Stepping into the airy hilltop home actress Constance Zimmer
shares with her husband, director Russ Lamoureux, is like being
transported into a whimsical new world. Effortlessly pairing artful
vintage (she has a thing for '70s wallpaper) and movie-star glam (the
deck overlooks the Hollywood sign), the space is thoughtful, laid-back
and brimming with affection. And the same can be said for the way she parents her four-year-old daughter, Coco, a lover of all things pink
and fairytale-themed. (Zimmer's own aesthetic is more downtown.) A
prolific actress who illuminated the screen on Entourage, she's set to star in David Fincher’s forthcoming political drama, House of Cards. But her busy career feels miles away in this intimate, lived-in home. Coco's bedroom is a treasure trove of one-of-a-kind touches, like an oversize bulletin board filled with the year’s most meaningful memories. Especially sweet, and fitting for this tight-knit clan, is a note scribbled with “Believe in yourself, xo Coco.”
Coco, four, April 2012
1. "My husband
2. Dance parties
3. Apples with peanut butter
4. Baking together
5. Our family time in NYC
6. When Coco visits me on set
7. Making her laugh."
"As a mom, the best advice I've ever received is to be present, always be in touch, and to constantly communicate. I try to talk with Coco, far in advance, about time away from her so that by the time I leave, it’s not as much of a big deal.”
Coach Bleecker Variegated Stripe Reversible Tote (a clever way for Constance to store her vintage books)
On Constance: A Common Thread dress
On Coco: Entertaining Elephants dress
"It's all about dresses for her. I can’t get her to wear a t-shirt and jeans to save my life."
"When I was pregnant, we didn't have the doctor tell us the sex of the baby. Instead, we had them write it down on a piece of paper and seal it in an envelope. My husband and I didn't look. Then, on the day when we decided we wanted to know, we invited Russ’s mom over for dinner and said, 'open it and tell us what we're having!' This is the actual piece of paper, pinned on Coco's bulletin board."
"My go-to uniform for school runs is boyfriend jeans ,Toms shoes, and a sweater because I'm usually hiding my PJ top underneath."
On Constance: Gap top, vintage jeans
On Coco: GapKids dress
Coach Hugo Guinness Coffee Cup Reversible Tote (aka, the perfect farmer's market shopper)
"My proudest moment so far as a mom was listening to Coco recite Shakespeare."
"I’m an eBay freak. I find the most amazing vintage pieces. Recently, I became obsessed with sail boats, so I searched and ended up buying two for Russ."
"My husband and I are both pretty balanced in our parenting so she can't run from one to the other to get something different."
"My approach to decorating her room can be described as controlled chaos. I tried to surround her with things that are inspiring, like lots of her own art so she knows that we appreciate it. And then I added old school things like a record player and vintage books, and some of my old toys from childhood."
"For Travel, the VTech InnoTab is great. And right now, she loves the Strawberry Moshi books, and anything Playmobil!"
"I love GapKids, Splendid Littles, and Livie and Luca for shoes. The Little Seed on Larchmont Boulevard in Los Angeles is a fantastic one-stop shop."
"Like me, she has an overall sense of happiness, a bit of a drama queen in her, and an obsession with shoes."
"Whenever we play make believe, I end up being the evil witch and she's the princess."
"Every night after we read books, we turn the lights off and talk about the day and say all the things that we are thankful for."
"We went to The Lorax premiere, and now that’s a huge part of her life. She’s in love with everything Lorax. After we got home, she made this truffula tree for her little fairy house."
1. Favorite part about growing up in California: "The hawks nest in our trees."
2. Favorite food: "Strawberries"
3. Favorite thing to do with your mom: "Dance"
4. Favorite music for dancing: "Phoenix and Grizzly Bear"
5. Favorite fairytale character: "Tinker Bell because she has pixie dust."
6. Favorite fictional character: "Charlie from Willy Wonka because he got the golden ticket and he deserved it."
On Coco: H&M princess dress
"My cats, my fish, and my bed."
Missoni blanket
"I don't have as much time to think about my style as I used to, so I aim for classic and not trendy. Our home decor hasn't changed a bit. We believe that less is more, for kids and adults."
On Constance: Vintage dress, Coach Elvira Strappy Buckle Wedge (on the floor)
On Coco: GapKids dress
Printed pillow: A flea market find, made from vintage European curtains"The best part about being Coco's mom is watching her grow everyday, and being a part of that growth. The hardest part is being responsible for someone for the rest of my life."
"My best tip for balancing motherhood and marriage: work on it everyday."
"We love starting each year by taking down everything on Coco's bulletin board and starting fresh. Throughout the year, we put up all the things that mean something to her: projects that she does in school, things that have really become a part of who she is, like the fairy drawing she did on a recent trip to Maui. Especially sweet is this note that she wrote to me saying, 'Believe in yourself, xo Coco.' Then we get to relive the year all over again when we take it down."
"Any kind of face mist is a must for a little morning glow, and a swipe of Pixi tinted lip blush."
