Pieces @ Home - Maurice Harris

What makes you feel at home in your own space?

Being surrounded by the objects and scents that I love.

What does home mean to you?

Home is a place of safety. It's a place where you feel like you can be yourself - no judgment, you can take your wig off, take your clothes off and nobody gets to say anything about it.

Is there a particular piece in your space that is most special to you?

I'm a baby hoarder so this is a challenging question for me. There are so many, maybe too many things, that I like in my house. So I'm going to cheat to answer this question. I think I've done a decent job of curating art from artists that I deeply admire and think are so cool. My art collection means a lot to me and is the most special thing in my home.

In terms of designing your space, what was your approach?

Buy things you love. If you're surrounded by things that you love, they will all work together because your love makes them cohesive. I think that should be everyone's life philosophy.

Biggest indulgence that brings you joy in your home?

I have automatic lights that are preset to certain levels and are motion sensored so I never have to turn lights off or on and I never have to adjust for ambience. I'd say that's pretty damn indulgent.

Is there an element of color in your apartment that makes you most happy and why?

I live in a duplex and my house is very dark and so I've embraced the cave-like nature of my home and the colors are a response to that. While I would love to have a ton of sunlight, my rent controlled apartment doesn't have it so I lean into that.

Era of design that most speaks to you?

I'm less committed to a particular era in terms of design but a principle I like is that in Victorian era mansions - everything had its own space. The living room was separate from the kitchen which was separate from the dining room. In a world of open plan - I like designated spaces. I like being able to discover things in a home. I like things being a little hidden and you get to be surprised when you discover them. This is a principle that I apply in the design work I do as well.

Designer, artist, person who most influences your home style?

I love the way Halston's studio looked in the seventies. I love the seventies tone on tone and texture principles in general.

How do you see Pieces fitting into your space and blending with your style?

As you might have noticed, my design sensibilities are kind of all over the place. Lately I've been really into the Memphis design aesthetic and I feel like the irregular shapes and bold graphic patterns of the rugs are a very sophisticated nod to that design principle. I really like it and it fits in with my vibe beautifully.