the modern family - The Socialite Family

Are these the
WORLD’S COOL
THE MODERN
FAMILY
CEO of fabric house Pierre
Frey, Vincent Frey, with
Bianca Lee Vasquez and
their 10-month-old son,
Vasco, Paris
‘This home is awesome!’ says
Constance. ‘Vincent works
in the family company Pierre
Frey, and his apartment is full
of the company’s fabric and
wallpaper, and shows how
traditional designs can work
in a modern setting. The house
is also a great mix of modern
furniture with classic designs.
To have a beautiful home full
of colour and different textures
is giving children an education
about design.’
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WEEK IN WEEK OUT
LEST FAMILIES?
Lifestyle envy alert!
New blog The
Socialite Family
is wall-to-wall
gorgeous mums, dads
(particularly yummy)
and children chilling
in their stylish homes.
Grazia takes a tour...
The retro chair
and quirky
shelves create
a cool corner.
Right: the
double-height
dining room
The block colour
of the orange
sofa looks great
against the
black and
white rug
RIGHT NOW families
are the
thing – the Beckhams and
their fab foursome, Brangelina
and their brood, Sarah Jessica
Parker and her girls... which makes The
Socialite Family bang on the money. The
blog, which gets up to 5,000 views a day,
showcases cool folk and their equally cool
kids in their fabulous homes.
The Socialite Family was started by
Parisian Constance Gennari (above) after
a light-bulb moment while on maternity
leave with her second child. ‘I wanted
to see how the new generation of
contemporary families live, especially
women,’ she says. ‘Most have timeconsuming jobs, a busy husband or 
WEEK IN WEEK OUT
partner, often more than one child, but still
manage to have an apartment that reflects
their style, and is a really creative space.’
Formerly a children’s fashion writer,
Constance had a contacts book bulging
with fashion-y folk, so she hit the phones.
Today, while she still asks around, she is
also approached by people hoping they
make the grade.
So what makes her want to whip out
the camera? ‘The feel of the place,’ she says.
‘I don’t need to see designer furniture, just
that the personality of the people who live
there is reflected in the home.’
The families she chooses, often dressed
in boho chic and lounging casually, all
look oh-so stylish, even those with toddlers
in tow. The hipster homes, in cities around
the world including Paris, London, New
York, Milan and Los Angeles, range from
those channelling a vintage, flea-market
vibe to mid-century cool and sleek
modern. For the interiors voyeur, this
is through-the-key-hole heaven, and
even though each home is guaranteed to
provoke some serious lifestyle envy, we love
that the blog is full of brilliant decorating
ideas that anyone can take away, whether
you’ve got kids or not. n
THE HIPSTER HOMES RANGE FROM THOSE CHANNELLING A VINTAGE,
FLEA-MARKET VIBE TO MID-CENTURY COOL AND SLEEK MODERN
Verner Panton
chairs and an Ingo
Maurer light in the
kitchen, with a
mini Panton chair
in Lola’s room
In the dining
room, a modern
table is teamed
with classic Tulip
chairs by Eero
Saarinen
THE FASHION
FAMLY
 PR for Dolce &
In Natasha’s
period home with
its cool marble
floors, designer
classics are big
Below: cool but
comfy neutrals
in the living room
and hallway.
Bottom: a
collection of
ceramics from
Siv-Tone’s native
Norway on
a mid-century
shelving unit
THE MUSIC
FAMILY
 Music producer, and
founder of children’s
label Finger in the Nose,
Siv-Tone Kverneland
(top), husband Nathan
and children Gaspard,
seven, Selma, 10, and
Gabrielle, 11
‘Originally from Norway,
Siv-Tone has kept her
taste for Scandinavian
design,’ says Constance.
‘The furniture is made of
raw materials and simple
lines such as the wooden
dining table. Every detail is
carefully considered, and
everything is an inspiration.’
Photos: Lucie Cipolla, Diane Sagnier, Julie Ansiau,
Raphaël Dautigny, Mélanie Rodriguez
Gabbana, Natasha
Slater, and daughter
Lola, seven, Milan
‘Natasha lives alone with
her beautiful daughter,’ says
Constance. ‘Her home is
very simple and minimal. Her
office is at home too, so her
apartment is always very tidy
and ready for visitors.’
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