Rocker Style

Talented Nashville artist, designer, photographer, video director and transplanted New Yorker, Veta Cicolello finds pleasure in the madness.

“I dabble in literature, music and the ‘theatre’ of a good meal”

“I believe the only way I’ll learn anything is to do the very things that frighten me most. So in that way, yes, you could say I am fearless when it comes to design,” says Veta. “I start with a mood and challenge the other pieces, especially the artwork, to hold its own against the surroundings”.

With her 70s-style shag haircut, reminiscent of a young Jane Fonda, Veta’s talent for mixing modern with a dash of New York vibe is evident throughout her two-story home. “I like to have fun with design. It has to be beautiful and it has to work,” says Veta, a graduate of New York City’s School of Visual Arts.

In the living room, books and art rule. “I love the look, feel and smell of books. They have a tremendous influence on me,” Veta confides. Not to be outshone, a tomato red sofa sits opposite the fireplace, a gift from Veta’s friend and hair stylist Michael Fox. The fabric is a New York City flea market find. In the dining area, bold yellow chairs circle an acrylic table on which rest a metal skull, colourful glass bottles and candle holders.

Both Veta and her husband, Theo Antoniadis, are passionate cooks. “When we moved in, the kitchen was a disaster,” remembers Veta. They gutted the original room to the studs and removed five layers of old linoleum before the original pine flooring finally emerged. A vibrant vinyl window treatment on the glossy black door leading to the pantry adds a dramatic accent.

“I labor over design choices and take each step seriously, but there is definitely a flow that just feels natural,” Veta explains. That being said, the playful and stylish mood of her home is a testament to Veta’s fearless flair for meshing rocker style with contemporary and vintage New York.