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This summer, all eyes are on the Hamptons Holiday House in Water Mill. Found Collectibles’ owner Rodrigo Salem walks us through the curation of his rooms and the power of design.
What inspired you to launch Found Collectibles?
I’ve always been passionate about design, and I’ve traveled to more than 90 countries. I’ve always wanted to collect beautiful things for my house and have a collection. Coming from collector parents, I found a natural move to evolve. I used to be in tech for 20 years—at Microsoft for 10 years, and Facebook, now Meta, for 10 years. I wanted to make my next professional step on my own and do something around treasure hunting with design and collectible furniture. When I quit Facebook, I moved to Brazil, and while I was in Brazil taking time off, I started to study Brazilian mid-century modern furniture in depth. I fell in love with the history, the design itself, and the quality of the furniture. While I was there, I thought to myself, “I’m going to give this a try.” I started buying furniture, and then I met the artisans who used to work with those designers all the time. They started to do the restoration and upholstery of my furniture. For instance, the upholsterer that I work with used to work with Sergio Rodrigues, who has an atelier that is one of the main hubs of Brazilian furniture. My wood restorer, my gaming person, all my people have more than 30, 40, 50 years of experience.
An interiors display by Found Collectibles with “Pensive” painting by Brandusa Niro
How do you source these unique pieces for your gallery?
I have a network of friends. I have a house in Brazil, and this furniture is not that old; it’s 50, 60, 70 years old, basically the grandparents’ or the great-grandparents’ furniture. In Brazil, contrary to the United States, people inherit furniture. I started to have access to my friends’ family’s furniture, and I started buying it directly from private collections that were not on sale. They were beautiful, and I could see a commercial potential and the opportunity here in the U.S., so I started sourcing directly from the source. I source everything myself. I don’t have third parties. I go to the houses; I go to the free markets. I choose every single piece myself. During the restoration, I dissect the furniture. But now there have been times that I buy beautiful furniture from the San Joaquin Railroad, and when I open it with my upholster or my wood restorer, I see that it has been completely altered. My job is to put that piece back to how it was originally, to make it truly a collectible piece. I source every [piece of] furniture myself, and I source it from the private residences and the private collections or flea markets. Flea markets are mostly accessories, but they pick furniture from private collections.
Rodrigo Salem reclaims Brazilian mid-century modern furniture at his company, Found Collectibles
Tell us about the Hamptons Holiday House! What led you to participate in it?
This is the second year that I participated. Iris Dankner is the founder and chairperson, and she’s also an interior designer, an artist, a cancer survivor, a mom, and a grandma. She’s an awesome person, and she has been doing the Holiday House for the past 20 years. Last year, I participated in partnership with Collette, which is a business in Southampton and Bridgehampton, and we did the living room. I loved the experience. It was actually one of my first shows. Every [room] is a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. It’s a great cause. They normally always get beautiful houses, and different designers create specific spaces in the house. This year I wanted to continue having a footprint in the Hamptons, continue supporting the cause, and to bring this Brazilian modern touch Out East, so I’m doing two rooms. The first room is the one that I did with Brandusa Niro, and then I’m doing the garage, which is an amazing space because it’s a big space where you can also sell the furniture—contrary to the rest of the house where you cannot sell anything. I’m going to be there for the entire summer. I’m super excited about it.
Rodrigo Salem
You’re working with artist Brandusa Niro and featuring her paintings in your display. How did her artwork fit into your vision and inspire you when curating your Holiday House rooms?
I think it’s beautiful. It’s the colors. The themes in her art are powerful, crafty, and playful. My furniture is very much like that, and the space where it is is the rooftop foyer, which is the area leading into a rooftop. It is a large space, and it has a playful tone. The subjects of her paintings are different women in different situations, very colorful, and they complement the furniture nicely. If you see the whole ensemble, the colors help each other pop more and give a personal touch to the whole space because her art is different from the rest of the art in the house.
Found Collectibles furniture with “Kate Moss Forever” painting by Brandusa Niro
What are some furniture pieces you’re excited to showcase in the house?
There are so many, but I have a gorgeous sofa, which is called the Macedo sofa. It was made in the 1960s, entirely in solid rosewood. It’s deep and has a deep bookshelf in the back, so it’s an eye-catching piece. Then I have some sets of credenza, a dining table and dining chairs by Giuseppe Scapinelli, who was an Italian immigrant who came to Brazil in the ’40s, and he did incredible things. He didn’t use much rosewood. He used caviuna, which is a lighter, more caramel wood, but he nicely combines Italian modern design with a Brazilian exuberance, which can be translated in the size, the level of detail, and in the soft curves that he uses in his work.
Rodrigo Salem’s Hamptons Holiday House display with “Mademoiselle X” painting by Brandusa Niro
What’s your source of inspiration, or some people who inspire you?
Whenever I look for inspiration, I go to nature. There is a quote from Albert Einstein, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” That is what I normally do. I try to re-create a forest. Every element that I’m using is purposely and intentionally used to complement that vision.
What else are you getting up to this summer?
I’m going to go to Brazil at the end of the summer, which is winter in Brazil. I will do some sourcing, which is always super exciting because you’re literally treasure hunting. I’m going to take some time off to chill and relax there. The second half of the new collection is going to be arriving in August, and I’m going to be doing staging projects in the Hamptons, which I’m excited about.
All images: Courtesy of Rodrigo Salem.
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