Montclair Shop Owner Carefully Curates Home Goods: ‘Less Is More’

At Curated Home & Living in Montclair, Danielle Zinn strives to stock pieces that excite the senses and work in any space.

Danielle Zinn stands in her shop, Curated Home & Living in Montclair

“I want people to feel good about what they’re buying and to feel good about what’s in their home,” says Curated Home & Living owner Danielle Zinn. Photo by John Bessler

When Danielle Zinn decided to open a home-goods store in Montclair after years of working in the design world, she wanted to model it on the kinds of concept shops one might find in Europe or Scandinavia.

“It’s always been a passion of mine to have a shop and put together a curated collection that represents a lifestyle for people,” says Zinn, who lives in Montclair with her family.

“Customers appreciate design and products that last and can be passed down to the generations in their families. And they like things that are made from natural materials.”

The interior of Curated Home & Living in Montclair

“Everything I have here has some kind of story about how it was made or the design,” Zinn says. Photo by John Bessler

Curated Home & Living, which has been open since May 2021, is a beautiful store full of lovely things. It features ceramics by Dina Sati/Nur Ceramics and Jessie Lazar; wooden bowls, boards and utensils by Daniel Gugnoni/Troy Brook Visions; and jewelry by Sarah Macfadden and Margaret Solow. The store also sells scents by Coqui Coqui and Trudon.

Zinn likes to mix modern design with mid-century modern, and new items with vintage products. They all have in common clean, simple forms and interesting textures.

“I try to live in a world of fewer but better. In my own home, I feel like less is more. It helps when people edit their things, and I try to do that in my shop,” says Zinn. “I also like to put things together that are meaningful to me and that will resonate with others.”

Home-design items on shelves at Curated Home & Living in Montclair

Zinn collaborates with designers and makers from around the world. Photo by John Bessler

Zinn studied interior design and worked for eight years as a product librarian for a large architectural firm, where she learned about how products are used to decorate interiors. She went on to work for Maharam, a textile business in New York, for 20 years. During her stint there, she frequently travelled, becoming passionate about where products were sourced and how they were made. The experience made her want to share her love for interiors and furnishings with her community, and to collaborate with designers and makers from around the world.

“I like to have something for everyone,” she says. “Everything I have here has some kind of story about how it was made or the design. I want people to feel good about what they’re buying and to feel good about what’s in their home.”

Curated Home & Living, 102 Walnut Street, Montclair, 646-574-3598.


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