Athena Calderone is a celebrated designer, chef, and creative visionary. As the founder of EyeSwoon and Studio Calderone, she seamlessly blends her passions for interiors, culinary arts, and storytelling to create spaces and moments that inspire and captivate.
With a deep appreciation for craftsmanship and artistry, Athena Calderone continues to inspire a global audience through her multifaceted work, reminding us all to find beauty in the everyday.
My career has been this beautiful, winding path of self-discovery and curiosity. After college, I moved to
New York and worked as a model and bartender which is also how I met my now husband, Victor. Two
years later, I was pregnant with our son, Jivan. While most of my friends were focused on their careers
or having wild nights out, I was a 26-year-old mom with a baby on her hip, unsure of what my future
held, especially where my career was concerned. But I did know one thing: my family was my
everything! I had barely turned on an oven before Jivan was born, but the kitchen became the creative
outlet I was yearning for. It was my studio, my workshop, my sanctuary. It is where I took risks, where I
failed and persevered. I learned so much about myself through cooking—it was and always will be a
place of artistry and invention for me. As I spent more time behind the stove, the parallels between my
approach to cooking and design became apparent to me. Both touched upon my love of beauty; of
seeking harmony in opposing flavors, textures, and hues; of looking for that slightly unexpected
element. For me, I cannot have food without design and vice versa—they’re synonymous. They go hand
in hand in my world, constantly influencing the other. The home is what unifies them both. It is what I
have built my career upon but it is also the foundation of everything I love—family. I look back with
fondness and am so grateful for my unorthodox path to becoming an entrepreneur—I wouldn’t change
a thing.
I am fortunate to have so many incredibly talented friends in my orbit from designers to furniture
makers, and stylists who constantly inspire me in my own creative pursuits. I love to observe how they
create rituals in their homes, the books they read, or the museums they visit. I affectionately refer to
myself as a sponge in that I absorb so much of what’s around me, the beauty, the ceremony, and filter it
through my own lens.
My work also takes me around the world which is a major source of inspiration and influence. While
visiting my architect in Copenhagen, we spent time at the Glyptotek where the mosaic tiles informed
the design of my upcoming Tribeca home. Shooting my latest Beni Rug collection in Auguste Perret’s
home in Paris with friend and stylist, Colin King greatly impacted my design approach, as did visiting
the Bourse de Commerce while there. All of these experiences with fellow creatives through my work
allow me to feed my eyes and play in these larger-than-life playgrounds like Paris and Rome. I am
grateful my work often blurs the lines between work and play, friends and design.
The project I am immersed in right now—my Tribeca home. I am leaning into the historical details and
having that inform a deep dive into the Art Deco period. I want to honor the legacy of this home’s
original bones and the former owner, French architect, Thierry Despont while still making it my own.
I wholeheartedly believe that a home chooses you just as much as you choose a home. When I first laid
eyes on the Tribeca apartment I absolutely fell in love with its rich historical presence and architectural
detailing. The building was erected in 1902 and you can still feel the history that is trapped within the
wood-paneled walls that clad almost the entire perimeter of the apartment. All of the woodworking is
original from that time, completely untouched, which is so rare. This building was originally the
Borden Milk Company and in the late 80s it turned into a condo building at which point the famous
French architect, Theirry Despont lived in this very home. He then sold it to a Japanese pop star, so the
beauty is not lost on me that the bones, the history, and the energy trapped within these walls are food,
design, and music which exactly represents what my husband, Victor and I do. A famous quote and
belief of Despont was that an architect’s role was to act as “the guardian of memories.” I have always
believed in this very sentiment—the importance of not only maintaining a home’s integrity, but that
hidden within the walls and imbued in every object is a soul, a story, a memory. I really feel like this
home was meant to be ours and I am excited to honor this storied space as I create something brand
new for myself and for our family.
I am really excited to be working on a bespoke furniture collection under my design studio, Studio
Athena Calderone, along with a studio space in 2025. I am also eager to explore hotel design in the
future.
I will always love my former Brooklyn Townhome and I am so proud to know that the design resonated
with so many. After a while, I started to see so much of the design within that home featured on social
media and even in condo high-rise buildings. While I view imitation as a form of flattery, it did shine a
spotlight on the fact that I was ready for my next big endeavor. I was yearning to create something new
and guide design in a new direction. I love to put myself in a place of uncomfortability and force myself
to explore the unfamiliar, a direction that was intentionally different from the townhouse. I’m excited
to see where this new Tribeca space takes me.
The rush of New York has always inspired me, hidden pockets, undiscovered corners, architectural
details, or building facades. Inspiration can be found at every corner. The crux of my passion in the
culinary world has been inspired by my favorite chefs, at my favorite restaurants. I wasn’t formally
trained so I learned flavor profiles through their dishes, adapting and making them my own at home. It
remains the cornerstone of my approach to food to this day.
I love to wander through New York City with no plans, just seeing where the city takes me. Walking and
discovering and bopping into a place for brunch without a reservation or going to the theatre, to a
movie, or a museum. An unscheduled day where one space leads to the next without too much
scheduling.
I love a moody room, soft lighting, beautiful design, and exceptional food for date night. A few of my
favorites I always love are Estela, The Corner Store, Bridges, and Sartiano’s, of course!
@fabriziocasiraghi
@circa_1930
@hauteville_paris
@therascalhouse
@andylareu
@sophiepinet
@maximeflatry
@sophierichter__
Portrait by Clement Pascal. Beni Rugs X Athena Calderone Paris by William Jess Laird. Tribeca apartment by Billa Taright. Brooklyn townhouse by Adrian Gaut. Walking image of Athena by Brett Warren.
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