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The chef, Sweet July founder, lifestyle influencer, and culinary television personality Ayesha Curry could probably use more hours in the day or another set of hands. With her career(s) in food and publishing, gigs both in front of and behind the camera (she’s booked a role in an upcoming Netflix rom-com with Lindsay Lohan and runs her own Sweet July Productions studio), not to mention the work of managing a household that includes NBA legend Stephen Curry and their three little ones, the 34-year-old counts on a cozy, inviting interior to come home to. Though the family abode in Atherton, California, is the perfect spot for the party of five’s primary residence, an additional dwelling was needed to check a different box.
Curry’s condo in San Francisco, designed in collaboration with longtime brand partner Pottery Barn (with whom she just launched a new collection), provides respite for the busier days of the matriarch’s life when traveling the approximately 40 minutes from the city to their home base in the suburbs would eat into work or much-needed quality time with her children. “I would call it more of a family retreat,” Curry says of the condo. “Both Stephen and I do so much work in the city. It only made sense to have a landing spot there, for those weeks when things are a little heightened and we’re in the city a lot. Somewhere we can bring the kids and still kind of have a normal pace of life and have dinner with them.” The kitchen also serves as the ideal backdrop for the bestselling cookbook author’s video shoots. “The condo doubles as sort of a workspace for me,” she says. “Having that kitchen helps so much to be able to create food content, we do a lot of Amazon Lives from there. The space to create has been really nice.”
Below, Curry tells AD how the urban dwelling helps her family find some peace amid the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives.
Architectural Digest: How did you describe your vision for the space in early meetings with Pottery Barn?
Ayesha Curry: Cozy and comfortable but with that midcentury modern vibe. I’m not big on color, so for me it was about bringing in that warmth and uniqueness through texture and pattern. I wanted it to feel like a home away from home and like a retreat, a place that we could go and relax and not have to worry about a thing. I feel like it has that vibe.
It definitely looks like it takes inspiration from the natural world, with lots of earthy tones, leafy plants, and a great side table that resembles a tree stump. Did you weave those influences throughout intentionally?
That is absolutely intentional. I’m such a nature junkie. My favorite thing to do is get out and hike or be in the water. Any way that I can bring the outdoors in, I’m all for. So I love using natural fabrics and textures, petrified wood, and raw wood.
Was your approach to designing the condo different from how you tackled the interiors for your house?
I would say our condo is actually more cozy than our home—which I love—but there’s this mixture of midcentury modern and a little bit of traditional [in the condo], and I really love that style. Everything is really functional, really textural. I love that the kids can come in and jump on everything and it’s fine. It holds up and is durable and still chic.
What are your favorite items in the space?
We have this oak table in the dining room, it was one of those things we went back and forth on. And [Pottery Barn advised,] “Sometimes it’s really nice to mix something that’s super traditional into a modern space,” and I love the way that it turned out. So it’s this really traditional table, but I think it makes the space less stark and warms it up a little bit.
What did you learn throughout the design process?
Not be so set in your ways; things will sometimes surprise you. Sometimes, the less obvious choice is the thing that works the best. We incorporated a lot of traditional rugs, like Turkish rugs. I wasn’t so sure how it was going to work in this space—given that it’s such a modern unit—but it really did work: It added warmth and it makes the condo feel super lived-in. I really like that. Didn’t think I would, but I do!
Do you have a favorite spot in the condo?
For sure the bedroom. There’s this really cozy chair in there. It’s a circular chair, perfect for reading or just having a glass of wine. It’s just a nice space to sit and just enjoy, take it all in. I’m also really obsessed with the sectional in the living room. I love the color of it, I love all the throws on there, I love that you can just bury yourself into it. It’s exactly what we wanted.