Personal Space: Zoë Zimmer

Ever wanted to take a look around the homes of Britain's most stylish residents? In Personal Space, we take a deep dive into design, looking at the moodboards of industry insiders to find out how they curate their space. From luxury finds in designer boutiques to secondhand shopping secrets, we ask the experts for the interior design tips that made their house a home. Next is Zoe Zimmer, model, photographer and founder of luxury beachwear brand The 87, taking us through her style icons, favourite hotspots, and modern approach to monochrome maximalism.

How would you describe your interior design style?

I always refer to the aesthetic of my flat as “70s Deco”. It’s a bit classic, a bit fun, a bit nostalgic.

If we were to walk into your house on any given day, what would we be likely to see?

I’m actually a very tidy maximalist. I don’t like clutter but I have too much stuff to ever try being a minimalist. I wanted my flat to feel put together and chic but still low maintenance, comfortable and homey, for it to have a lot of personality, and to be the setting for a lot of good times. I’m pretty much always listening to music, and when I’m at home in the evenings I’m often cooking for friends, reading or watching movies. I’m also an absolute maniac about lighting, and I keep things very dimly lit at night. You won’t find any LED lightbulbs around here.

Other than the Seventies, what style or vibe speaks to you the most?

I love classic design from the '20s and '30s, alongside interiors from the 1970s, and there’s actually quite a lot of aesthetic crossover in those eras, like Marcel Breuer’s Cesca chairs that were designed in the '20s but were reproduced in the '60s and '70s. I like things that are elegant and timeless, but that also have a lot of character to them.

What made you fall in love with the house you live in now?

The minute I walked into my flat it felt like home. I grew up in Notting Hill and where I live now is literally around the corner from my childhood home. The high ceilings, period features, open plan living space and communal garden felt so similar that when I saw it I basically burst into tears, turned to the estate agent and said “I’ll take it!”, which probably wasn’t the best tactic when it comes to buying property!

What are some of your favourite rooms in your house?

My bathroom is probably my favourite room. I love nothing more than a really long bath, so it was important that I got the vibe of the room right, and it’s a small space but I wanted to make it as interesting as I could. The idea of the cream tiles with black grout came from exterior tiling I saw when I was in Tokyo, which I loved, and I think works really well with the rest of the flat. My builder told me I was crazy to do it, but he came around in the end!

What are some of the best buys you have invested in for your house?

My leopard rug by Diane Von Furstenberg for The Rug Company. I love it because its bright green whereas a lot of the colours in my flat are quite monochrome and muted. I also love my leather Mart Stam chair that I use at my desk, which is another era crossover piece.

Whose interiors might we find screenshotted in your saved folder as inspo?

I love looking at photos of the homes of people whose style I really admire, like Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge’s Paris apartment, or Halston’s home and office in New York. I follow a lot of accounts that share amazing vintage interiors too, like @the_london_list, @beau_traps, @80smodern, @this_is_relevant, and @domicile.file.

How do you refresh your interiors for each season? (If at all)

I purposefully designed my flat for it to work all year round, because changing it seasonally seems like a lot of effort! It’s light in the summer and cosy in the winter, which keeps things easy, but I love getting to use my garden in the summer, its like suddenly getting a whole extra room.

As more of us are working from home than ever before, how important is curating a workspace in the home, and what is the inspiration behind yours?

I know a lot of people need calm, serene spaces when they work, but when I’m working I need to have a lot of visual stimulation around me. I have a whole wall next to my workspace thats a pin board with various ideas, photos and memories on it. Hilariously, I also bought myself a lava lamp a while ago, which is something I used to have on my desk when I was a teenager and now I always have it on when I’m working.

As the founder of responsibly made label The 87, how does your focus on ethical and sustainable fashion design play into your approach to interior curation?

I think with anything you consume you should be looking to move away from things that are quick to be replaced or feel disposable. The concept of The 87 was to create something that was timeless and not based around fleeting trends, and therefore something you’ll hopefully keep rather than replace when the next trend rolls in. I think the same thing goes for interior design, if you buy things that are well made and classic then you won’t have to buy them again.

As The 87 is designed with beaches in mind, where are your favourite places in the world and how have they influenced your style?

My family and I have been going to Capri for years and I love the nostalgic feel it still has there, like you could be in a Slim Aarons photograph. But to be honest, I love nothing more than swimming in the sea, and I’m not fussy, warm, cold, sandy, or shingle—any beach will do for me.

What are some of your standout, favourite pieces in your home collection?

One of my favourite pieces in my flat is the black lacquered floral folding screen that I bolted to the wall behind my dining table, it was the first thing I found when I was decorating. I love the deco shape of it, but it was actually made in Palm Beach in the '60s, and I took the black and green in it as inspiration for the rest of my flat.

Do you have any tips on how best to shop antique, vintage and secondhand?

As much as I’d love all my furniture to be vintage, it can sometimes be overkill and end up looking dated, so you want to mix older classic pieces in with contemporary items to keep it looking current. You also want to make sure that vintage furniture is still in working condition for day to day life—I once had some vintage dining chairs that I absolutely loved, but were so fragile you couldn’t actually sit on them!

Where are your favourite places to shop for...

Vintage/antiques: Portobello Market, Lots Road Auctions, Pamono, Vinterior, The Old Cinema in Chiswick... ideally anywhere I can haggle a deal.

Affordable pieces: Zara Home, H&M Home, and I know I’m late to the party but I’ve only recently discovered Facebook Market Place, which is literally people giving away things for free, and you can’t get more affordable than that!

Luxury investment pieces: Most of the investment pieces I have are vintage and come from 1st Dibs; I could easily bankrupt myself on that website.

Textiles, accessories, and decorative finishing touches: I really like a lot of the textiles and accessories that Soho Home are doing, but most of the decorative things in my home are pieces I’ve collected over the years from places I’ve travelled, gifts from friends, things from when I lived in LA. I’m very sentimental and I like the things around me to remind me of people I know and places I’ve been.

What advice would you give anyone wanting to redecorate their space?

Firstly, find what you actually like, rather than what Instagram or Pintrest is telling you you should like. I feel like there are so many interiors that look exactly the same these days based on whatever is trending, and its so boring. There was a moment where I thought if I saw one more Millennial Pink sofa I was going to scream.

Secondly, think about how you’re actually going to use the space—do you entertain a lot? Do you have kids? Work from home? It’s great to put together a beautiful room but if its not actually going to work for your life then its pointless.

Also, when you begin, find references for the overall feel you’re going for, rather than actual pieces of furniture. Once you know how you want your home to feel, the rest is easy.

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