Selected by Athena Calderone:
Elevated Home Accents, ‘Swoonworthy’ Fashion, and More

“Creating a meal in the kitchen is where I’m happiest,” says Athena Calderone, the interior designer and self-described “visual creature” behind the blog Eye Swoon. On a recent visit to The Apartment by The Line, her passions for “setting a beautiful tablescape, cooking, and gathering with the people that I love” guided her choice of elevated essentials, from a knife handcrafted in Brazil by Max Poglia and Deborah Ehrlich’s streamlined, stemless take on the Champagne flute to a modern primer on dinner parties and the latest addition to her collection of cutting boards. “They are one of those things I can never get enough of,” says Calderone, admiring the work of Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading Co. “The matte black, oiled hue of this board is so chic, and showcases the beauty and texture of the wood.”

Texture is also a key ingredient in her recipe for a stunning room. She is drawn to the boldly faceted light fixtures of Gabriel Scott (“at once artistically crafted and sculptural”), soft and shaggy sheepskins (“to infuse warmth and a cozy vibe”), and vintage Moroccan rugs (“for history, obscure pattern, and that rustic element I yearn for in the interiors I create”). In The Apartment’s walk-in closet, the tactile pleasures of wool lead her to Proenza Schouler’s Kent bag and double-breasted coat, to be worn with swoon-inducing black leather ankle boots from Altuzarra. Her approach to beauty is simple: a nourishing skin scrub, the ultimate nude-look nail polish, and a signature scent. “I first discovered this while in Tulum,” says Calderone of Coqui Coqui’s Tabaco, a unisex cologne. “You can’t quite place the unexpected aroma, but it’s incredibly sexy.”