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Collectors Gene Radio
Josh Young - Artist, Designer, & Curator Offers Masterclass in Cohesiveness
00:47:36
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- [00:01]
A
It's tuning into what are the things that make you tick and that really, like, speak to you, those core elements. And I think when you're. When you pull back from that, that allows you to understand what it is that defines your creative point of view.
- [00:15]
B
What's going on, everybody? And welcome to Collector's Gene Radio. This is all about diving into the nuances of collecting and ultimately finding out whether or not our guests have what we like to call the Collector's Gene. If you have the time, please subscribe and leave a review. It truly helps. Thanks a bunch for listening, and please enjoy today's guest on Collector's Dream Radio. Sitting down with me today is artist and designer Josh Young. Josh's new book, Artful Home, just launched, and it's a masterclass in authenticity. He's been collecting and curating since he was 5 years old. And growing up next to a small auction house didn't hurt either. After studying art in Milan, Josh garnered the art of mixing old and new. His neoclassical meets contemporary portraiture became widely known to collectors and designers, forging a path to work with some of the biggest names in the industry. Josh's collections range from multiple different categories, but they all have one thing in cohesiveness. So without further ado, this is Josh Young for Collector's Gene Radio. Josh, welcome to Collector's Dream Radio.
- [01:21]
A
Hey there. Thank you so much. I appreciate you having me.
- [01:24]
B
My pleasure. So, first off, congrats on your new book. I'd be remiss if it's not the first thing that we talk about, because I've personally loved looking through it and getting inspiration. I've already redone things in my home to try and mimic some of the aesthetic that you've portrayed in there. And I know you're on your book tour right now, so you're exhausted. So I do appreciate you coming on the show.
- [01:46]
A
No, thank you so much. I appreciate that. And it's a labor of love. It's a project I've been working on for a few years now, but it's fun and also a bit surreal that it's finally out there. And it's really cool to kind of get the feedback from either people that have collected my work or people who are just being introduced to my work. It's been a really fun process, especially now that we're on this book tour. But again, thank you for having me.
- [02:12]
B
Yeah, of course. And it's a momentous occasion, no doubt. And as an artist and a designer, this all kind of started for you quite a bit. Ago, you mentioned in your book that you used to curate your bedroom at home when you were a child. I mean, what kind of things were you collecting and putting in your room as a kid?
- [02:30]
A
Yeah, for sure. So, I mean, truly, I could. I could. As I write in the book, I can stem it all the way back to probably when I was about five years old. I've just always been someone that has been drawn to beautiful objects, beautiful things, and even at large, more so just surrounding myself and creating an environment that exuded a certain type of feeling. Right. Not only for myself, but for those that are within my spaces. I read as a kid, in my childhood bedroom, there were periods where I was either obsessed with or had fascinations with Paris, or I had a fascination with the 60s, literally, like, it runs the gamut. But I would try to create these environments. And of course, those environments in my room would also include pieces that would be relative to whatever the theme is du jour. Right. But it stems all the way back from that. And, you know, I grew up in a very small town in northeastern Pennsylvania. Actually, I grew up right out back of an auction house. And that really was a part of my upbringing. Like, every Tuesday and Thursday we were at the auctions. And I think just as a kid, being surrounded by, you know, historic pieces and, you know, getting to interact with dealers from all over the Northeast, you know, it's impressionable. Right. Like that whole. That whole act of. And my parents were, to an extent, collectors as well, having an appreciation and understanding the intention of incorporating things that you're drawn to or things that pique your interest, like that whole art of. Or that whole act of collecting has really been a part of me, truly, like I said, since the time I.
- [04:23]
B
Was probably five years old, man, to be five. But to have the knowledge that you have now and live behind an auction house would have been insane.
- [04:32]
A
Yeah. And, you know, it was nothing like, it was nothing fancy or crazy. It was truly like an old, old barn that had been converted. And again, we had, you know, there was dealers from Massachusetts or upstate New York or other parts of, you know, in Philadelphia that would come up and it was a weekly thing. But, you know, again, just walking those back rooms, right, where a lot of the pieces were kind of stored and just, you know, I've always. I was the only child growing up, and I've always kind of lived in my head and I've always had to kind of, like, self entertain. But I would, like. I would walk those aisles and just tactilely and tangibly just, like, touching the pieces and understanding, like, the imperfections and the age of things. Like, there was a mystique behind it. There was something that I found almost like I would create my own storytelling of, like, what these pieces were, where they came from, how old they were. I don't know. Again, there's something. There's. There's like a nostalgia quality for me, at least, like the act of collecting. I just, again, growing up with it and seeing my parents do it and the intention behind it.
