West Elm has just unveiled a collaboration with American interior designer Billy Cotton, known for designing the homes of art-world notables such as Cindy Sherman and Mirabelle Marden. The New York City-based AD100 designer was eager to partner with the lifestyle brand on the 25-piece collection of elevated essentials ideal for layering with existing favorites and family heirlooms for a dynamic mix that fits any aesthetic. “I wanted to give people these essential pieces, and then the color is what they bring from their heart,” Cotton explains of his white canvas. “The color is the artwork that their best friend made for them; the color is added by their family photographs; the color is the homemade quilt their grandmother gifted them when they were 12. I wanted to think about the must-haves and all the essential things we need, and how to make them beautiful and malleable to any space. I wanted them to work for many different aesthetics and age groups—I wanted them to be special and a worthy investment. That was both the challenge and the exciting part of this.” The minimal and elegant collection of housewares (ranging from table linens and glassware to lighting and furniture) retails for under $2,000.
