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A pier mirror reflects ornate
doors; the neutral fabrics help
balance out the effect of all
this wood. The loveseat is
from Maiden Home.
Indeed, much of the decoration seems designed to leaven
the effect of all that ornamental molding, from the simple
sculptural forms of the objects—most collected on the
owner’s travels—to the paintings on the wall, which have
an understated simplicity. That there’s so little of this
decoration underscores the overall impression of minimalism.
It’s both an aesthetic and lifestyle. “My mom
kind of just raised me that way,” says Avent-deLeon. “She
never believed in having a lot of stuff—we were always
doing spring cleaning, or fall cleaning… I just kind of
took that with me into adulthood.” It helps, here, that her
business is a store. If Avent-deLeon is ready to part with
a treasured piece, it might find its way to the floor
of Sincerely, Tommy.
It’s hard to articulate one’s personal style—because it
is personal, and because it’s often a matter of instinct
rather than hard and fast rules. “I think my taste has
evolved a lot over the last five years,” Avent-deLeon says.
She takes inspiration from her mother, Lisa deLeon
and grandmother, Doreen DeLeon, also local entrepreneurs
known for their personal style and community
involvement.
She draws a distinction between the shop—which has a
very of the moment, muted sensibility—and the house.
“I try to have some color and a little more fun in my
apartment, but I know to a lot of people it may seem very
minimal,” she adds.
That’s another thing about personal style, though; you
need only suit yourself. Avent-deLeon is thinking about
how to live lightly, to make a physical space for her
family without being tied down and unable to travel, one
of her true passions. At the same time, she’s thinking
about how to live in a way that reflects the whole family,
including its youngest occupant, so she’s incorporating
softer textures and more color. But style is always in
service of something else, or it’s meaningless. “I try to
be really conscious because I look at my home as my
sanctuary,” Avent-deLeon says. And that’s just what she’s
made here.