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Visiting a person’s workspace is like taking a peek inside their brain. Whether it’s at home or in an art studio, Nice Work explores where creative people do all of their, well, creating—so that you can steal their on-the-clock style.
Names: Britt and Damian Zunino
Occupation/title:
Britt: Principal, interior design
Damian: Principal, architect
Where we work: In a former manufacturing loft between Union Square Park and Madison Square Park.
What time I start:
Britt: 9 a.m.
Damian: 8:45 a.m.
What time I clock out:
Britt: 6:30 p.m.
Damian: 6:45 p.m.
How I get to work:
Britt: Walk or skateboard through Union Square Park. We’re only a few blocks away.
Damian: Walk or bike from home or school drop-off—both are close by and it’s a nice commute through the Green Market.
Three words that describe our space:
Britt: Warm, creative, welcoming.
Damian: Collaborative, inviting, residential.
Most important thing in our office:
Britt: My husband and our amazing team. Our office was designed with love and built to showcase products from partners we’ve collaborated with, as well as things we’ve collected over the years. Our vintage Joe Colombo conference room table and Hans Wegner desk once lived in Damian’s father’s office. I found our Vecta Zermatt reception chairs at one of our favorite vintage stores upstate, Montage Antiques. And so much of our lighting is from our friends at Apparatus.
There’s also a hidden bar in Damian’s office that was inspired by a vintage vanity from the ’70s I saw at auction. Our friend JT from Construct BK made it for us (he was also the contractor for our office build-out)—it’s wrapped in blackened steel and the interior is upholstered in faux fur. Our jobs can be stressful and we’re a festive group. We celebrate the wins when we can!
Damian: The Robert Moreland painting in the reception area. We love his work and designed the space around this piece. Also, my wife!
What’s on the walls:
Damian: Lots of pinboards wrapped in linen for ample space to pin inspiration, project materials, and sketches.
Britt: As far as the boards, the one in the conference room rotates based on project presentations. The large wall of inspiration is a team effort; people are welcome to pin up anything they find cool and inspiring. I love to see what everyone is into—there aren’t any rules and noninterior inspo is encouraged. The goal is to have a more tactile experience that everyone can build on. It’s really nice to take all of the images collected on Instagram or Pinterest and break them free from screens. There’s also the Zak and Fox Orangerie wallpaper; JH Lime wall paint for a soft and natural finish; a large-scale painting by Colleen Herman; and a vintage Mario Bellini light.
My current creative fuel:
Britt: I recently traveled to Milan for Salone del Mobile and to visit a new project on Lake Como—it was incredibly inspiring and reminded me of why I love my job so much.
Damian: Quiet.
What I turn to when I’m stuck:
Britt: Our library of design books, a walk to Rizzoli, or snowboarding.
Damian: A walk in the park or gardening if we’re upstate.
How I stay organized:
Britt: I always prefer to write things down. I love the satisfaction of checking things off a list!
Damian: We use Monday, which is great.
Favorite pen:
Britt: Muji Oil Based Ink Twin Tip.
Damian: Sakura Pigma.
Best notebook:
Britt: Appointed notebooks and planners.
Damian: I like the little Muji Planting Tree notebooks.
Technology I can’t live without:
Britt: My MacBook, which I drag around with me everywhere.
Damian: Unfortunately, it’s my iPhone.
Desk chair that I could (and do) spend hours in:
Britt: I’m often meeting with my team in our conference room or materials library, but when I need a little break or have a call, I sit in my vintage Chrome Rima Gastone Rinaldi chair.
Damian: I love my vintage Knoll Pollock Executive desk chair. I wish I could spend time in the Sossego Alice chaise lounge chair; it’s amazingly comfortable.
How I fight the 3 p.m. slump:
Britt: Oat milk lattes when in New York. An Aperol Spritz in Italy! We also always buy fresh flowers from Luna Family Farm at the Union Square Green Market and have our office puppies keeping us company.
Damian: Chocolate-covered almonds.
Preferred soundtrack:
Britt: Jazz when I need to get a bit lost and let my brain wander.
Damian: The younger generation in the office controls the Sonos, but it’s great to always have music playing.
Things we can’t work without
