ELLE DECOR A-List Titan Brigette Romanek has a message for the perpetually busy: breathe. Her first-ever collaboration with Crate & Barrel, which launched today, is an invitation to slow down and sink into the kind of laid-back luxury that’s made her a go-to designer for the likes of Beyoncè and Gwenyth Paltrow.
Romanek brings her signature blend of sophistication and accessibility to a broader audience with pieces that feel both aspirational and attainable. “One’s home should be their respite,” she tells ELLE DECOR. “It should be their place where they can absolutely be themselves, have it be a love letter to them and a place where they feel they’re most at ease and safe.”
Those aren’t just pretty words—the collection translates this philosophy into tangible pieces that are functional and undeniably stylish—like the Sunset Daybed, her favorite piece in the collection. With its innovative under-shelf storage (born from her own tendency to misplace books), it’s the kind of furniture that makes you wonder how you lived without it.
«I love to read and I’m always searching for where I last left my book,» Romanek says, and suddenly you’re nodding along because, well, same. “It’s a beautiful piece because it can fit in smaller places and it can fit in larger places. It has a lot of functions.»
The collection’s palette draws inspiration from what Romanek describes as “California light and sunsets and sunrise”—hues that feel like a hug—Earthy, cozy, and warm, and showcases Romanek’s mastery of integrating materials, combining travertine, antique brass, and bleached woods in gorgeous ways. From the artisanal Coastline Credenza to swivel chairs that «really envelop you,» each piece reflects her belief that luxury should be lived in, not just looked at.
«When I started my design career, there were a lot of conversations about something being really beautiful, but is it really usable?» she tells us. «I thought, well, those things should absolutely come together. That’s what good design is meant to do. It’s meant to support you and it’s meant to make things better for you, easier for you.»
That California-cool, celebrity-approved style is available to everyone who’s ever dreamed of bringing a touch of Romanek’s magic home. «There’s nothing behind a rope. It’s really meant for you to enjoy,” she says. Time to exhale, indeed.
Julia Cancilla is the engagement editor (and resident witch) at ELLE Decor, where she manages the brand’s social media presence and covers trends, lifestyle, and culture in the design world. Julia built her background at Inked magazine, where she grew their social media audiences by two million, conducted interviews with A-list celebrities, and penned feature articles focusing on pop culture, art and lifestyle. Over her five years of digital media experience, Julia has written about numerous topics, from fashion to astrology.
