to someone just starting to build their own art collection or design their home?
The most important thing to remember is that above all, taste is subjective. It doesn’t matter how on-trend, cool, or how celebrated a piece is–at the end of the day, you have to live with it, literally. So, do you. What works for you works for you, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
If you build a home surrounded by things that make you feel good and bring you joy, whether that’s today or 20 years from now, then you’ve done a better job than most!
This article originally appeared in our April 2025 issue.
Photography by Ed Simon of KLIQ, Inc.
