Emma Chamberlain Loves a Big, Squishy Couch — So She Made One (Exclusive)
The year was 2018, I had just wrapped up another day of high school, and I watched a brunette and ponytailed Emma Chamberlain move into her first L.A. apartment, dreaming of having a space to make my own. Now, I’m scrolling through her newly-launched home collection with West Elm, trying to see what couch color makes the most sense in my new living room. Ready or not, it’s time to admit: Gen Z is grown.Emma’s new collection, complete with lighting fixtures, furniture, tableware, and decor, feels like a cheat code to achieving the warm, vintage style laced throughout Emma’s own home (as seen in her iconic Architectural Digest debut). She knows her references — mid-century modern with a touch of your grandma’s house — and has intentionally mixed them with elements that are so uniquely her. Those pigeon pieces? Inspired by one of her tattoos. Same with all of that darling apple imagery.A few days after her launch, I got to chat with Emma to hear more about her home decor philosophy (yes, I brought up her first apartment), her acting debut in Forbidden Fruits, and building a life that feels as beautiful as it looks.How would you describe the world you’ve built with your West Elm collection? How do you want people to feel in it? There’s something very nostalgic about the collection, but not in one particular way. You know, there are whimsical, childlike elements like the little apple pillow or the pigeon pitcher. I feel like those are things that could be in a kid's room, and that sort of creates a childhood nostalgia. There are very heavy mid century modern references. There’s also warm woods and plaids that are very reminiscent of many people's grandparents' homes. I think the goal for me was to also put a modern twist on these things, so that they feel a bit new. I didn’t want it to feel “on the nose” to the point of cosplaying something.Rich StapletonCourtesy of Emma Chamberlain x West ElmI’m glad you mentioned the mid-century modern touches; I'm in my early ‘20s, and I feel like everyone I know is leaning so heavily into ‘70s references for their spaces. Why do you think that resonates so much with our generation?I think the warmth and inviting nature of that aesthetic is really appealing to Gen Z, especially after the 2010s era of white countertops, grey floors, white walls — that modern, watered-down design. I mean I don’t know for sure, I was a child in the 2010s, but it feels like a response to that. I think people want their homes to feel warm and inviting and squishy. A lot of us are moving out for the first time and have been faced with some pretty bland spaces. Plus, not to psychoanalyze, but I think post-COVID, we’re all spending more time at home and want to feel super cozy. I think mid-century modern design feels very that.That 2010s era reminds me of your first loft apartment with the concrete floors. How would you approach that space now? What would you do with it?To be honest, if I were to move to L.A. for the first time now, I would be avoiding the more concrete spaces. My idea when I first moved here was to have an Andy Warhol vibe, like kind of sterile in the bare bones but brightened up with furniture and art. I feel like I didn’t execute on that very well, though. It had some color! But it was a little empty. If I were to do it now, it would be maximalism to the max. Floor-to-ceiling posters, overlapping a bunch of rugs all over the floor, and a massive, massive squishy couch. When I first moved into that home, I just started making money and I was like “I’m not buying a big ass couch.” Not in the budget! But that apartment was awesome for that time. I pulled a lot of all-nighters with my friends.Budget wise, I feel like trinkets are such a good way to make your home your own without spending on the bigger furniture pieces or art pieces. You mentioned that trinkets are a great way to get to know someone — what do you think your trinkets say about you?I think it’s about hyper-specific references to things. For example, I love Wallace and Gromit, so I have a little sculpture of the panel he uses to put his pants on and give him coffee and all those things. It’s a weird little trinket next to my bed. I also love birds, you know what I mean? So I have a bunch of bird stuff around the house. I think the approach to trinkets is less about how you’re perceived and more about what sparks joy for you, right? And those things can be telling about your priorities. If you have a bunch of family portraits, if you have a bunch of art on the walls, or movie posters. Random stuff is cool too. I have random shit around that makes no sense. That can speak volumes.Brianna CapozziCourtesy of Emma Chamberlain x West ElmZooming out a little bit, I admire how you’ve followed your intuition and genuine interests when it comes to career moves, from home decor, to Chamberlain Coffee, to now acting. What’s given you the confidence to build your own non-linear path? It feels like tons of people aspire to that, but feel like they have to be consistent in one thing. The way I perceive this industry is a bit unconventional, I would say. I think a lot of people are like, “I need to find my one thing and I need to stick to it”, it’s a default mentality. For me, I’m not sure why, but I have the opposite belief system where I’m like, “I don’t want my eggs in one basket.” The truth is, this is a very fickle industry and things can be working one day, then not working the next. So I don’t trust any one thing.I will say, it’s a balance as well because you don’t want to spread yourself too thin. I have a tendency to do that, and it actually lowers the quality of everything, right? I’m somebody who likes to be incredibly involved in things, whether it’s a campaign shoot for another brand, or me creating this West Elm collection. It’s all about knowing myself and what I can handle. I actually think the internet age of public figures is more focused on diversifying. I’m fortunate that I grew up in a different age with a different philosophy.With Forbidden Fruits out this week, I have to ask: do you have a dream role in mind?I don’t know if I’ll ever do this, but I would like to be behind-the-scenes of something one day, like direct, even if it’s just a music video. That sounds so fun. From a role perspective, I love horror, like creepy stuff. Whether it’s full-on horror like Talk to Me (which is phenomenal), or something more creepy and fun like a Tim Burton vibe.View full post on InstagramYou could definitely do Tim Burton’s universe, I see that. I know. It’s the dark circles, I was made for that shit. But I’m also a longtime Wes Anderson fan, I love the aesthetic and the campiness and that’s something I could potentially do well. And I really love indie productions. I love the intimacy and the scrappiness and having to get creative.And, of course, doing one movie doesn’t mean you have to now do more. Right. This particular role [in Forbidden Fruits] made a lot of sense. I connected with the director and the writer and it felt really kindred and special. But I’m not necessarily in any rush to act again unless it feels perfectly right and I feel like I can add something to a project. I’m not chomping at the bit to be known as an actor. I don’t really care about what I’m “known as” necessarily. I think when you love one art form, you tend to love them all, so I’m just trying to take advantage of my ability to experiment at the maximum capacity.For my last question: you mentioned that your goal with the West Elm collection was to make something that looks as beautiful as it feels. Do you apply that philosophy to any other areas of your life?I don’t know what that doesn’t apply to. I think that applies to friendships and relationships, when things can look fun from the outside but then not feel that awesome. The same goes for my body, like I want to look and feel good simultaneously. When you feel good on the inside, you can see it in your eyes. When I was younger, I don’t think I was as concerned about how things felt. I was more concerned with how things looked. That’s something that comes with maturity for sure.Related Story
