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As a professional stylist living in New York City, I have to be thoughtful about the products I bring into my home. (There is a very real risk of being buried alive). The objects I use on shoots need to flex across several categories—they must: fit into a wide range of different homes; be useful in multiple rooms; and work alongside my one-of-a kind items or vintage finds. It’s always a bonus if they are lightweight or non-breakable. Once I know that a piece checks the majority of those boxes, I can justify pretty much any purchase.
Hawkins New York has a long-standing essential line that is wonderful for sourcing timeless homewares that also make great gifts. Beyond their own designs, the shop is an ideal place to source small artisan makers. Here are a few I’ve collected over the years for their cross-functionality—they’ve proven to be endlessly useful at work and in my own home.
Vases and Candlesticks
Florals and greenery instantly make a space feel more aspirational. I’m always on the hunt for beautiful vases, but I also get a bit scrappy and collect vessels of all shapes and sizes that can double as a vase. Pitches, bottles, cups, and jars are great ways to display flowers.
Homart Recycled Bulb Vase
I usually avoid clear glass vases because my eye always goes to the stems. Plus, they can feel too generic. This recycled version, which I used in former Domino design director Brit Ashcraft’s home tour, was an exception to the rule. The tinted hue and bulb base made it feel special enough to be photographed.
Bow Glassworks Handblown High Ball Glass
In addition to styling these on an open shelf in a kitchen or bar (like I did above), I would use these glasses as a vase in a bathroom or side table. I would add pens to them for a desk or studio situation.
Homart Cruz Vase
It’s hard to go wrong with a black vase; any flower I put in one automatically feels sophisticated. These are a great shape and could be used as a sculptural piece of art without flowers.
Essential Pitcher and Glass Set
I can’t talk about Hawkins products without mentioning this Essential Pitcher and Glass Set. I own both in a few colors, and have gifted them as housewarming and engagement presents over the years. I serve batched cocktails in them and fill them with water during a sit-down dinner. I have toted them to shoots in corporate offices and used them on a decorating set in the Hamptons. They look great together or if I use the pitcher alone as a vase.
Simple Candle Holder
These are exactly as the name states: simple and sophisticated. They fit in nicely with modern interiors but would also add a bit of contrast to a rustic home. I place these on my buffet when I host to add height and drama to all the platters.
Kitchen
I like kitchens clutter-free. When styling, I look for large statement pieces that can hold their own and fill space but also feel elevated enough to put on display.
Bengt Ek Mechanical Household Scale
When sourcing for actress Colby Minifie’s kitchen, I came across this vintage-inspired scale on and immediately felt the mechanical element aligned with her renovation story. It seemed like an appropriate fixture in an country kitchen and tied in some of her other antique elements. It’s sculptural enough to stand on its own as a decorative object.
Larder Crocks
This is storage that I’d be happy to display on my counter. I like that each crock can act as one object since the set is uniform in color and shape. I would even use one as a vase if I was in a pinch.
Morel Burgundy Bows Table Lamp
While a lamp on a kitchen countertop is a bit unexpected, it doesn’t feel too far-fetched. Nestle it in a corner or place it on an island to add a warm and inviting glow.
Galley & Fen Copper Bread Box
This modern take on a bread box would be great in many kitchens, but I would use it without it’s lid as planter or fill it with magazines in a living room, too.
Fog Linen Low Brass Basket
This basket is subtle yet sizable enough to fill a corner or shelf. In a kitchen, I would style it empty or add linens or white potatoes for some texture. I could also see it working on a desk or side table with notebooks or papers; in a laundry room with folded towels; or in a closet with essentials like toilet paper or cleaning supplies.
Bowls
I always feel a little ridiculous buying another bowl. But they are arguably a stylist’s most versatile decor item, whether footed, scalloped, low, or oversized. I style them with overflowing produce in the kitchen, but they look just as good atop a stack of art books on a coffee table, tucked into built-in shelving, or as single object on a side table.
Sharland England Splatter Low Bowl
I seek out bowls with an interesting shape or motif—I love how this splatter pattern repeats itself all over so there’s no wrong camera angle. I would proudly put this on a dining table, and it doesn’t even need anything to look good.
Vaisselle Josephine Compote
This compote bowl would add great shape and elegance to an entry table, personality to a shelf, or it could be filled with fruit or a plant.
Anna Von Lipa Hobnail Serving Bowl
Glass objects catch light so beautifully and because of the raised pattern, this one can stand on its own.
Ginori 1735 Oriente Italiano Fruit Stand
The color green works in so many houses, and anything footed feels fancy.
Essential Footed Bowl
I like owning and using styling sets—they are chic together but can easily work as single pieces.
Soft Goods and Linens
Most of my clients do custom upholstery and window treatments, so I usually bring small-scale linen items to set. They add a nice layer of softness or fill in what a homeowner might not have.
Simple Linen Pillow and Libeco Nairobi Pillow
Hawkins New York
Nairobi Pillow Cover
I like having a variety of pillows on hand. Both of these are a good size to mix into a couch with existing pillows or throw on an arm chair to add one more layer.
Essential Yarn-Dyed Kitchen Towel
I regularly find myself packing these kitchen towels for shoots since homeowners don’t often have photo-worthy options. They come in great muted colors and the pattern is versatile for all kitchen styles. I’ve even used one as a surface for a small pottery shoot.