Member Spotlight: Ksenya Malina
Ksenya Malina
Founder of Time & Place Interiors
New York City
@timeandplaceinteriors (Instagram)
Fine Objects Society Member since 2024
Cabinet of Curiosities
What do you collect?
Stacks of unread New Yorkers!
I have what could possibly amount to a meager “collection” of vintage art, mostly Mid Century abstract works I’ve picked up from antiques markets and vintage dealers.
Most overrated object of the 20th century?
The Eames lounge chair. It’s so common now, that it can almost be assumed to be a knockoff. Same for the Noguchi coffee table.
Designer whose work makes you jealous (in a good way)?
I have to pick just one?? Michael Del Piero. Her use of antiques is fresh and understated in the best way possible.
Design crime you can’t forgive?
Accent walls are lame. Paint the whole room, or hang good art.
Coffee table books: read or just admired?
Either way, but the books’ topic should at least be mildly interesting to you.
Favorite design era?
So many! Let’s say Viennese Secession.
In an age of machine precision, what role does imperfection play in your evaluation of a piece?
I actively seek out both antiques with patina as well as contemporary designs that show the presence of handmade craftsmanship, where artisan workmanship is a strong foil to mass machinery of more common design. Variation between pieces is what makes these designs interesting, especially when they are made with organic materials like clay or wood. Sometimes a design mistake devalues an item; other times it can remind us of the human side of design. I do believe every room should have at least one item that was made by hand, to give it warmth and depth.
How has your eye evolved over the years—are there things you once loved and now find less compelling, or vice versa?
I still lean modern, but my own definition of that term has evolved. I spend a lot of time studying other designers’ work, and have realized that highly chic interiors don’t necessarily follow a rigid stylistic formula. Rather, they often leave room for surprising juxtapositions. So my appreciation for traditional designs has expanded, and my taste has become more eclectic. Spare interiors that introduce an antique piece of furniture speak to me in ways that wouldn’t have appealed when I first began my design journey. I’ve also moved away from color, instead seeking boldness in form and texture.
Is there a piece or movement you believe is currently undervalued in the market or by the public?
Vintage housewares are often overlooked. There are countless ways to elevate your lifestyle through vintage – whether it’s a signed piece of furniture or simply well crafted, stylish design. Old silverware for everyday dinner, crisp vintage linen hand towels (with someone else’s embroidered initials) in your bathroom, a vintage ashtray for holding your house keys and pocket change, a chinoiserie cachepot used as a party beverage pot… these are all small ways to add aesthetic dignity to modern life. Smart vendors like Bay Area-based Elsie Green and American expat Madame de la Maison are tapping into this underserved aesthetic.
How do you approach the display of objects to evoke curiosity rather than just admiration?
I like showstopping, expensive designs as much as the next girl. But I think the most interesting collectibles are ones that tell a story – whether it has personal relevance to the homeowner, displays an intriguing form or use of material, or even if it has an enigmatic history that poses more questions than clear answers. An object’s ability to instill curiosity is often what makes it admirable to me.
I’ve been attending the Nameless Art Show in Chelsea the last couple of years, and started getting really into the mysterious beauty of found objects. I love how the collectors displaying their wares at the show reinterpret everyday or even unrecognizable historical objects as abstract artworks.
What’s your philosophy on the tension between preservation and livability in interiors or exhibitions?
A designer I used to work for taught me that the permanent fixtures – things like hardware and doors – should be consistent with the age of the home, while furniture and accessories can flex to any desirable style.
Mindlessly gutting original construction pulls at my heartstrings. (So does painting old brown furniture, a look I personally don’t like.) But our spaces should serve our modern lives, rather than stand as monuments to history, so it’s always worth considering balance between dogma and practicality.
Even better is to find ways of enhancing old spaces to make them more suitable for modern life, like restoring old plumbing parts, weatherproofing antique casement windows, refurbishing hardwood parquet floors, or reintroducing original doorware to an older home.
What current or recent project has allowed you to push the boundaries of your discipline?
A designer’s own space is often their laboratory. So I’ve been using my NYC apartment to experiment with my evolving style and increasing interest in evocative, unsigned historical objects. At that same Nameless Art Show, I spotted a 4-foot tall piece of scrap metal whose undulating, rusty forms make it look almost like a John Chamberlaine sculpture. We mounted it on the wall of our dining room. It is literally trash, and impossibly beautiful.
Follow Ksenya on Instagram at @timeandplaceinteriors.