CRAFTING STORIES

Years ago, while strolling through the Schwabing neighborhood in Munich, Germany, Tanya Zaben stepped into what she thought was a charming old bookstore. What she discovered was a bookbinder’s studio. Zaben spoke at length with the owner, intrigued by the woman’s craft and her “magical” space. “It had never occurred to me that someone actually binds books, that it’s a real career, that this still happens,” Zaben notes. “It was this moment where I thought, I wish I could tell the world about this place.”

And then she returned to her busy life as a mom and creative director. “I was running big jobs for American Express, the Tribeca Film Festival, the US Open, The New York Times International Luxury Conference, hobnobbing with all sorts of people in fashion, media, and design,” Zaben says. “I loved my job, but I wished for something more.” Zaben thought back to that bookbinder and her beautiful craftsmanship, and she decided it was time for a change. “That’s when Interior Monologue was born.”

Described as “a website devoted to culling through the masses and picking out the absolute best of the best in handcrafted and artisan-made goods,” Interior Monologue tells the stories of the craftspeople and artistry behind the products that Zaben has long admired. Along with personal interviews, videos, and behind-thescenes peeks at work in progress, Zaben also curates an e-commerce shop that reflects her tagline: “Handmade is the best made.”

Although Zaben is now a dedicated New Yorker, she grew up near Chicago where her parents still live. Her mother, a math teacher, was a Chicagoan and the first woman in her family to go to college. Her father, an engineer, was born in Palestine and grew up in Egypt, moving to the United States to attend school. “It was a layering of two totally different things,” Zaben explains. She had her Chicago roots, as well as relatives in Egypt, Abu Dhabi, and Greece.

Trips to Chicago and the North Shore with her family exposed Zaben to art and culture the likes of the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, the Art Institute, symphony concerts, and the Bahá’í temple. “I have so many vivid, formative memories of falling in love with art and craft,” she says.

Zaben’s high school photography teacher nurtured this love and Zaben’s creative talent. “Craig Anderson. We’re still in touch. He was such an incredible inspiration to me,” Zaben recalls. “I picked up a camera and was taken by the stories I could tell.” Anderson encouraged Zaben to apply for a scholarship to the photography program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She earned that scholarship and, as soon as she graduated, she landed a job in London at one of the first big experiential marketing firms. “It was absolutely fascinating for me to take my skill and be part of a team, and to watch something come together in a three-dimensional way.”

With Interior Monologue, Zaben is connecting all these things from her life: her appreciation for handmade craft and design; her love of travel and other cultures; and her passion for telling the stories behind the product. She’s always on the lookout for that unique find, whether at a trade show, art fair, or on travels across the globe. “Having lived in Europe for many years, it’s where I first fell in love with craftsmanship, from the art restoration in a palace in Germany to a shoemaker in Austria, Europe is a vast resource for me,” she says.

Whatever she selects, it has to pass the “Interior Monologue seal of approval.” As Zaben describes, “It has to be entirely handcrafted, ideally by a small maker, using ethically sourced materials or ingredients.” Whether a wax-sealed bottle of hand-tapped maple syrup or a luxurious line of cashmere blankets, Zaben says, “Interior Monologue’s mission is to provide a collection of makers that you can trust.”

While it’s tough for her to pick a favorite artisan or piece of art, she points to a few that have stood out so far. One of them is master calligrapher-slash-stationery artist Bernard Maisner. “I’ve been a fan for years and years before starting Interior Monologue, and I was thrilled when he not only agreed to let us sell his gorgeous stationery but created a unique set of stationery bespoke to Interior Monologue that he and I collaborated on.”

Another is Busatti, an eighth-generation Italian linen house. “Upon meeting them at a trade show in Paris, we struck up an idea to collaborate on a line of exclusive dinner napkins,” Zaben explains. The world-class craftsmanship paired with Zaben’s unique sense of style produced sets of elegantly simple table linens that often sell out.

Zaben is now expanding to create her own line of products, starting with a collection of hand-embroidered throw pillows. “It’s a true labor of love,” Zaben exclaims. As she launched her design career in photography, it makes sense the unique pillow designs are inspired by photographs that she translates into illustrations. She says these pillows have always been a dream of hers, but it was a challenge to find the embroiderer who would meet her high-quality, handcrafted standards. When she did find them, she recalls, “It was a serendipitous connection at a dinner party.”

She was at a friend’s house when a beautifully embroidered pillow caught her eye. She learned it was created from a drawing that the friend’s mother had made, translated into embroidery by a company in India. Zaben had found the perfect match. “A multigenerational family atelier in India that produces some of the finest hand embroidery in the fashion world. I couldn’t have asked for a more exciting connection. Thankfully, it didn’t take much to convince them that one-of-a-kind embroidered pillows are also works of art and are like fashion for the home. Thus, our partnership was born.”

Zaben continues to delight in discovering the story and telling the stories behind things both beautiful and functional. She hopes to one day create an in-person selling experience. “I feel a deep connection to the objects I curate. So, to experience the moment face-to-face when a person connects with a product we both admire would be incredible.” In the meantime, Zaben’s full focus is on an amazing online experience in shopping for these beautiful handmade goods, and she continues to bring design excellence into the homes of her clients. Whatever the future holds, it’ll surely be magical.

For more information, visit interiormonologue.com.