Talented interior designer James Coviello started his career as a milliner turned fashion designer with an insatiable interest in 19th century decorative arts and all things romantic. Being a son of a graphic designer father and extravagantly European mother, he naturally grew interest and love for heverything historic and enchanted. “It all began with my parents. Both equally obsessed with the hunt, they always brought me along to flea markets, auction houses, museums and antique shops.” he states in his website. They also had many family trips to Switzerland, Venice, San Marino, Basel, Zermatt, by the help of which he discovered his adventurous side. He says; “Every year my father would rent a car and pile us in for untold adventures, wherever the little Fiat could take us. I soaked it all up and began dreaming of my own explorations. I discovered the Hudson Valley on a day trip to Olana. The 19th century moorish villa and Aesthetic Movement masterpiece more than satiated my obsession (at the time) with all things ebonized, tufted and tasseled. It was love at first sight and I thought to myself, Yes! This is where I need to be… After a few years of saving and searching I bought a little place nearby, a perfectly imperfect 1840s Greek Revival getaway with a small garden to call my very own.” Over the past 20 years, through trial and error, a myriad of action-packed weekends and countless historic house and garden tours, he’s unwittingly become a historian, decorator, gardener, chef and entertainer! He enjoys sharing about his creations, explorations and discoveries through his Instagram account, which is definitely worth following, if you have such interests. Today, we’ve packed some of his elegant and historic interior design and decoration examples, each of which is full of inspiration.
