Brittany Cobb wears a lot of hats. Extremely well.
The native Californian harbors a life-long passion for home décor, nurtured by visiting her mom’s booth at an antique mall in her hometown and incessant bedroom revamps and DIY projects (she’s pretty confident the groovy ‘60s lamp that she crackle painted is still lurking somewhere back home in her parent’s attic).
After graduating from SMU, she took a post as a lifestyle reporter for The Dallas Morning News that soon morphed into a full-time home writer gig. There, she sharpened her eye for good design through product research, market trips, and interviewing industry leaders (her faves include Jonathan Adler and Albert Hadley).
During her time writing for the paper, Cobb quickly realized she was drawn to things a little off-the-beaten-path and to designers that pushed the decorating envelope. She also discovered that she wanted to be in the thick of inspiring furnishings and interiors, not just writing about them.
Cut to today. In addition to continuing to freelance for publications from DailyCandy (Cobb’s been the Dallas editor for four years this April) to the DMN, Cobb’s holds a dual (!) full-time gig split between running The Dallas Flea (a quarterly artisan market she founded in 2009) and Farrow & Cobb, a one-year old Dallas-based interior design company she co-owns with Morgan Farrow, focused on crafting one-of-a-kind, bohemian spaces that are never too far from center (Brittany’s nod to Mr. Hadley).
The woman is clearly a design wunderkind. Oh and she welcomed her first child this week, a sweet baby girl named Landry. So before the sleep deprivation kicks-in, we had to get inside Brittany’s head a bit and find out what’s making her tick of late.
Here’s what made the cut…
- 1. “Six Things” — A classic, leather Chesterfield sofa, a rug with a story (I’m nuts for Beni Ourain carpets), an original piece of artwork (I gravitate towards antique oils usually found at the bottom of the bin with an inch of dust on them), a mirror or mirrored surface for both the glam element and to bounce light around the room, something shiny and new to off-set my love for vintage – this usually takes hold in the form of a fabulous statement lamp – and a large tray topped with personal items from an old family photo to a horn scooped up from the side of the road during a summer trip to Colorado (true story).
- 2. Scale — is simply the most important element in a room. Although it’s hard to pass up a killer piece sometimes, if it doesn’t fit proportionately in a room it just won’t work. I tend to gravitate towards an overstated scale, opting for larger, statement pieces rather than lots of small stuff. Regardless of your scale preference, keep items in check with each other. A tiny rug will get its feelings hurt with some super long sofa on top of it.
- 3. A Focus on the Senses — I believe a room should tickle the senses. I like to achieve this through lots of layers (to me, minimalist living is for the birds). Eyes are easiest to tackle by creating a textured room that makes them bounce around via a mix of sexy materials (wood, glass, mirror, natural fibers), colors, and decor placed from floor to ceiling. For touch, think cozy pillows, a chunky knit throw, a flokati rug under the toes. And never discount smell. Hello, candles (Anthropologie’s Capri Blue is my fave) and fresh flowers!
- 4. The Mix — To achieve a rich, layered, well-traveled look it’s important to shop a myriad of places. I like to start with vintage, antique and consignment stores because it’s easier to work around a funky, old item rather than create an entire scheme that must have some rare, specific treasure to sing. And don’t be afraid to buy online; my favorite item in my home hailed from 1stdibs.com. eBay, Craigslist, and etsy have all reared some really amazing finds for me, too. For new items not in showrooms, I love Arteriors Too, West Elm, Homegoods, and Overstock.com.
- 5. Wallpaper — Every house needs a wallpapered room. It’s not permanent, but definitely pricier than paint so choose wisely. I recommend taping a sample to the wall and living with it for a while before ordering to make sure you still love it a month down the road. But once you find a winner, paper away! It will make you smile every time you walk into that space and instantly give your home a little pep in its step, promise. (Wallpaper image above via F. Schumacher.)
