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Photos by Kate S. Jordan
We can’t get enough of Somsack Sikhounmuong, the creative director of Alex Mill and maybe the nicest person working in fashion today. (Fun fact: this CoJ post about Somsack was the inspiration for Big Salad!) Today, we’re excited to share a tour of his Queens apartment, where the rugs are layered, the art is leaning, and the windowsills are full. “I have a lot of stuff,” he warned us, “but each piece reminds me of a trip I took or where I was in my career when I found it.” Here goes…
LIVING ROOM
Paint: “Manchester Tan” by Benjamin Moore. Table: Paul McCobb via Modlivsup. Sofa: ABC Carpet + Home. Standing lamp: Radilum in glossy orange. Pillows: “from John Derian and travels to Hawaii, France, and Italy.” Textiles: “Vintage finds from Portland, Tokyo, and Paris.” Photograph above sofa: Jamie Hawkesworth.
On blending styles: I love mixing industrial pieces with romantic things that have texture. If a room was all one or the other, it would be a lot less interesting to me. That tension is good.
On beloved art: I’m an out-and-about kinda person. But when I’m home, I’m hanging by myself, and 95% of the time I’m on the couch. The photo above is by Jamie Hawkesworth. I bought it as a gift for myself after I got a big promotion at J.Crew.
Checkered rug: Kat + Mouche. Tripod standing lamp: Marc Hundley. Textile on table: Hawaiian quilt from Honolulu. White ceramic dish: “my own.” Yellow vase: Gayle Spannaus.
On a travel strategy: Before a trip, I’ll research one must-visit store that’s off the beaten path. Then, once I get there, I’ll ask the store person for a few of their local recommendations. This often unlocks a bunch of incredible places I never would have known about, and it doesn’t require too much prep beforehand.
Chair and console: Rett of Happy Medium. Pillow: John Derian. Pedestal: Mattias Vriens.
On a not-so-green thumb: I’ve had a lot of plants, but the ones that are still here are the ones that don’t require much water. The one on the pedestal used to be way more lush — I always joke that it’s my version of the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. My ritual with the plants is if I look at them and feel bad for them, then I water them.
Left: Ceramics: “most are mine.” Marble fruit: John Derian. Right: Table: Marc Hundley, “I think of this beautiful little red table as my table of memories.” Objects: “Found and given, including a seal from Alaska.”
On a new hobby: I started making my own ceramics post-Covid. I took some classes on the wheel, but I was horrible. I left thinking, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Then I tried hand building and never looked back.
Photograph on left: Jamie Hawkesworth. Painting on floor: Jeanne Thomsen. Wax seals in frame: eBay. Bull-fighter jacket: eBay. Red metal shelving unit: similar.
On collecting: “I got this vintage bull-fighter jacket on eBay; I love the beading and embroidery. I’ve collected vintage clothing for decades, as well as old magazines and books. Pinterest is great, but you often see the same batch of images over and over. When you open an old book, none of those images are even on the Internet.”
DINING CORNER
Stools: BDDW. Tablecloth: Xenomania. Checkered rug: Kat + Mouche.
On rugs on rugs on rugs: Over the years, I’ve brought home a lot of smaller rugs instead of one big one. I like the layered look better, and, honestly, underneath some of the rugs are more rugs that I just don’t have room to store anywhere else.
On a rescue mission: In fourth grade, our teacher had magazines for people to cut up and paste with. My sister and I would rescue them and take them home because we thought they were too great to cut. I don’t know why kids that age would ever be thinking that, but we were. I now have every issue of Vogue since 1995.
KITCHEN
Print: Hugo Guinness. Bowl: Atelier Saint André Perrin.
On shopping for one: Someone needs to come up with a store that sells groceries for a single person because I’ve never, ever used all the parsley. If a recipe has more than five ingredients, I’ll probably skip it.
On the important things: What would I save in a fire? Probably my passport and the little cards and photos on my fridge.
BEDROOM
Paint: “Steel wool” by Benjamin Moore. Quilt: “Hawaiian quilt from Honolulu.” Striped blanket: gift, similar. Gingham pillowcase: Muji, similar.
On sleeping well: I sleep better in dark bedrooms, but I felt nervous about painting my entire room in a dark color. So, I painted one wall. It’s just enough.
Lamp: set from Cafiero Select. Matchbox print: Hugo Guinness. Bat print: Deyrolle. Nightstand: custom from Sean Biloski of Iron Oaks.
On floor art: Not all my art is hung up. Some of that is laziness, but some of that is intentional. When you put something on the floor or stack it behind something else, you’re taking the white gloves off. It’s not unkept, it’s just more casual. There are a lot of ways to make a home feel inviting, and that’s one of them.
On dressing waaaay up: Last year, a bunch of coworkers and I dressed up as Marie Antoinette’s cakes for Halloween. We made our costumes in the office. Another year, I went to a party with a friend who is similarly into costumes. When we got there, we looked around, and it was just like someone with cat ears on and Bob over there with a fake nose. Meanwhile, we had gone all out.”
Thank you so much for the tour, Somsack! You’re the best. You can find his designs on Alex Mill and follow his newsletter, Somstack.
P.S. More home tours, including a cluttered-in-the-best-way Minnesota home and our most colorful house tour ever.
(Photos by Kate S. Jordan for Cup of Jo.)
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