If you associate Constance Zimmer with the gutsy protagonists she plays on TV, you won’t be a bit surprised by her fearless approach to decorating. Break-out roles in shows like Entourage, House of Cards, and UnREAL have kept the Emmy-nominated actress booked to the max over the past few years, but Constance’s passion for interior design has never wavered. Equipped with an enviable eye for vintage, Constance has transformed her family’s L.A. home into the kind of effortlessly cool abode that has us weak at the knees. When asked to describe her style, Constance offers, “Eclectic, and maybe a little bohemian. I like to find a great vintage piece and build from there.” Here, step inside Constance’s colorful, vintage-filled home and shop her exclusive Chairish sale to execute her bold, trendsetting look in your own home.
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Bringing the Outdoors In
“Our house, which was designed by Four+Four, is built on a steep hill, putting us among the trees in a way that makes it feel like a tree house,” says Constance. To capitalize on the hideaway feel, Constance integrated natural wood into the living room, including a tree stump side table, a vintage wood coffee table, and paired them with a couple of caramel-colored chairs. Constance’s love of the unexpected is also on full display in the space—spy the vintage postcard holder scored at a sidewalk sale in NYC and the black and white outdoor awning that peeks just-so through the windows. For inspiration, Constance says, “I follow a few designers and collectors on Instagram, but more than anything [I take it from where] we live: the East Side. A friend’s house in Silverlake, a restaurant in Los Feliz, a shop in Atwater—inspiration is everywhere!”
Vintage Crush
Constance credits her love of vintage to her mom. “As long as I can remember, she always loved going to garage sales and antique shops on the weekends to find those little gems among the junk. For me, vintage just has more soul,” says Constance. Living in L.A., Constance counts herself a fan of the Rose Bowl Flea Market, the L.A. Modern Auctions, and the Pasadena City College Flea Market. When seeking something specific, she’s no stranger to jumping on Chairish, either, citing the variety as a huge perk. “I’ve found some amazing gifts, large and small, on Chairish, as well as a few incredible vintage items for myself. All without having to get out of the house at the crack of dawn, which is what it takes to score those kind of finds at the Rose Bowl.”
A Vintage-Modern Romance
Constance’s love of all things vintage extends to the home’s recently renovated kitchen and dining room. To keep the vintage vibes going in the modernized space, Constance opted for a Mid-Century Modern-style dining table. It’s surrounded by molded plywood chairs that evoke a classic Eames design. For lighting, the house’s designers at Four + Four chose globe pendants for over the island and a modified sputnik-style chandelier for over the dining table. Both feel equal parts modern and soulful. On the walls, open shelving is outfitted with artisan dishes and retro-style ceramics. While the shelves look beautifully freeform, Constance admits that the rest of the kitchen’s storage is very orderly. “I have some form of organizing unit in all my drawers and our cabinets,” she says.
Time-Out, Family Style
Since making her directorial debut with UnREAL this past spring, Constance has been wearing more hats than ever. But one thing the star (and mom) is adamant about not skimping on is family time. Her go-to way for factoring in some quality time with the fam? “Sunday suppers,” she reveals. “In the morning we hit the farmer’s market with something in mind for that evening, so it’s always seasonal and fresh. My husband cooks, I pour the rosé, and we sit outside and talk about what’s going on in everyone’s life. I like to ask my daughter to list her thorns and roses of the past week, and we talk about the days ahead.” Dinner is served on the star’s impressive collection of vintage dishes.
Stealing the Scene
As an actress, Constance knew the notes her dressing room needed to hit: functional, durable, with a little dose of pretty. The room she designed nails all three. A navy tufted ottoman acts as a prime spot to slip on shoes or sift through jewelry, and a hard-wearing kilim and modern dresser round out the space. When it comes to her job, Constance admits that she doesn’t always have the time to absorb design ideas from the sets she works on, but says that one idea recently won her over big time. “My character Quinn, on UnREAL gets a new office in season four—spoiler!—and the wallpaper was too good. So we’re planning on using it in our guest room.”
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Photography by Nicole LaMotte
