Cristina Cleveland wants you to visit your local antique mall
Person of Interest #005
Welcome to the new and improved Person of Interest— a series in which I dive into good taste by asking the most compelling people I can find what they’re interested in and obsessed with.
And let me tell you, Cristina Cleveland is certainly of interest.
I met Cristina when I lived in Austin, TX and shortly afterward she moved away to New York which I thought was awesome. As a small town girl who has always had illusions of grandeur about New York City, I find anyone who lives there, moves there, or navigates it easily to be almost larger than life because they’re comfortable belonging to a place of lore, a place whose reputation proceeds itself. This aligned with what I already knew about her: Cristina Cleveland is effortlessly cool. She is nonchalantly one of the most interesting people at every party she goes to, and the company she keeps is also part of that echelon. She is an absolute arbiter of style that feels lived in and deeply personal.
Professionally Cristina is an Interior Designer who specializes in making your home feel more like you through clearly defining your interior design style. When I imagined the new season of Person of Interest, I wanted to debut the new look with Cristina as the center. She was my ideal first guest and I was so happy when she said YES.
How do you define cool?
Knowing yourself. Being deeply enthusiastic about your interests. Creating a life that uniquely suits you, even (especially) when it doesn’t make sense to other people.
What’s a song you’re listening to on repeat?
You’ve Got to Learn by Nina Simone, the live version specifically. It’s a slow build but it will have me in a puddle on the floor by the end, and then hitting replay.
What’s something that you feel doesn’t get enough hype?
Antique malls. Each booth has their own distinct personality. The products don’t move quickly so visiting them and seeing what’s still there feels like seeing an old friend. I find that being surrounded by peoples’ old things or obsessions helps me put shopping into a new/different perspective.
What’s the best thing you’ve purchased in the past three months?
I’ve started buying and taking perfume samples with me on trips. They help me create scent memories that I can tap back into in a really physical way just by smelling the perfume, long after I’m home. Now I’m also curious about doing this with fragrance in my home too.
Name a couple of things you’re obsessed with.
Teacups and saucers. I especially enjoy collecting them when I’m traveling and then using them for my morning coffee or tea, to remind me of special memories in my everyday life. If I don’t want to spend my trip hunting for them then I’ll just look on eBay for vintage hotelware or restaurantware from places I’ve been to.
What do you find irresistible (in trends, people, obsessions, purchases)?
Learning, and beautiful spaces. I guess that’s why you can find me in museums most weekends!
What are you a big fan of right now?
Running errands in person. Doing little everyday tasks in person instead of online or on my phone. It gets me out into the world and interacting with people in a way that feels low-stakes social and productive.
What makes something interesting to you?
When it challenges my preconceptions, or when it makes me think “how have I gone all my life without knowing this??”
How do you know when your interest in something has passed the threshold and has become a part of your personality?
When other people start associating it with me. Often my friends will notice or point out things about me that I hadn’t clocked or I didn’t realize were unique to me. Like drawing my own greeting cards. Or my friend told me recently that no matter what perfume I wear I always smell like the beach, I guess that’s a part of my personality that I couldn’t have perceived myself.
What’s something you’re newly interested in?
I’m currently pregnant so - parenting! I’m reading a lot of different perspectives from all over the world and figuring out what feels like me.
What’s your longest running interest?
Reading. In the last few years I’ve started re-reading books that were super formative for me when I was little, like the Anne of Green Gables series. It still captures my imagination in the same way it did my younger self. Lately I’ve been feeling curious about visiting Prince Edward Island, which is apparently a hugely popular Japanese tourist destination.
What’s something you’ll always be a fan of?
Anne of Green Gables apparently! I hope I’m re-reading it in another 30 years and still imagining the snow queen cherry tree in exquisite detail.
What’s something that’s overhyped?
Online shopping.
What’s one trend you wish would be over?
Amazon must-have lists.
Cristina Cleveland is an interior designer based in Brooklyn, New York. You can find her on Instagram and YouTube, but I also highly suggest you take her Interior Design Quiz and sign up for her newsletter.
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