Get inspired by Unique Homes – Jenny & Paul McCabe
Unique homes Jenny & Paul McCabe
Foto Valentina Angeloni
After living both in New York and Stockholm, Jenny and Paul McCabe settled down in Milan where they live in an apartment in the city centre together with their three daughters. The beautiful apartment with the high ceilings, spacious rooms, iconic period floors, original detailing and surrounding balconies is located in a historical palazzo.
Within the art and design world the couple are a well-known duo, Paul has worked as an international art advisor and art dealer for many years focusing on building art collections for private clients. Since moving to Milan Jenny has focused on Ulving McCabe, a side business to McCabe Fine Art where she is working on curated interiors for private clients.
Tell us about your home?
– We live together with our three children and our dog Ilse in the city centre of Milano in a historical palazzo building built-in 1938 by the famous engineer Azimonti. When we went down to Milan from Stockholm to find our new home three years ago, this was the apartment we fell madly in love with. With the high ceilings, spacious rooms, time typical floors, original details and surrounding balconies, it was everything we could ever have dreamt of.
On what way does your personalities reflects your home?
– Our home is a collection of furniture and art we have gathered throughout the years. Pieces we love and cherish, combined with contemporary and custom-designed furniture to tie our vision together. There is a strong focus on our beloved Scandinavian design; Ditzel, Wegner, Kjaerholm, Arne Jacobson, Bergholms, Pape…combined with Italian classics, Gio Ponti, Luigi Caccia Diminioni, Marco Zanuso, Ico Parisi, Gardella, and Franco Albini. Above all, it is the art that we love and every acquisition has a story, works by` Rashid Johnson, Olivier Mosset, Pamela Rosenkranz, Damien Hirst, Lisa Brice, Nicholas Hlobo and more…
” FOOD AND COOKING ARE INTERESTS OF OURS – IN THIS INFORMAL ROOM, WE BRING TOGETHER PEOPLE, FOOD, DESIGN AND ART. ALL OUR PASSIONS COME TOGETHER IN THIS SPACE, THAT'S OUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE HOME. ”
What is your idea of a home?
– It is everything to us we both enjoy spending time at home and find the home environment very important. It needs to be comfortable, livable, chic yet cosy and inspiring.
How would you describe your design aesthetic?
– We create classic, livable spaces using custom contemporary design, vintage furniture, art and collectibles. Our environments utilize texture and patina to enhance a multi-layered environment that slowly reveals itself and the personality of the people living in the home. We are not afraid to mix old and new, objects must have life.
What inspires you?
– We would say it is the unique places we have visited and the creative people we have met. Being in the art world for many years, we have seen some of the most spectacular art exhibitions, artist studios and art collector’s collections and homes. An open mind and a desire to discover and evolve is always inspiring.
Your favourite part of your home?
– We use all of our rooms on a daily basis but where we gather for meals together is in the dining room. Food and cooking are interests of ours. In this informal room, we bring together people, food, design and art. All our passions come together in this space. So we would say this is our favourite part of the home.
Painting (above the sofa): Garden (2005) by Lisa Brice. Custom-made sofa designed by Ulving McCabe. Brass lamp, unknown designer, mid-century Italian design. Lacquered dining table and bench designed by Ulving McCabe. Superleggera chairs by Gio Ponti
From left – Painting: Untitled (Gold Circle) (2010) by Olivier Mosset, mid-century French footstool by Alain Gaubert / Painting: Drinking Water (Shine Through Bottom) (2013) by Pamela Rosenkranz, Murano Chandelier / Sideboard by Stildomus, table lamp by Ignazio Gardella, a small painting by Nora Schultz.
” WE'VE COLLECTED CONTEMPORARY ART AND DESIGN FOR MANY YEARS – WE'RE BOTH VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT COLLECTING AND IT'S VERY MUCH PART OF OUR LIFESTYLE. WHEN WE TRAVEL IT'S OFTEN TO SEE ART MUSEUMS, GALLERIES & DESIGN FIRST AND FOREMOST. ”
Tell us about an art piece or object that means a lot to you?
– It would be a portrait of by the South African, London based artist Lisa Brice that was given to me as a wedding gift from Paul. It hangs above our bed and we love it as much today as when I first received it 12 years ago. Another meaningful art piece for me personally is a portrait of my grandmother, that my grandfather painted. My father gave it to me after my grandmother died at the age of almost 100. He knew how much I loved her and how much that portrait means to me.
What was the first piece of art you bought and your latest thing you bought at an auction?
– The first piece of art we bought was a painting of a skier by the artist Peter Doig. We hung it in our first apartment we lived in together in New York City. The latest piece we bought at an auction was a sofa by the Italian designers Afra and Tobia Scarpa from the 1960s.
Do you collect anything in particular?
– We have collected contemporary art and design for many years. We are both very passionate about our collecting and it's very much part of our lifestyle. When we travel it's often to see art museums, galleries and design first and foremost.
Painting 1 (black): Cosmic Slop (2012) by Rashid Johnson. Painting 2 (silver): Shift / Rise #08 (2010) by Liz Deschenes. Lady chairs by Marco Zanuso, Murano chandelier. Floor lamp by Arne Jacobsen. Stool and Few Bronze Snails (2016) by Nicolas Party.
” MILAN IS THE DESIGN CAPITAL OF THE WORLD AND YOU FEEL THAT IN EVERY WAY – DESIGN, ART, CULTURE AND STYLE IS PART OF LIFE HERE, IT IS TRULY INSPIRING TO US. ”
Ceiling lamp: Artichoke by Poul Henningsen. Sofa, armchairs and coffee table by Poul Kjaerholm. Desk by Nanna Ditzel
From left – Artwork with face: KFC by Donovan Ward / Bedside table by Luigi Caccia Dominioni, brass lamp by Lisa Johansson-Pape, drawing: Untitled 5 (2020) by John Millei, painting (on the right): nude 44 (2012) by Scott Lyall, painting (above the bed): Jenny Ulving McCabe painting by Lisa Brice / UN stol av Jacob Kjaer / UN chair by Jacob Kjaer.
The best thing about living in Milan?
– The creative energy! It is the design capital of the world after all and you feel that in every way. Design, art, and style is effortlessly lived here. It is truly inspiring to us.
How do you like to spend your weekend?
– In the winters we like to go up to our place in St. Moritz to ski and the rest of the year we prefer to travel around Italy to explore what this beautiful country has to offer. We are also happy to stay in Milano, there is always something new to discover here. Nothing is obvious in this multifaceted city at the first glimpse.
Bid on objects curated by Jenny & Paul
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12 000 SEK
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15 000 SEK
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2 500 SEK
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6 000 SEK
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5 000 SEK