- [05:38]
B
Well, it makes sense because, you know, the things that you collect today, they range from antique portraiture, hurricanes, miniature lamps, which are, I find very difficult to find. Old photographs, silver trays, vintage books on art and design. I mean, that's definitely things that you probably would have seen at this auction house because, you know, you're in these rural areas of the east coast and there's a lot of colonial there. Did that interest you as a child?
- [06:09]
A
Oh, for sure. I mean, again, like, you can still. You can still see those elements sprinkled throughout our homes. But, you know, whether we're dealing with, you know, Queen anne furniture or 18th, 19th century pieces, I was surrounded by that growing up. Now, of course, like, the mix is incorporating those pieces into our home with more modern elements just to keep it current or, you know, to add tension and juxtaposition. But again, you kind of hit it. Like, those were very early references that I was exposed to and that I kind of latched onto. I mean, oddly enough, like, one of the chapters in the book is called Nostalgia. I think, like, incorporating those types of pieces from those periods. Like, of course, there's a nostalgic quality to it, but it kind of, like, grounds me and it grounds my spaces to my roots.
- [07:03]
B
Yeah. You know, the nostalgia thing is interesting because I've spoken to people on here before, and a lot of times they say they try and avoid nostalgia because it can get to the point where you almost lose the curated, collected aspect of what you're trying to do. Because if you're just hearkening back to when you were a kid and the things that you remember, sometimes it's really hard to do in the right way. And I think that that's something that you have mastered is the nostalgia, collected, curated feel. Because, I mean, it's just evident in your book that you've been able to garner that well.
- [07:42]
A
And I think it's a redefinition, at least for me, of what nostalgia is. Right. Like, it definitely has always had this, like, negative connotation of being like, stuck in the past or like some, you know, Miss Havisham stuff. But for me, a lot of it has to do with, again, reckoning back to a warm feeling, a good memory, something that, again, I have, like, fondness for. And it's not, you know, surrounding myself in a time capsule as much as it's just having those, for me, what are timeless, classic kind of pieces incorporated into newer things that I'm interested in or wanting to collect or, you know, discovering. But there's a sense of, you know, within the spaces that I like to create in reference to nostalgia. Like, again, it's just. It's. It's kind of like enveloping myself with this feeling of warmth or playfulness or a nod to, like yesterday, but it's not too literal. So, again, to each his own, but for sure.
- [08:49]
B
So you went to school in Milan for art, and as an artist, designer and a collector of many things, I'd love to know what stuck with you about Italy, because it's such a special place that you feel is reflected in the things that you collect today or maybe the design practices.
- [09:06]
A
Yeah, for sure. And for me, I mean, it was really, in a lot of ways that can jump off point. So, again, having born and raised in Pennsylvania, growing up, never left the time zone, like, truly, we never really traveled or anything. And at 19, I was just itching to get out. And I mean, it's a very long story, but I wounded up in Milan and enrolled in a university there and had subsequently lived there for six years. And the cool thing about it, at least for me, was it was obviously a total contrast from where I grew up and what I was exposed to early on. Right. Like, the thing I loved about Milan and how it really influenced my work both on and off the canvas, is it's a city, truly a city of juxtaposition. Yeah, it's a classic Italian city. But to have visited Milan or to know Milan is it's nothing like the cities of Florence or Rome. It's a true industrial, happening type city. There's a pulse, there's a beat, there's grit. And that marriage of tomorrow and yesterday kind of converged there. And, you know, I always used to think this too, even as a teenager there. It's like, whether it be your design capitals or your fashion capitals of Paris, London, New York, Milan is really the only one of those cities where the entire city literally revolves around design. Like, there's. Sure you have, like, a financial sector, but nothing like the. I mean, if you're In Milan, like 90% of the people that you will meet somehow have some incorporation with working within either the fashion industry or the design industry. So it's tangible there. And again, being exposed to that at a really young age, a coming of age really, it definitely formed my eye and it definitely influenced like the way that I approach work. And it was just, it was such an influential chapter for me. Yeah.
- [11:15]
B
And it makes sense because, you know, you have your portrait series which features these neoclassical esque portraits, usually with a bright color slash through the middle of the painting. And it really is this mix of old and new. And as a collector, you obviously had a vision for how you would style these and collect these works because you've displayed them in your home as so. But how do you hope that others collect them? Because people do collect your work.
