Adam Greco on Building Evocative Designs

Adam Greco has been responsible for designing some of the most unique hotel properties in the world, including The Ned in London and Sommerro House and Villa Inkognito in Oslo. He’s collaborated with major names including chef April Bloomfield, Soho House, and the Sydell Group. Six years ago, he launched his independent practice, GRECODECO, to continue designing his one-of-a-kind spaces worldwide.

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What made you passionate about interior design? How’d you get your start in the field?

My favorite times as a kid were trips to the museums in Manhattan. I loved all of them but was mystified by the dioramas at the Museum of Natural History and the period rooms at the Metropolitan Museum. My cool older cousins both attended the School of Visual Arts for photography in the late 90’s / early 2000’s, and sometimes I would visit and hang out in the dark room with them. There were still some remnants of Keith Haring’s graffiti in a back stairwell, and just a really cool grungy vibe going on that I wanted to be a part of. When I found out they had a small interior design program, I applied, got in, and it all fell into place! I started working for hotel groups right out of school, first locally and then with Soho House on projects abroad. I opened GRECODECO in 2017.

What do you find most compelling about Chairish?

For me it’s the range. I know I can go to Chairish and get connected to someone selling pristine Lucite pieces from Palm Springs, incredible marquetried cocktail cabinets from Italy, or even weird circus artifacts from the middle of nowhere in New England. Their buyers have been scouring the U.S. and Europe making these connections and getting them on the site. There are a lot of real diamonds in the rough selling on Chairish, people that would be hard to find otherwise!

How does sustainability factor into your design choices and love of vintage?

We tend to go for a timeless quality in our interiors, something that won’t date. We don’t want our clients to feel like they need to start over in five years; we want the interiors to last. Vintage furniture and lighting are a huge part of this. Not only to avoid fabricating new products, but because the quality is often much higher than what you can get on the market today. These pieces have been around for decades (or centuries!) and will continue to be.

What are three of your favorite pieces on Chairish now?

I love this 1960’s Murano mirror from Fontana Arte—I want to make a built-in sliding pocket door with it! I can imagine this 1940’s New York stage backdrop at a grand entrance. And I love this pair of early 20th-century blue glass Scavo vases; they look ancient, but aren’t.

Favorite way to create a statement-making moment in a room?

Large-scale, non-repeating, figurative motifs, whether an enormous land or cityscape painting, or scenic wallpaper. It gives the room a window to another world.

Do you have any go-to color palettes and color combos? 

I love brown and black together; some of my friends tease me for it! Cherry red with cerulean is fun too.

What advice do you have for first-time clients about making their spaces truly personal?

Just go for it. Start with something you love that’s evocative and makes your mind wander. Make that the anchor point and build from that.  

Lead image: Villa Inkognito, design by Adam Greco. Photo by Francisco Nogueira.