Recognized for their international and generational presence within the art and design scene, Cosulich Interiors & Antiques is based in New York City and Italy. Its Manhattan showroom is a visual explosion of hand-selected 20th-century Italian art pieces, exclusive Venetian Murano glass creations and a customizable, made-to-order contemporary collection. Their unique and growing collection, as well as the founders’ reputation for a discerning eye and extraordinary service, attracts respected interior designers and collectors worldwide. Husband and wife duo Franco and Fabienne Cosulich are joined by their daughter Sara Bonacina in this family-centric business focused on superior style.
When was Cosulich Interiors & Antiques founded and by whom?
Franco Cosulich: I founded Cosulich Interiors & Antiques in 1982 in Arezzo, Italy as an antique store specializing in furniture and paintings from the Italian Renaissance to the 19th century. In 1992, the company moved to the UK as Franco Cosulich Import-Export, specializing in European furniture, paintings and decorative accessories. In 2003, the company opened a showroom in Chicago as Cosulich Interiors & Antiques, introducing mid-20th century Italian design, and moved to New York City in 2006, developing Italian contemporary customizable collections.
How many generations have been involved with the company?
FC: In 2000, Fabienne joined the company, and when our daughter, Sara Bonacina, moved to the States in 2012, she became an official partner. We all manage the company with different roles: I am the logistics director, Fabienne is principal director, Sara is sales and accounting director, and Fabienne and I work together as buyers.
How did your family become involved in the interior and antiques business?
FC: I decided to open an antique store in Arezzo, Italy as the town revolves around antiques, with one of Europe’s most famous antique fairs running monthly. Fabienne’s mother, sourcing for American antique dealers, used to take her to the Parisian Marché aux Puces from a very young age. She grew up under the aesthetic influence of her father Luciano Mattioli, a renowned product designer, painter and inventor with studios in Paris and Milan, who also exhibited alongside Aldo Tura.
What is your favorite part about having a family business?
FC: Sharing the good and bad parts together; we never get tired of the time we spend together… and the confrontations. My formidable spirit can transform any drama into an Italian Comedia dell’Arte!
A cherished family business milestone is…
FC: For me, it was opening a store in the U.S. and successfully adapting to a very different way of doing business. Fabienne extended this excitement by opening two stores in New York City.
Ten years from now, I hope our family business will…
FC: It will be time to retire! But it would be nice to see our business model, which we have successfully created and perfected, be passed on and taken care of. Sara has found her own success in developing a life coaching business called Infinite Wave Flow.
This or That
Lunch breaks — together or separate?
FC: We do not take our lunch breaks together as we do not really have breaks during the day, but it is imperative for us to start our day over breakfast together. This essential ritual is one that we never skip. Like dinner, when we sit down at the table for at least an hour, we enjoy sharing ideas and tackling our business problems and situations.
Vacations — family or solo trips?
FC: Never separate, either as a couple or a family group, but our vacations are always a way to recharge and revitalize personal connections.
Tea or coffee?
FC: As a true Italian, it is only fine espresso, and we never stop inviting our guests to share a coffee. Fabienne truly believes an espresso drunk together tastes better.
Who has the neatest — or messiest — desk?
FC: Fabienne likes order, but with many projects going on and drawings, her desk ends up being neat disorganization.
Images courtesy of Cosulich Interiors & Antiques.
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