- [11:43]
A
Yeah, and I mean, I think like that that's the fun part is that's open for interpretation, especially with like the portraits. How that all started was I've always had this fascination with portraiture truly since I was a kid. But when I was living in Milan, I would go to some of these antique and flea markets on the Nabili and they would have these dealers and they would have these, you know, over there. They're not, as I would say, like precious, if you would here in the US but because you can pick them up for rather cheap. And it was really just kind of applying and having fun with more abstract elements on top of them or behind them and just really kind of shape shifting or altering their structure or even how you view them. And I would put them up in our apartment and I would notice like as we would have dinner parties or have friends over or, you know, whatever, people would always gravitate towards those. So that's really how that whole collection kind of started. And over time it's actually been really cool because the fun thing with my career as an artist and actually that I find rewarding is, you know, I've had the privilege of having some really great collectors, right. Some really great people in the interior design space that have used my work in their homes and in the projects. But I've also met, it's like even on this book tour, like just people that have incorporated small elements of my work in their living rooms, in their studio apartments, like it runs the gamut. And I love that, I love that how different people view my work and how they notice elements and things about my work that maybe I didn't even, you know, initially or conceptually like sought out to implement. But that within itself has been really, really cool. And the fact that even people collect my work is, like, it's crazy for me. Like, that's so cool.
- [13:47]
B
It's impressive, for sure. And I think, you know, the interesting thing is I too have. I've always been interested and drawn to portraiture and all that sort of stuff. It's always. Every time I go into a gallery, it's where I go first. Or an art museum, it's always where my eye is drawn first. But it's not for everybody. And you turning them into this modern version of it with these bright color slashes through it, I mean, it's pretty genius.
- [14:16]
A
Well, thank you. But there's this mystique with them. I think it's so cool. For me, again, obviously, there was not photography back then, but it is like a look into the past of someone that usually no one has, like, any idea of who they are.
- [14:32]
B
Right.
- [14:33]
A
And, you know, I just latch onto their eyes. And I've always been drawn to the portraits that are actually the most, like, simple in form and palette and, you know, nothing too elaborate within their clothing or attire. But I do. I mean, I'm literally sitting here doing this podcast, and as I, like, panic my living room, I'm looking at, like, five of them. They freak some people out, but I just. I don't know, like, I just have always found them to be cheeky or intriguing. Again, I think it's like the whole, like, storytelling that you can create for yourself about them that I find fun.
- [15:10]
B
Yeah, absolutely. I'm with you there. Because, you know, sometimes you do go to these museums and galleries and you see portraiture and they are in these super elaborate outfits, and that obviously tells you a story of. Of something else. But the ones that are simple, where it's just someone dressed up, you know, elegantly, usually with, like, some sort of bow tie and it. And it really is a focus on the details of their face. It's. It's such an interesting juxtaposition.
- [15:37]
A
Totally 100%.
- [15:40]
B
So you've mentioned that your foray into interior design was a bit accidental, if you will. You know, you posted a picture of your art and everyone said, hold on just a second, let's see what else is inside this house. Because it's obviously framed by the antiques. The art was being framed by the antiques as well. How does this affect the way that you collect things? Because before you were collecting for yourself, and now you've made this jump into design and now you have to manage that and collect for others.
- [16:10]
A
Yeah, I mean, it Actually didn't change anything. And the story is funny. I mean, truly, it all happened accidentally. I was just sharing new pieces or new collections that I created. And whether it be, like, hanging it up on a wall or setting on a dresser that I had to do, like, angled or detailed shots, like, people specifically on social media were, like, noticing the background of the vignette that I was doing it within. And they're like, wait a minute. Yeah, can you pull back? Or like, oh, I love that. You know, whatever it may be. Console table. And slowly, like, the photos would just go from, like, very close, and then I would start panning out a little bit more, and then I would pan out a little bit more to the point where you could almost, like, see the whole room. And it's fun because, like, the two demographics kind of, like, merge. As far as those that are clients or those that are followers of mine, you know, you have those that are really attached to our homes and my interiors, and then you have those that are specifically, like, collectors of my art, and they've kind of, like, merged and have become, like, synonymous with one another. But again, and that's the whole point of my book, Artful Home is, you know, as an artist, you know, I live, breathe, eat, sleep, all of this. Like, there's a through line between the way that I live and my homes and my work and my studio. That, to me, for me, is, like, really natural. And whether or not it's seen on camera or shown on, you know, the web or social media, like, it's still the way that I would live. It's still the way that I would collect. It's still the way that I would style the spaces that I live within. How I did it when I was.
- [17:49]
B
Five years old, it feels pretty natural. I mean, it totally makes sense. It feels like a natural not transition, because it's just an arm of what you do, but it feels like a cohesive next foray into what you have going on.
- [18:06]
A
Yeah, and again, I think I've just always been someone that, you know, no matter what it. Like, I have product collaborations that are coming out this fall. And it's funny because, you know, whether it's a room or obviously, like, everything to me is like a blank canvas. And I kind of approach each composition the same way in the way that I design or the way that I'm implementing different elements, it's all one and the same for me.
