This Creative Duo’s Brooklyn Home Is an Ode to Unapologetic Maximalism

Linne Halpern
·6 min read

Simply following Zoe Schlacter’s Instagram feed is a visual lesson in extravagant joy. That’s why getting a peek into their New York space is such a special treat. Walking into Zoe and Buzz Slutzky’s apartment in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park South neighborhood feels like walking into their combined brain. Zoe is an installation artist and textile designer, Buzz is an artist and educator, and their home serves as a large-scale mood board—displaying their merged references, inspirations, memories, and collections. “Unapologetic maximalism” is Zoe’s personal mantra, a distinctive artistic approach that comes through in all they create. Vibrant colors and effervescent prints abound.

The vibrant living room in all its glory: Paintings by up-and-coming artists from both Zoe’s and Buzz’s personal collections (the two central portraits of women’s faces are by Brooklyn-based painter Anthony Cudahy) sit alongside their beloved childhood art. The sequin pillows by Zoe are sold separately or together.

A designer for Todd Oldham Studio by day, Zoe has gained recognition for their original style and recently launched their own home textile line to immediate success. The inaugural product—the Peaks & Valleys Blanket—sold out in under five minutes. Next came three sequined pillows, more throw blankets, and a collab with fashion designer Tyler McGillivary. Zoe plans to slowly expand the collection, with rugs and more home accessories launching this fall.

In the couple’s living room, Zoe’s patterned throw and sparkly pillows mix seamlessly with Buzz’s charcoal drawings. “It feels really special to be able to mix all our art and hang it together; it’s a representation of our relationship,” says Zoe. “Buzz and I have put so much effort into our space throughout the past year, it’s nice to reach a point where we’re like, this is our home.”

“I can’t imagine not being surrounded by all my objects,” says Zoe. “I’m never going to be a minimalist. It’s fun to have a lot of stuff, it puts me in a good mood.” The TV sits atop a thrifted West Elm console.

It’s this precise mingling of aesthetics and mediums that also gives Zoe’s work such a rich and layered feel. In fact, blurring the traditional barriers between fine art and functional design is one of the main goals of their creative practice. “It’s important to live with textiles; I want my textiles to be held and snuggled with. It’s more exciting to me to make an object that can live different lives in many different people’s homes, instead of just one person having something on their wall that costs a lot of money,” says Zoe. The spirit of accessibility is wholly embedded throughout their philosophy, the idea that everyone can take part and feel included in the vision. “I want to create art that has a celebratory queerness to it,” says Zoe, who credits their introduction to textiles through fashion, as a childhood source of self-expression.

No corner is too small to be covered in color. A patterned pillow from Zoe’s collab with Tyler McGillivary peeks out of a kitchen chair.
Even the kitchen sings with personality! An art print displays Zoe’s hometown of Nashville, and a multicolored cutting board is by fellow Brooklyn creators Fredericks & Mae.

Childhood artistic expressions also feature prominently around the apartment. Paintings made by both Zoe and Buzz at a young age are displayed within the main gallery wall—note the abstract flowers, butterflies, dogs, and animal masks. “I think kids make the best art; no adult will ever make art as good as children,” says Zoe. “I love how unfiltered kids are in their creativity and unapologetic in speaking their truth. That playful naïveté is something I strive for in the work I make now.”

The bedroom’s official theme is floral. Buzz brought the floral triptych from their collection and the couple purchased the duvet by Marimekko, a like-minded pattern enthusiast. A West Elm desk was found secondhand on Craigslist.

The pastel bedroom was a compromise for the couple. Where Zoe’s natural inclination would’ve been to paint the bedroom neon pink, Buzz encouraged them to create a moment of calm within the home. “I’m so glad we made that choice,” shares Zoe. “I’m so much happier in this lavender bedroom than I would’ve been in a neon room.” And in a stroke of remarkable serendipity, sitting atop the open shelving above the pair’s bed are two small ceramic poodles that each owned prior to meeting. “They’re not the exact same, but they’re definitely a match,” says Zoe. “A perfect pair, totally meant to be.” And, seriously, what could be more lovely than that?

“A lot of my color preferences come from my mom,” says Zoe. “She uses a lot of bright colors in the way she decorates my parents’ home and the way she dresses. I’ve always been drawn to loud, bright things. There’s such a lack of fun textiles in both fashion and home goods—since that’s what I want in my life, I have to make it.”

Zoe’s Zesty Picks

Favorite Instagram accounts to follow: @_homedreaming, @michellenorrisphoto, @tylermcgillivary, @gustafwestman

Personal color theory: “I’m big on complementary color palettes—when colors are literally across from each other on the color wheel and have that electric vibration. I also love working with off-primaries, like almost-perfect primary colors but not quite.”

Most recent addition to the space: “The large ceramic zebra on the desk in the bedroom! I saw a ceramic zebra for sale on a vintage resale Instagram account, and I tried to buy it, but somebody got it first. Then, I became kind of obsessed with having a large ceramic zebra. So, I found one on eBay and put in a super-lowball offer. They accepted, and now I have a large, ceramic zebra! It’s the same size as our dog, Alfie—he’s not as into it.”

Favorite thing about the neighborhood: “Being so close to Prospect Park! We’re also on the edge of Ditmas Park, so there’s so much beautiful landscaping and nature. I love walking around the neighborhood with Buzz and Alfie.”

Artist or designer that’s inspiring you right now: “My friend, Emily Oliveira—a fellow textile artist!”

Zoe’s Peaks & Valleys blanket is draped over the chair, while Buzz’s drawings are featured in the top row and bottom left of the mini gallery wall. The erotic needlepoint was a Zoe find, from eBay.
Flowerpots hand-painted by Buzz—a new quarantine hobby and a great DIY project.
Flowerpots hand-painted by Buzz—a new quarantine hobby and a great DIY project.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest