For New York City photographer Sophie Fabbri, home is a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. While she spends busy days shooting captivating photos for lifestyle brands, she prefers to come home to a space that feels calm, nostalgic, and grounding. When we took a peek inside her historic Cobble Hill apartment, Sophie spoke with us about her favorite sources of inspiration for a home that she has only called her own for six months, yet has already made feel uniquely her.

Give us an introduction! How did you come to be a photographer?

I'm originally from Topsfield, Massachusetts but spent a lot of time in Gloucester and in Maine. I went to school in Boston, oddly enough not for photography, but for biology and marine sciences. I was always looking for a way to combine something creative with my degree and ended up working in landscape architecture right out of school.

After being in New York for a bit, I started meeting a lot of photographers, graphic designers and other creatives, and began to see photography as a more viable career option. My dad had a bunch of film cameras from owning a film lab in the 90’s, called F-Stop Photo. So, one day I picked up one of his old cameras and started shooting.

How would you describe your home?

I live in a small brownstone building in the Cobble Hill neighborhood in Brooklyn which is new for me and feels like a completely quiet retreat from the city. When you walk in, it feels like the right balance of space and organization for clear thinking, with enough things and color for it to be comforting. There’s beautiful light in the morning and evenings.

As a photographer, how does your work influence your design choices?

There's definitely a common nostalgic thread of things I'm drawn to. I’m inspired by warm and natural things, so I tend to lean towards organic textures and tones – things that feel worn with a nice story behind them. I try to make work that feels authentic and that lends a familiar feeling. I hope that’s the same feeling you get when you visit.

Can you tell us a bit about your art collection? You have so many interesting pieces.

Most of the artwork in my house was either made from a friend or reminds me of a specific time. There's a couple of my sister's paintings, she’s a talented still life painter, prints and books of photographers that I admire, a small weaving by Molly Haynes. Even my dining table was made by a friend, Taylor Clements, a woodworker in Brooklyn. Which, what a nice feeling to sit down and to sit down and be reminded of people I really care about.

That's an incredibly refreshing take on art. Do you have a favorite art piece?

Much of my artwork has been traded and collected overtime, although I bought the two etchings that are hanging behind my dining room table. They were made in the eighties by an artist named Sarah Roush. I like them because they almost look like something under a microscope, very organic and intricate, which I love.

What are some of your favorite sources of inspiration, generally?

Opportunities to be an observer in general are inspiring to me. I love meeting new people and hearing their stories of how they got to be where they are, old buildings you find while traveling, and landscapes. For that reason I love traveling alone sometimes - so I can take time to appreciate small details I would have overlooked while on someone else’s schedule. I can revisit and photograph something after thinking about it all day and watching the light.

Do you have some favorite things you’ve curated during your travels?

A lot of little, simple old objects. Trinkets if you will. For example, the little silver thing that's hanging above my stove. It's this bottle opener that I found at a flea market in Rome- I think it was two euros. It’s just a nice shape and pretty in a way for being an everyday object. I pick up a lot of small mementos like that.

Do you feel like your space reflects your daily life — are your hobbies & interests part of your living environment?

Living in New York can get quite chaotic and I want to live in a space that feels like an escape from that. My favorite way to offset that feeling, which I think is reflected in my space, is hosting at home.

Growing up, my dad’s side was a super loud Italian family. We’d sit around a big dining table having pasta lunch every Sunday, always followed by dessert, espresso, and lounging. Being in that kind of environment really stuck with me, so preserving that feeling by having an inviting space where I can host on my own now is important to me. It’s a comforting feeling when people can stick around lounging on the couch - not in a rush to head home.

I’m practicing setting more time aside for more non-work related things, like learning to sew or doing random crafty things without any pressure of someone seeing it. Having a separate work space to do so has been nice as well.

You recently moved into this apartment, yet it already feels so cozy! What do you think it is that lends itself to that?

The whole apartment is a base of neutrals, although I painted some of the bare white walls to make it feel a bit more lived in. I also went with this big, comfy couch in white that feels like I can mix with all kinds of different things and environments for the future. I swapped some of the lighting, and I've tried to add in some rich colors through rugs, blankets, and art work.

When I come home I want to feel grounded, refreshed, and reminded of the things I love. I haven’t lived here long and although I’m trying to be thoughtful about what I acquire, I do prefer when spaces feel full of character. You know, when you see a small space with tons of art on the walls and lots of trinkets around, but somehow it also feels calming? That's what I would aspire for the apartment to feel like over time.

To see more of Sophie Fabbri’s home and work, visit her instagram or website sophiefabbri.com.