- [18:32]
B
So, yeah, the thing that I love about what you collect is that, you know, you can never really have enough. There's always a space that you can use all those items, whether it's yours or someone else's home. You know, hurricanes and miniature lamps and you know, julep cups and all that stuff. I mean, is that part of the fun for you, that there is never a shortage of this stuff to find and you can subsequently always find a home for it?
- [18:59]
A
Oh, for sure. And I'm definitely that person. My husband always wants to kill me, but it's like if I latch onto something like there will be room. And I would be lying if I said we do not have like a storage unit in one of our homes where it's like I need a yard sale for sure. But it's, it's just sometimes when I am sourcing or I'm shopping and there's something that just catches my eye and I just fall like head over heels for it. I may not initially have a spot or space for it, but it's coming home. And it's just that, it's just that thrill and that love of like running into something that just speaks to you and that excitement. Right. And I think too, because I'm not very rigid with the way that I design and the way that I set up rooms that if something doesn't work here, I'm sure there's another space where this would work or we'll swap out and change. It's fluid. And I think not being so strict in that makes collecting fun.
- [19:59]
B
Yeah, no doubt. And then the other thing I love is that you don't always have to be after something rare with any of those things. Sure, you know, they have their time and place, but it's more design focused. And sometimes the best buys are 25, 50, 100 bucks.
- [20:12]
A
100%. Like people always shit when they come in my house and like, oh my God, I love this. This is so amazing. This must have been so expensive. I'm like literally $250. And it's because of that, like I have, I do have a deep appreciation obviously for rare, historic, meaningful provenance type things. But at the same time, again, just with the way that my brain works or my eye works, it's like if it's beautiful and I fall in love with its form and design. Like I don't really care like if.
- [20:43]
B
It'S you know, a ten dollar find.
- [20:46]
A
Or $250 find, the mass market produced, if I like what I like, I don't try to like kind of like again restrict myself in that type of like headspace. Right.
- [20:59]
B
I mean Ralph Lauren hurricanes are undeniable yeah.
- [21:02]
A
And I just like, again, there's something to be said just about like beautiful, good design. And I think it's the mix too, right? Like, sure, like for me. And I can think of a lot of homes I've been in that just like either really spoke to me or are very memorable or impressionable. And it's always been those homes that I hate to say like high and low, but it's truly those people and those collectors that are able to do that mix and pull off that mix so effortlessly. And it's very relatable too. Right. Like, I'm not trying to live in a museum personally. Right.
- [21:35]
B
You want to be able to use everything.
- [21:37]
A
Yeah. They have their special pieces, albeit artwork or again, you know, objects that are, that are. Have some historical or, you know, significance that they got at auction. But then there's also too like things they found on Facebook Marketplace or they things they found at a flea market that are just like, wow, what a great find. And marrying the two is really, I think like that that within itself is such an art.
- [22:01]
B
Yeah, for sure. And I mentioned earlier, but one thing that I found a bit more scarce are miniature lamps. And I know that this is something that you collect because most lamps are so large and they take up so much space and they do have their time and place and when they make sense in a room. But it's really hard to find small scale lamps. And I've noticed that most of your miniature lamps have this glass plate, glass vase and sorry, glass base that blends in with the room. And it's really about the lampshade. Is that the idea there? Yeah.
- [22:33]
A
And I mean, the thing I love about. I mean, it sounds so silly, but it usually is something that people notice when they walk into my spaces because each room probably has at least one but smaller miniature lamps. I love the versatility that they add to your point. I think that they're hard to find and I think that they're really, they're practical, but they're fun little elements to add into different vignettes. But the crystal base ones that you're referring to are actually from visual comfort. And I probably only 15 of them. And they're fun because I can swap out the lampshade. Right. Like they're so versatile because they are crystal. They can really work within any space. And you know, whether it's adding them to the top of my mantles or putting them. I'm sitting in my dining room right now and we have like this china cabinet and we had one Wired within it so that at night it can kind of show off my collection of, like, porcelain. And, you know, again, it's that versatility of use. And I have always noted that when we're shopping or sourcing, like, if I say if I see a small little lamp, like, I will gravitate towards that thing like none other.
- [23:49]
B
Yeah, I just. I just posted a video a couple weeks ago. I found these Italian Fontana Arte really small lamps. And I was just so excited to find them because it's so difficult for me to find these miniature lamps. And when I saw them, I had to. I had to grab them.
- [24:03]
A
Oh, no, for sure. And, you know, I have this fascination with, like, small trays or usually it's just things that can work within any space or environment.
- [24:15]
B
Right. Packing a big punch. Small design.
