Interiors

Home/Room Tour: Matt McGorry

by

5 years ago

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a very Happy Thanksgiving yesterday! If you’re anything like me, you’ve already been all over the internet searching for the best Black Friday deals. Well, I’m here now to offer you a break from that madness and share the chic home of my friend, Matt McGorry.

![](https://res.cloudinary.com/gray-malin/image/upload/c_scale/gray-malin/blog-uploads/Screen Shot 2018-11-21 at 10.46.57 AM.png-s_6vicE) ![](https://res.cloudinary.com/gray-malin/image/upload/c_scale/gray-malin/blog-uploads/matt gray - 2.png-lpPyKfs)

Many of you probably already know Matt from the binge-worthy shows Orange is the New Black and How To Get Away With Murder, as for me, I’ve known Matt since college and I’m so happy to see the success he’s had in his career! I’m also thrilled that he lives in Los Angeles and has chosen to decorate his home with a couple of excellent pieces from two of my (very different) photography series.

Let’s catch up with Matt and hear more about his place…

Matt, won’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hello, world! My name is Matt McGorry, and I'm an actor and activist living in Los Angeles. I come from New York City originally but have fully embraced LA life. I've been here for a little over five years and started driving only when I came out here. I’m fully in love with this city and driving at this point and was honestly shocked at how quickly I adapted. I'm currently working on the fifth season of the ABC show, "How To Get Away With Murder," and am so grateful that I feel I’ve been able to achieve so many of the dreams that I’ve been working towards since I started acting around ten years old.

Travelling, especially out of the country, is one of my great passions. I was very fortunate that I got to travel growing up and have I’ve been able to continue the tradition with friends since graduating college. Separating myself from the routine of regular life, including shutting off my phone for long periods of time, always gives me a valuable perspective on life and what is important to me.

Speaking of traveling, did your travels have anything to do with your Gray Malin print selections?

As a whole, I absolutely love Gray's work. A number of years ago, I had the chance to stop by his studio and see his work in person and it blew me away. Italy is my favorite country that I've been to, and Positano specifically was so incredible. The fact that I loved this particular piece as a standalone would have been enough, but the fact that it's one of my favorite places on Earth made it the perfect photograph for my home. To me, there is a certain humor about the man who is the centerpiece of the photograph. Older Italian men have a certain coolness about them and represent a level of "no fucks given" that I really admired. Actually, when I was there with a friend of mine, we struck up a conversation with an old, Italian man and he said that we would make "good, old Italian men." There felt like no higher praise at that moment.

Yes, I definitely see your point in regard to the Italian man in your print! And, what about that attention-grabbing triptych of the Matterhorn?

In contrast to the Positano piece, the Matterhorn triptych felt truly epic. I have been described as having a lot of passion and being intense, and the Matterhorn piece very much fits with this aspect of my personality. The mountain ranges are so expansive and also reach so high into the sky. Being proximal to something so vast is a reminder for me to keep growing and expanding, and also of the untouched beauty of nature.

Now, that we’ve covered the reasons why you chose these two pieces, let’s talk what your interior decor style is overall? What was the look you were going for overall?

I was very fortunate to have the help of interior designer, Allison Rosenberg, when putting together my first apartment, which is where that first shot of Gray and I was taken. My primary inspiration for style has been the SoHo House. Ever since I first went as a guest to the New York location, I was enamored by the style. There is a certain vintage, urban, yet rustic look to it. That sounds like a bunch of bullshit when I read it back, but somehow that apparently means something. Comfort and functionality are really the primary goals of mine, whether it comes to the style of dress or decorating my living space.

About a year ago, I moved into a new place. It’s always exciting moving into a new home but it can also be overwhelming, too. After working with Allison before, I turned to her again to help make this new space feel like mine. With comfort and functionality at the forefront, we decided to keep the living and dining room space very open and free-flowing. After playing around with a number of setups, I really fell in love with the idea of keeping it open so that when I have guests over, no matter whether someone is in the kitchen, living room, or dining room, they are included in the space.

There are actually a number of similarities with my current home and the loft that I grew up in New York City. High ceilings paired with tall windows for lots of natural light really makes the difference in me not feeling too cooped up with I’m staying at home.

The bookshelves around Gray’sPositano piece are one of my favorite parts of the apartment. The books that I’ve read about social justice have deeply informed the person that I’ve become and having them displayed prominently is a great way to start a conversation, not to mention having them accessible for any points in the conversation where I feel the wisdom of one of the authors could be useful.

There’re also some aspects of my apartment that should hint that I try not to take myself too seriously. Over my bed are these cute, ceramic animal heads with little plants in them. They're silly and I love them. Even the Gray Malin Positano piece feels a bit comedic to me with the older, Italian man reading his newspaper as the center of it. It feels a bit whimsical and lighthearted and is a wonderful contrast to the Matterhorn triptych that represents an intensity that is very much a part of who I am.

I love it! Okay, last question. What about the Gray Malin brand do you connect with?

There's a great sense of adventure and humor with much of Gray's work. I personally respond to the aspect of adventure because to me, much of life is really about continuing to explore and grow. Continuing to learn and developing feels paramount to who I am as a person. Additionally, much of his work has a certain lightness and humor to it that I often find myself needing a reminder of. Even in my most passionate pursuits, I’ve been working to bring in more levity and joy. Whether it's llamas with balloons, sheep with dyed fur, or beach balls in the Arctic, it's all very fitting with who I am and aspire to be.

Thanks, Matt! I really appreciate all of your kind words. I love what you’ve done with the place, and I’m so happy that you are enjoying your Gray Malin framed prints. It is always so cool to hear the reason why one chooses the prints that they do, so thanks for sharing! Also, I’m pretty sure that you’ve probably inspired a reader or two to take advantage of our 30% off ALL photography.

It is the perfect day to shop after all…

Cheers,

Xx GM