American actress and comedian Chloe Fineman has long viewed interior design as more than decoration, seeing it instead as storytelling — a perspective shaped by childhood memories of watching a family decorator transform their California home with French flair, gold leaf accents, and black-and-white pillows.
Childhood Roots and Creative Beginnings
Fineman spent countless hours alongside the decorator, later recalling how her parents encouraged her to explore antiques and beauty. Growing up in a family of painters, she found inspiration in everything from rose gardens to art camps and scarf-dancing.
Her family’s French-inspired home often felt like a film set, a feeling that stuck with her. “One of the many joys of movies and TV is that feeling of wanting to live in those spaces,” she once said.
Bicoastal Living and Design Identity
In a recent episode of Ideas of Order, a California Closets podcast hosted by Jeremiah Brent, Fineman discussed how her design sensibilities shift between New York City and California. For her, each coast represents a different version of herself, one bold and magnetic, the other calm and grounded.
New York, she says, thrives on contrast and grit. Referencing a quote from Colman Domingo, who hosted Saturday Night Live this year, she described city life as “living on a dare,” where resilience meets reinvention. In contrast, California offers a slower rhythm, one that aligns with her laid-back nature.
Design as Performance
Fineman draws clear parallels between filmmaking and interior design, noting how both crafts shape atmosphere and emotion.
During the podcast, she and Brent also explored iconic film sets, including the Victorian house from Practical Magic (1998), tying personal aesthetic choices to broader cultural touchstones.
Produced by Rob Schulte under SANDOW DESIGN GROUP, Ideas of Order is part of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Listeners can find the full episode and other shows at surroundpodcasts.com.