- [24:18]
A
Yeah, 100%. And that I know that I've always been that way. I mean, again, my husband laughs at me all the time. But, you know, whether it be clothing or sourcing for antiques, like, if I buy something, I'm going to use it. I'm usually not one to just like, latch onto something and not have a use for it. So. Yeah.
- [24:36]
B
Right. So you've been featured in a million different publications and on a different bunch of different projects, and I'd be remiss if I didn't name as many as possible. So Architectural Digest, Oprah Magazine, you've worked with Nate Burkus and Christian Siriano. You've done work at the Bulgari Hotel in London, the Draper Hotel in New York, Williams Sonoma, 1 Kings Lane, just to name a few. How do you feel that working with these people and these brands and these projects have shaped the collector that you are today?
- [25:06]
A
Well, the honest answer is they haven't. Again, I've always been someone that's always try to really stay true to my own point of view and not have too much outside influence. It's funny, like, the amount of times we get hit up for, like, a trend piece. My usual response to a publication is like, I'm not writing this. I am not your guy. Again, like, I've always been someone that again, if there's a quote unquote trend, that there's. There's certain elements that maybe you want to try out or incorporate. I think it's fine, but I think. I think it's very wasteful to just kind of lean into that. And also, too, I think it's such a loss of personal style. Right. Like, for me, tuning out a lot of that noise is really. And again, that's that's truly what the book is about. Right. Like, all of those chapters, whether it be form, nostalgia, palette, but it's tuning into what are the things that make you tick and that really speak to you, those core elements. And I think when you pull back from that, that allows you to understand what it is that defines your creative point of view. Like I always say, the coolest thing for me is, whether it be online or in a magazine or sometimes people will come across my work and they'll be like, hey, I noticed you weren't credited for this, but I knew it was yours. And I think it's because there's that implementation of those core things that, again, are not influenced from the outside world or people that I've worked with, or it's me. And I also think, too, just because of having that really strong sense of self and again, a strong point of view, that's why brands have reached out. I think that's why certain interior designers like my work speaks to them. It's. It's. There's a level of authenticity and, like, unapologetic about it too. Regardless of where trends go, like, I just. I'm not. I evolve. I'll definitely change, but there are certain things that I'm pretty staunch on, like remaining the same and true to myself as an artist and as a creative. Yeah.
- [27:18]
B
And I think that that's pretty evident in all your photos and in your book. Right. Like, your townhouse and your country home could easily be the same place if someone didn't know that it was in two different locations. Right. Obviously, they have slight differences, but they're collected and curated the same.
- [27:38]
A
Sure, definitely. And, I mean, the process of Sycamore House, our country home, was fun because I did. The townhouse is our primary. So this is where we spend all of our time. And, you know, it's in the city. So there's. There's a certain level of, like, practicality that the space still needs to uphold. Where Sycamore House was, you know, that's where we spend holidays and weekends and gatherings. And I wanted to be a little bit more playful, not only with, like, the objects that I'm incorporated into the space itself, but, you know, leaning in a bit more with color and with some pattern, really allowing myself to be a bit more unrestricted, but again, having the same approach to how I would put together any space. But, yeah, and again, just like, I've just always been someone that I love to surround myself with things that I love, and I think that it's not only meaningful to me, but there's like even just as someone who loves to entertain and to host, just having people over and just having everything literally being like a conversation piece or a jump off. It's fun. It's fun because again, everything that collectors like us, right. Like we know there's so much intention behind what it is that we incorporate into our homes. And again, having others, like, see that as a true, like art form within itself is. Is cool.
- [29:07]
B
So I would have to imagine that the new branded products and collaborations that you have coming out are very, very influenced by your taste and your design and what you collect.
- [29:19]
A
100%. It's funny, some of the pieces that you listed of things that I love will be included too.
- [29:27]
B
That's great.
- [29:28]
A
Yes, 100%.
- [29:29]
B
Can't wait for that. Is there any release date that you could share on that stuff?
- [29:34]
A
Yes. So my. I'm actually like, this is also very me. Like, let me pull up my calendar. Make sure to help me with this. She's always like reminding me everything. Yeah. So I have a product collaboration. It's a multi year product collaboration that I'm super excited about. It comes out with William Sonoma Home and that launches on Tuesday, October 1st. And this first collection is heavy with decorative accents and home goods from textiles like pillows to accessories like hurricanes, lamps, miniature lamps, candles. I mean, it really runs the gamut. But there are things that I've been working on for a very long time that again, were super, super heavily inspired by pieces that I collect, pieces that I've collected over time, antique pieces, things that I wish I could find but couldn't. So we designed it. And there's a holiday component too that will be coming out as well, October that I'm super stoked about.
- [30:35]
B
Can't wait.
- [30:36]
A
Thank you.
