{"id":259536,"date":"2025-10-29T22:10:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T22:10:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/259536\/"},"modified":"2025-10-29T22:10:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T22:10:13","slug":"somsack-sikhounmuongs-apartment-is-peppered-with-hand-picked-treasures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/259536\/","title":{"rendered":"Somsack Sikhounmuong’s Apartment Is Peppered with Hand-Picked Treasures"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Somsack<\/p>\n

Photos by Kate S. Jordan<\/a><\/p>\n

We can\u2019t get enough of Somsack Sikhounmuong<\/a>, the creative director of Alex Mill<\/a> and maybe the nicest person working in fashion today. (Fun fact: this CoJ post about Somsack<\/a> was the inspiration for Big Salad<\/a>!) Today, we\u2019re excited to share a tour of his Queens apartment, where the rugs are layered, the art is leaning, and the windowsills are full. \u201cI have a lot of stuff,\u201d he warned us, \u201cbut each piece reminds me of a trip I took or where I was in my career when I found it.\u201d Here goes\u2026<\/p>\n

LIVING ROOM<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

Paint: \u201cManchester Tan<\/a>\u201d by Benjamin Moore. Table: Paul McCobb via Modlivsup<\/a>. Sofa: ABC Carpet + Home<\/a>. Standing lamp: Radilum<\/a> in glossy orange. Pillows: \u201cfrom John Derian<\/a> and travels to Hawaii, France, and Italy.\u201d Textiles: \u201cVintage finds from Portland, Tokyo, and Paris.\u201d Photograph above sofa: Jamie Hawkesworth<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On blending styles: I love mixing industrial pieces with romantic things that have texture. If a room was all one or the other, it would be a lot less interesting to me. That tension is good.<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

On beloved art: I\u2019m an out-and-about kinda person. But when I\u2019m home, I\u2019m hanging by myself, and 95% of the time I\u2019m on the couch. The photo above is by Jamie Hawkesworth<\/a>. I bought it as a gift for myself after I got a big promotion at J.Crew.<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

Checkered rug: Kat + Mouche<\/a>. Tripod standing lamp: Marc Hundley<\/a>. Textile on table: Hawaiian quilt from Honolulu. White ceramic dish: \u201cmy own<\/a>.\u201d Yellow vase: Gayle Spannaus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On a travel strategy: Before a trip, I\u2019ll research one must-visit store that\u2019s off the beaten path. Then, once I get there, I\u2019ll ask the store person for a few of their local recommendations. This often unlocks a bunch of incredible places I never would have known about, and it doesn\u2019t require too much prep beforehand.<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

Chair and console: Rett of Happy Medium<\/a>. Pillow: John Derian<\/a>. Pedestal: Mattias Vriens<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On a not-so-green thumb: I\u2019ve had a lot of plants, but the ones that are still here are the ones that don\u2019t require much water. The one on the pedestal used to be way more lush \u2014 I always joke that it\u2019s my version of the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. My ritual with the plants is if I look at them and feel bad for them, then I water them.<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

Left: Ceramics: \u201cmost are mine<\/a>.\u201d Marble fruit: John Derian<\/a>.\u00a0Right: Table: Marc Hundley<\/a>, \u201cI think of this beautiful little red table as my table of memories.\u201d Objects: \u201cFound and given, including a seal from Alaska.\u201d<\/p>\n

On a new hobby: I started making my own ceramics post-Covid. I took some classes on the wheel, but I was horrible. I left thinking, I don\u2019t know what\u2019s wrong with me. Then I tried hand building and never looked back.<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

Photograph on left: Jamie Hawkesworth<\/a>. Painting on floor: Jeanne Thomsen<\/a>. Wax seals in frame: eBay. Bull-fighter jacket: eBay. Red metal shelving unit: similar<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On collecting: \u201cI got this vintage bull-fighter jacket on eBay; I love the beading and embroidery. I\u2019ve collected vintage clothing<\/a> for decades, as well as old magazines and books. Pinterest is great, but you often see the same batch of images over and over. When you open an old book, none of those images are even on the Internet.\u201d<\/p>\n

DINING CORNER<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

Stools: BDDW<\/a>. Tablecloth: Xenomania<\/a>. Checkered rug: Kat + Mouche<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On rugs on rugs on rugs: Over the years, I\u2019ve brought home a lot of smaller rugs instead of one big one. I like the layered look better, and, honestly, underneath some of the rugs are more rugs that I just don\u2019t have room to store anywhere else.<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

On a rescue mission: In fourth grade, our teacher had magazines for people to cut up and paste with. My sister and I would rescue them and take them home because we thought they were too great to cut. I don\u2019t know why kids that age would ever be thinking that, but we were. I now have every issue of Vogue since 1995.<\/p>\n

KITCHEN<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

Print: Hugo Guinness<\/a>. Bowl: Atelier Saint Andr\u00e9 Perrin<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On shopping for one: Someone needs to come up with a store that sells groceries for a single person because I\u2019ve never, ever used all the parsley. If a recipe has more than five ingredients, I\u2019ll probably skip it.<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

On the important things: What would I save in a fire? Probably my passport and the little cards and photos on my fridge.<\/p>\n

BEDROOM<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

Paint: \u201cSteel wool<\/a>\u201d by Benjamin Moore. Quilt: \u201cHawaiian quilt from Honolulu.\u201d Striped blanket: gift, similar<\/a>. Gingham pillowcase: Muji, similar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On sleeping well: I sleep better in dark bedrooms, but I felt nervous about painting my entire room in a dark color. So, I painted one wall. It\u2019s just enough.<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

Lamp: set from Cafiero Select<\/a>. Matchbox print: Hugo Guinness<\/a>. Bat print: Deyrolle<\/a>. Nightstand: custom from Sean Biloski<\/a> of Iron Oaks<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On floor art: Not all my art is hung up. Some of that is laziness, but some of that is intentional. When you put something on the floor or stack it behind something else, you\u2019re taking the white gloves off. It\u2019s not unkept, it\u2019s just more casual. There are a lot of ways to make a home feel inviting, and that\u2019s one of them.<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

On dressing waaaay up: Last year, a bunch of coworkers and I dressed up as Marie Antoinette\u2019s cakes<\/a> for Halloween. We made our costumes in the office. Another year, I went to a party with a friend who is similarly into costumes. When we got there, we looked around, and it was just like someone with cat ears on and Bob over there with a fake nose. Meanwhile, we had gone all out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Somsack<\/p>\n

Thank you so much for the tour, Somsack<\/a>! You\u2019re the best. You can find his designs on Alex Mill<\/a> and follow his newsletter, Somstack<\/a>.<\/p>\n

P.S. More home tours<\/a>, including a cluttered-in-the-best-way Minnesota home<\/a> and our most colorful house tour ever<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Photos by Kate S. Jordan<\/a> for Cup of Jo.)<\/p>\n

Note: If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you. We recommend only products we genuinely like. Thank you so much<\/p>\n

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