Classic & Curious

Anne Kokoskie

Classic & Curious is a lifestyle podcast for those who value timeless style and the art of living a considered life. Hosted by Anne Kokoskie, the show introduces you to those that inspire thoughtful living. Through thoughtful conversations with artisans, designers, brands and creative thinkers, we dive into the details that elevate the everyday. Home & Craftsmanship: From interior design to the makers behind the objects we cherish. Travel & Exploration: Discovering historic destinations and boutique travel experiences. Entertaining & Hospitality: The art of hosting, tablescaping, and the well-lived kitchen. Join us for a more intentional way of living, where beauty and substance meet.

  1. 8h ago

    The Layered Home with Benjamin Reynaert: Decorating with Personality!

    How do you create a layered home that feels personal, collected, and comfortable? Benjamin Raynaert joins Anne Kokoskie on Classic & Curious to explore the art of decorating with personality. An editor, stylist, and creative director, Benjamin has honed his discerning eye at some of design’s most influential publications, including Martha Stewart Living, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Veranda, and Domino. Today, he serves as the US editor for House & Garden UK, alongside leading his own creative studio. Drawing on that editorial experience and his debut book, The Layered Home: Inspiration for Crafting Cozy, Collected Rooms, Benjamin shares why the most compelling interiors evolve over time—and why perfection is overrated. From grouping objects in threes to photographing a room for a fresh perspective, he offers approachable ways to develop your eye. Anne and Benjamin discuss mixing antiques, embracing unexpected finds, and allowing meaningful objects to tell your story. They also explore The Ticking Tent, the antiques, vintage, and artisan market Benjamin co-founded, where discovery and community go hand in hand. A conversation for anyone who loves interior design, collecting, and creating a home that feels unmistakably their own. Connect with Benjamin:  @aspoonfullofbenjaminConnect with Anne: @classicandcuriouslife, classicandcurious.com and on Substack: Curiosities by Anne Kokoskie Click here to view the episode transcript.

  2. Sep 19

    Bringing Ralph Lauren Style Home with Javier Burkle

    As summer draws to a close and we reflect on America’s 250th anniversary, Americana is having a moment—and no one has defined it more beautifully or enduringly than Ralph Lauren. My guest today, interior designer Javier Burkle, knows that world firsthand. After working with Ralph Lauren, he founded the Dallas-based firm Burkle Creative. A two-time featured designer at the prestigious Kips Bay Decorator Show House Dallas, Javier has also been recognized by Architectural Digest, Veranda, ELLE Decor, Vogue and Homeworthy. His interiors are timeless, collected and deeply personal. After working with Ralph Lauren, he founded the Dallas-based firm Burkle Creative, known for interiors that feel timeless, collected and deeply personal. Together, we explore what gives Ralph Lauren style its unmistakable feeling—not one particular period or palette, but the layering of old and new, polished and timeworn, personal history and beautiful craftsmanship. Javier shares how we can bring that sensibility into our own homes through inherited pieces, patina, unexpected modern touches, lighting and fabric. And because this style is as much about living as decorating, we also talk about gracious hospitality and creating a welcoming home bar. This is a conversation about bringing layered American style to life—and making it distinctively your own. Connect with Javier Burkle @burkle creative and burklecreative.com Connect with Anne: @classicandcuriouslife, classicandcurious.com and on Substack: Curiosities by Anne Kokoskie {chapters}}

  3. Sep 6

    What Quiet Luxury Really Means: Timeless Style with Benjamin Deaton

    What if quiet luxury has less to do with what you own—and everything to do with how you make people feel? In this episode, Anne welcomes interior designer Benjamin Deaton, founder and principal of Benjamin Deaton Interior Design and Benjamin Deaton Home, for a thoughtful and delightfully practical conversation about timeless interiors, effortless entertaining, personal style, and the true meaning of quiet luxury. With projects spanning New York, Palm Beach, California, Kentucky, and beyond—including the historic Far Niente Winery in Napa Valley—Benjamin shares how he built his interior design firm by trusting his instincts, tuning out the noise, and staying true to his creative vision. Together, Anne and Benjamin explore how to create a home that feels collected, quiet and eager to be discovered.  They also share their secrets for effortless entertaining—from family-style dinners and silver bowls filled with unexpected nibbles to the enduring appeal of pigs in a blanket. Plus, Benjamin reveals his quiet-luxury essentials, the value of buying pieces with a story, why Ralph Lauren’s timeless point of view continues to resonate, and the hotel he returns to again and again. A warm, inspiring conversation about interior design, entertaining at home, personal style, and creating a considered life—one intentional detail at a time. You can follow Benjamin Deaton @benjamindeatoninteriors and benjamindeatoninteriors.com Connect with Anne: @classicandcuriouslife, classicandcurious.com and on Substack: Curiosities by Anne Kokoskie

  4. Aug 14

    Traditional Design Never Left: Eric Ross on Creating a Timeless Home

    In this episode of Classic & Curious, Anne welcomes celebrated interior designer and author Eric Ross, founder and principal of Eric Ross Interiors, for a thoughtful conversation about the enduring appeal of traditional design—and how to make it feel relevant, personal and entirely at home today. Eric shares why familiarity lies at the heart of timeless interiors, how collections bring soul and curiosity to a room, and why a beautifully designed home should reveal itself gradually rather than all at once. Drawing from nearly three decades in the industry, he also offers practical guidance for decorating with greater confidence: establish a clear story for your home, resist the urge to incorporate every beautiful idea, experience furniture and materials in person, and give yourself the freedom to bring pieces home, experiment and edit. The conversation also explores Eric’s Southern roots, the designers who shaped his eye, the responsibility of guiding a client and the advice that continues to steady him: “Everything we do is fixable.” Plus, Eric shares a textile house he admires and the mountain retreat where he finds a rare sense of contentment. A warm and inspiring conversation about creating rooms with elegance, ease and enough intrigue to leave us wondering what awaits around the next corner. Eric’s work has been featured in House Beautiful, Southern Home, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, and FLOWER Magazine. He is the author of two design books, including his latest, Embracing Southern Homes. You can follow Eric on Instragram @ericrossinteriors and web at ericrossinteriors.com Connect with Anne: @classicandcuriouslife, classicandcurious.com and on Substack: Curiosities by Anne Kokoskie

5
out of 5
29 Ratings

About

Classic & Curious is a lifestyle podcast for those who value timeless style and the art of living a considered life. Hosted by Anne Kokoskie, the show introduces you to those that inspire thoughtful living. Through thoughtful conversations with artisans, designers, brands and creative thinkers, we dive into the details that elevate the everyday. Home & Craftsmanship: From interior design to the makers behind the objects we cherish. Travel & Exploration: Discovering historic destinations and boutique travel experiences. Entertaining & Hospitality: The art of hosting, tablescaping, and the well-lived kitchen. Join us for a more intentional way of living, where beauty and substance meet.

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