- [30:38]
B
For you. What's the connection between creating art or practicing interior design versus collecting it? Does it still have to remain this cohesive thing? Or are you willing to take on a design project if it's not necessarily the same way that you collect or that you design?
- [30:59]
A
That's a really good question. I mean, I think they're all, at least for me, right? Like, I think they're all related because the approach is the same. You know, I always say, like, how I approach a canvas is really in a lot of ways the same way that I approach a room. The focus on the elements that I'm incorporating, the forms, the palette, creating harmony within it. I mean, that focus and that kind of headspace is really, again, I think it all. Roads lead to, like, just that intention. It's nothing random. I always say, like, everything I do, there's nothing really random that's not, like, just happenstance. Like, there's. There's a lot of intention with the things that I. That I. That I do and that I incorporate within my spaces or that I create. There's thought behind it. And I think when going out and searching for a specific piece, right? Like, let's say it's like, something that I've been, like, coveting for a while, and there's so many things to choose from, there's then such a, like, heavy attention to. At least for me. Like, again, like, the form of the piece, the fragility of it, the artfulness of it, the scale of it. Like, that's just when I go into, like, hyperdrive and, like, I'm picking out, like, the little, like, minutias of things and hyper. Hyper focusing on making sure that whatever it is that I'm incorporating or bringing into my space, like, it's. It's not perfect, but it's. It's exactly what I envisioned and wanted.
- [32:32]
B
Yeah, absolutely. And I mentioned this earlier, but I noticed that your use of vintage julep cups for various things, you know, vases, art supplies, et cetera, and this is obviously something that you collect a lot of. Why do you feel that people sometimes, or get stuck in their head that I need a vase, I need to go find something that's, you know, very reminiscent of a vase. It's labeled as a vase. It can't be something else.
- [32:56]
A
Oh, yeah, totally.
- [32:58]
B
Why do people get stuck on this idea that, you know, they can't use something else to display what it is?
- [33:04]
A
Well, again, I think it's. I think it's just allowing, and I'm sure that that's applicable with me in other areas in life. Right. Like, we get in our own heads, and sometimes we just don't allow ourselves to. It sounds cliche, but it's true. It's like, think outside the box. It's funny you brought up the cups, because I was just doing a signing at Rizzoli last week, and the crowd got a crack out of. I literally brought one with me from D.C. because that's. That's where hold. That's what I use to hold my Sharpies for my signings. Like, I literally, like, carry it in my bag. It comes with me. Like, I don't want to use the. Like, I don't want my pen sitting on it. Like, that has to. And again, it's that through line of like, that's just me. That's the thing I like, I gravitate towards. But the second part of your question is, it's interesting because even in the book, like, you'll see I've used dreams and I've used pictures and I've used random boxes that I lined then with like waterproof, whatever, like to put flowers. And like, I just, I love sometimes using things that were not necessarily, like, intended to be used for X, for sure. I think that playfulness and I think that like, sense of like, unexpected use for something. It's fun, it's cool. It's like, oh, I never thought about that.
- [34:24]
B
Right. And I think that that's kind of my thought process is I love collecting something that I find important enough to bring home and spend money on and put in my house. And then someone comes over and they're like, oh, that's interesting. I would have never thought to use that. Or why did you do that? And it's like, it's part of the story and you get to tell people about it. And it's not a flex, which is a cringey word. But it's not about that. It's more about doing something that you find to be creative and then explaining to someone and feeling, you know, the conviction because they understand it now.
- [34:58]
A
Totally. And part. Cause I know I've had it happen to me. But like. And the cool part about that is, you know, sharing that with others, like, that can influence or inspire someone else to kind of view something in a completely different way that they may not have previously, like, thought of using something for, you know, whatever it may be. But yeah, I've always loved that where I'll take a piece that's usually used for said reason and just kind of like, say, like, screw it, let's play with like again. Like, let's just, let's try to make this a vase. Like, I know it's not necessarily like intended for this or whatever. Whatever it may be.
- [35:39]
B
Right. So I picked three items from various pages in your book and I would love it if you could tell me something about them that you found special enough to collect for your home or to put in the book.
- [35:54]
A
Okay.
- [35:54]
B
So the first one's on page 91. There's a collection of polo mallets in a beach comber style basket. And it's something that I've gotten really into lately and started collecting myself. And I really find it to be a underrepresented area of collecting.
- [36:10]
A
Yeah, you know, it's so funny. It's like People are like, do you play? I do not play polo.
- [36:14]
B
Me either.
