1 stylist, 2 spaces: inspired moments in brooklyn

DINING TABLE Aleksey Kravchuk From Works Manufacturing

text by  SHANI SILVER photography by  MICHAEL WILTBANK

Exploring the translation of personal style from home to office is something that’s always fascinated the domino team. Tara Oxley, restaurateur and interior designer, shared with us two spaces dear to her heart: her home, and her Brooklyn restaurant, Eugene & Co. Her brownstone home and organic restaurant, though different, clearly come from the same, inspired source, each offering a feeling of calm, welcome, and chic comfort. Explore both spaces below and learn how Tara approached these design projects

ART Ben Dos Remedios

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR OVERALL AESTHETIC AT HOME? Welcoming, lived in, everything has a story. The story is the most important element behind any item. I have been fortunate to travel a fair bit and always found it important to gather beautiful items from all different pockets of the world. I have also worked with many young artists and they have always for some reason given me wonderful works as a thank you, so no matter where you look in my house there is art.

WHERE DO YOU FIND YOURSELF SPENDING YOUR DOWNTIME THERE? In the bath. I take a bath at least once a day and it is the most glorious part of my day.

WHAT DESIGN GOALS DID YOU HAVE FOR YOUR HOME? I am still working on those goals. I opened my restaurant and a grocery store (opening mid march 2016), so my house goals are on hold until I can pick them up again. I plan to remove the entire back of the house and make it a glass wall. Due to my exposure I get sun all day long allowing for a wonderful warm light and I want to surround myself with that as much as possible. I will redo my kitchen and all bathrooms. I plan to install wide plank floors and install all original moldings. And, and, and, and…. So many other things. This is what happens when you have a designer owning a house… It never gets done.

WHERE DO YOU FIND YOURSELF SPENDING YOUR DOWNTIME THERE? In the bath. I take a bath at least once a day and it is the most glorious part of my day.

TALK TO US ABOUT THAT DINING ROOM ART! I find that I tend to group areas and create spaces that are beautiful, but are safe and I wanted something that was just out of the box. I was roaming around an art supply store, that I tend to do more often than I would like to admit and I came across the sign painter’s paint section. The paint has a texture to it, it is glossy and just jumped out at me… It’s kinda rad. I was so excited I came home and started pulling the table away, etc and my friend said, “wait a minute, I think you should put down some plastic and cover some areas” this was really good advice, because it went all over the place. While my friend held the lights back I whipped the paint right out of the can. It really could have been a very large disaster, but it came out just how I thought it would. In the end I was very pleased.

WHAT IS ONE THING THAT WOULD SURPRISE YOUR RESTAURANT PATRONS IF THEY WERE TO VISIT YOUR HOME? My refrigerator is always empty with the exception of condiments and I always have a deck of tarot cards handy, the wild unknown cards, of course.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DESIGN ELEMENT IN YOUR HOME? The stories are my favorite part, not a particular element.

AND IN YOUR RESTAURANT? The walls… Benjamin lai, a dear friend is a genius at making walls look loved and lived in.

WE NOTICED YOU HAVE SOME AMAZING VINTAGE PIECES IN YOUR HOME, ANY ADVICE FOR OUR READERS ON HOW THEY CAN SOURCE SIMILAR FINDS? Thrift stores, brimfield market, olde good things, take a road trip… Find an unusual store, if it calls to you buy it, don’t question it. I always tell people that the best way to make a house a home is to gather things that make you feel or tell a story of a particular day, a trip or adventure.

UPHOLSTERER Maurice Cyms: Munrod Interiors

WHERE DID YOU FIND YOUR AMAZING HEADBOARD? I purchased it on a trip to thailand years back. However, I have noticed several vendors on etsy that are selling very similar items.

WHAT IS THE BEST COMPLIMENT YOU’VE RECEIVED — IN EITHER SPACE? It is always nice when people in our restaurant say that they love the energy and that they come back again and again because it feels like family. Design is about what things look like, but it is also so important about how it feels and how you create that energy and vibe is equally important. Of course when they say it’s pretty, that makes me happy too.

UPHOLSTERER Maurice Cyms: Munrod Interiors 
ALL MILLWORK Aleksey Kravchuk From Works Manufacturing

WHAT IS THE MOST NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DESIGNING A HOME AND DESIGNING A RESTAURANT? At the restaurant you have to think for service and how to easily access different areas with ease. At home I think that you can be a bit more free and liberal with how willy nilly you place things.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT AS A RESTAURATEUR SO FAR? There are a few…

• Has to be when my parents tell me that they are proud. It’s really not hard to please them because they are the best folks a gal could ask for, but it sure does feel good when you hear them say it.
• When I wake up everyday and realize what I am doing.
• When I look at the family that I am creating and am so proud of them and of us.

ART Pamu Photography: Murray Hall & Paola Ambrosi De Magistris
FAUX WALL PAINTER Benjamin Lai