Corey Damen Jenkins
photo by Werner Sträube
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would you live? Florence, Italy hands down.
What are three words to describe your style? 1. Bold 2. Maximalist 3. Tailored
Tell us about your childhood bedroom? My parents were expecting a girl (1970s technology gone awry!), so they decorated my bedroom with white painted wainscoting (replete with yellow “wood grain” touches) and a silk floral wallcovering featuring pink, periwinkle and yellow roses. But to put a spin on the old Yiddish proverb, “Parents plan, and God laughs.”
What’s the first investment piece you ever bought for your house? An antique brass and glass Trolley from France circa 1933. I fell in love with it at first sight, and it currently houses the bar of “special elixirs” in my dining room.
In the history of design, if you could hire any designer other than yourself, who would it be? Mario Buatta or Billy Baldwin.
No room is complete without strong lighting choices.
People think of me as extroverted, but I am really shy.
Things you omit from:
A flower arrangement: Baby’s Breath. I can only tolerate it as a bouquet unto itself.
An hors d’oeuvre platter: Post Covid-19, I’d omit the entire platter honestly. I’m rather ambivalent about community feeding stations at the moment.
A bar cabinet: Regular drinking glasses.
A song for:
Dinner at home: “Brillas” by Leon Larregui
Working at your desk: “Solitude” by Billie Holiday
Going for a run: “Right Here/Human Nature” by SWV
Biggest Vice? Taking my work home—and into my dreams at night
If you were on an Ambien high and internet shopping, what would you buy? Tons of vintage Marvel X-Men and DC Star Trek comics from the 1980s.
Do your clothes reflect your design sensibility, if so, how? Yes, I am a big proponent of color, pattern, and vintage, and I aim to deploy all of those elements in my wardrobe choices.
Who is your star crush? Halle Berry and Henry Cavill.
What is the thing you would never do on a project, but don’t detest when you see others do it? Some people really go for the “matchy-matchy” look. It’s not my preferred approach but I do appreciate that style when it’s executed well.
If there were a fire, and you could only keep one design book, what would it be? “High Style” by Woodson Rummerfield.
For posterity, what would you like your work to be known for? I want my body of design work to be remembered for pushing the boundaries of bold color, pattern-mixing and taking high glam to the next level—but without being pretentious.
photo by Werner Sträube
A Few Favorites:
Movie: Avengers: Endgame
Book: The Wizard of Oz
Scent: Bond No. 9
The fabric you always come back to: Velvet in any colorway
Dream project: A boutique hotel or high-end resort in a foreign country
Meal: Pizza should be a food group!
Drink: Vodka Gimlet with Lime
Hotel: The Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto, Canada
Travel Destination: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
Artist: Tony Roko
Thing to collect obsessively: Ginger Jars, Art, wrist watches and coffee table books
Era in the history of design: Vienna Secession Period
Museum: The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City
Paint Color that always looks great: Garlic Clove by Pittsburgh Paint
Favorite person to follow on Instagram: Douglas Friedman—I love his eye!
Dogs, Cats, or No Pets? I love dogs and cats, but sadly I don’t have the time to be an attentive parent right now.