- [36:14]
A
But. But I just think they're really cool and they're really fun. And again, the. The neat thing is, like, they really play into the whole vibe that I was trying to create with Sycamore House. Right. Where, of course, it's like a. It's a country home, and it's located in what's known as, like, Virginia's hunt country. But there's such a playfulness to them, and they're all vintage and, you know, an important part of this house. For me, even though it was, like, truly a marathon, we were. We. From the time that we purchased the house till we shot it for this book, was quite literally, like, four months. And I wanted to fill. It was so important for me to, like, fill this home with primarily, like, vintage and antique pieces. And I wanted the pieces that lived within the house to seem as if, like, there had been an owner there for generations. Like, truly, like a house that had just been passed down and. Right.
- [37:05]
B
And you bought it as is.
- [37:07]
A
Yeah. And again, like, these are just small. Like, my. Where I like to live, where I get excitement is in, like, the small little details. Right? Like, the little things like this, like, the polo sticks. Like, just these really, like, unexpected, fun, playful things that I don't know, like, maybe one wouldn't think to put, you know, in the entrance before the. Before you lead into, like, the main living room. Like, I just love having these really, I don't know, like, fun object. Again, I think that the cool thing, too, is, like, they're such, like, great conversation pieces and they give specifically for this property and for this home. Like, again, this illusion that this home has been. It's seen some stuff, right? Like, it's had some people living there, even though it's truly just me and my husband. But, yeah, it goes into that whole thing of just collecting things that may appear odd or, like, whatever. But I just. I gravitate towards it.
- [38:06]
B
Love it. On page 103, there's a cow still life painting that hangs above a cellar door in the kitchen of Sycamore House. And it's just such a. It's such a statement. It. To me, it is such a piece that explains everything that that house is. And. And just that moment of being above a cellar door like that. I just found it so interesting.
- [38:29]
A
Well, thank you. And I think that this really goes back into, like, the whole thing of. I had no idea when I bought it, but, like, you know, I was. I gravitated towards this piece we found this actually in when we were antiquing down in Raleigh, North Carolina, and I saw this in the shop. And again, it was so playful. It seems so, like, exaggerated. And obviously when you walk into our kitchen, it's usually the first thing that people comment on, like, what the hell is that? But I later then found out, like, these are really, like, collectible, fun pieces from, like, the 19th century and specifically in the UK and, you know, landowners and farmers, wealthy farm farmers, I should say, would commission these pieces and exaggerate, like, the size of their ox or cows to give a sense of, like, status. Right. And there was actually, it was really interesting. Like, there's a lot of, like, pieces and articles written about these specific paintings of these cows. But again, I bought it because I just loved it. Like, I actually didn't even know if it was that old, but I just felt like it was, you know, it was a part of me that was like, if I got like, a livestock painting and it wasn't exaggerated, would be almost too cliche to put it in our country home, right?
- [39:59]
B
Yeah, exactly.
- [40:01]
A
It needed a little edge, if you will, or something that was off with it in order for it to be mine.
- [40:07]
B
Yeah, for sure. And of course, if it's absolutely perfect right above that door. So it's like it was made for your house.
- [40:13]
A
It's too predictable. Yeah, it almost becomes too predictable. So. And again, the funny part is truly, if in on that same page, or I should say on the opposite page on 102, you can see, like, this little black door, and that's the entrance. When you enter that, that cow is truly, like, the first thing you see. And it's so funny watching people's. Sometimes they'll make some lewd comments, but it's all in good fun and it's cool reaction to it.
- [40:38]
B
I mean, look, people could say what they want, but it's an undeniable piece, that's for sure.
- [40:43]
A
Thanks. Thanks for noticing it.
- [40:46]
B
The last thing I wanted to ask you about is actually more of a culmination question, and that is, you know, how important is it for you to collect things that you can use and not have to be too precious with?
- [41:00]
A
You know, it's really important for me. I've said this before, but I love beautiful things. I love surrounding myself with beautiful things. I love my spaces to come off as, you know, refined. But there has to be a practical sense of, like, I live within these spaces. You know, I always joke about, like, how, you know, the majority of our rugs are natural fiber. Or the. Quite literally, probably 80% of the upholstery that you see on our furniture is all performance. Like, I have to live within these spaces. I don't want. I personally don't want. And I know I don't want my guests to feel like they're walking into a museum. Have I had pieces that were super valuable and super important to me break because of just whatever reason? Yes. But I don't like to surround myself with things that are too precious because it's just. It's almost like a. It's a point of like anxiety. Right. And for me, that's. That's. That's not fun. That's not fun.
- [41:58]
B
Love it. Josh, let's wrap it up with the collector's dream rundown. You can answer these questions based on any of the things that you collect. Sound good?
- [42:06]
A
Sure.
- [42:07]
B
All right. What's the one that got away?
- [42:09]
A
I would say, and these are the things I was looking at, for I should say at 3am this morning, was I'm looking for like a pair of Swedish empire chandeliers for our bedroom. And they're so hard to find. The perfect ones, specifically the scale and the size of them is like next to impossible. But I'm determined. I'm like literally a year in for looking for these things.
- [42:31]
B
Well, I've. I've said this before on here, but we've put a lot of things that got away into the ether that have come back. So I'm pressing for that for you.
- [42:41]
A
Oh, and the reason why that got. I guess I never answered that. The reason why they got away is because a year ago I found the perfect pair at auction online. And of course I just like, it must have been a busy day or whatever. Completely missed it. Found out they only sold for $300. I'm like. And if I go anywhere else, they're literally like 4,000. So truly, quite literally keeps me up at night, including last night, just trying to. Trying to find the perfect pair.
- [43:05]
B
I have a lot of those misses too, for getting an auctions going on and things go for next to nothing.
- [43:12]
A
Yes.
- [43:13]
B
The on deck circle. So what's next for you in collecting? Maybe something else that you're hunting after something you've gotten interested in lately.
- [43:21]
A
The chandeliers. But aside from the chandeliers, I think a bunch of things. You know, like I'm feeling the urge to switch out some things within our townhouse, some new pieces. You know, a lot of the. A lot of the things that live in here have been here since we moved in. And I think it's time to switch some things up. So.
- [43:43]
B
And so when you want to get rid of stuff, are you selling it? Are you putting it in a storage unit? How does that work for you? Do you hold on to things?
- [43:50]
A
So I'm a bit of a hoarder in the sense that I not hoard in the sense that there's just stuff piled up, but I can usually find, especially if there are pieces that are truly important to me and that I love, I probably won't sell them. I always have some space for something somewhere else or. I mean, even in the past, I've given some things to my parents just because selfishly, I'm like, I want this to stay within the family because I'm sure I'm going to kill myself if I sell this thing or said piece. So.
- [44:22]
B
Yep. How about the unobtainable? So this is something that's just too expensive in a museum. Private collection. Complete unobtainium.
- [44:32]
A
I mean, my mind automatically, obviously, goes to art. So probably like a Rothko, right? Or a Warhol or an artist that I love and admire and just would, like. Can't even fathom having an original of.
- [44:43]
B
Yeah, makes sense. How about the page one rewrite? So if money was no object and you could collect anything else in the world besides furniture and antiques, what would it be?
- [44:54]
A
Probably real estate.
- [44:56]
B
Good answer.
- [44:57]
A
Yeah, I would say real estate. In places that I love, I've always been someone that, like, I love putting my money into things that I can experience and that I can, like, live within. And if money was not an issue with that. Yeah, like, truly. Let's, like, go around the world and say, where I want to have a.
- [45:15]
B
Home, I love it. How about the goat? Who's someone that you look up to in the collecting world or someone that you find to be a great collector?
- [45:24]
A
Actually, the first one that comes to mind is the interior designer, Thomas O'Brien. I love his work. I think he. I've met him once, and he's such an amazing person, too, but he has just such a great eye and truly, like, a collector. Like, there are videos on YouTube of his homes, and it's amazing not only just how he layers and how he collects, but, like, how he finds half this stuff. And everything has a story. And I love collectors like that. Right. Like, there's a. You can. You can be in a room full of hundreds of objects and, like, you just, like, pinpoint something and they've got the story of where they got it, how they got it, how much they Paid for it, why they wanted it, and they'll go down, like, a whole list. But I think. I think he's such a great collector.
- [46:09]
B
Yeah, absolutely. The hunt or the ownership? Which one do you enjoy more?
- [46:14]
A
Both, I think. Both. I think that, you know, there's definitely a sense. I'm sure so many people can relate to this. Like, you. You hunt, you search, and there's this excitement, and then once you obtain, it's like, great. What's next? Right? Like, there's that. But I think both are super fun processes. And definitely, like I said, like, once you actually obtain something and own it, to be able to have it is cool, too. But the hunt. The hunt is always fun. Again, the process with anything like that's even putting together a home, I always say that process. Yeah. I love the finished product, but the process within itself can be really rewarding and exciting.
- [46:57]
B
Most importantly, do you feel that you were born with the Collector's Gene?
- [47:02]
A
Totally. Totally. Like I said, it's kind of in my genes and it stems from my childhood, and I probably will always be this way, but, yes, definitely born with it.
- [47:12]
B
Amazing. Josh Young, thank you so much for coming on Collector's Dream Radio today. Congrats on the book and everything you have going on, and we'll keep our eyes out for the product collabs coming out.
- [47:20]
A
Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it.
- [47:25]
B
All right, that does it for this episode. Thank you all for listening to Collector's Gene Radio.