Venus Williams Turns Tennis Style Into a Seriously Chic Crate & Barrel Collection

Venus Williams has spent decades making tennis look elegant, so perhaps it should not be surprising that she has managed to do the same thing with furniture.

The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has launched her first collection with Crate & Barrel and Crate & Kids, mixing mid-century shapes, Italian influences and subtle tennis references across furniture, lighting and home accessories. And unlike some celebrity collaborations that begin and end with a famous name attached to a product, Venus actually has the design credentials for this one.

She founded her interior design firm, V Starr Interiors, in 2002 and told Vogue that years of travelling and staying in hotels around the world helped shape the way she thinks about spaces. For the Crate & Barrel collection, Venus and the brand’s head of product design, Sebastian Brauer, also travelled to Milan for inspiration.   The result is tennis-inspired without turning your living room into Centre Court.

The Tennis References Are Surprisingly Subtle

Venus said that the goal was to make the tennis influence fun without becoming “too cheesy.” Some references are obvious in the product names. Others are buried in the shapes, materials and details.  

The Game Point Swivel Accent Chair is probably one of the clearest examples. Venus described the sculptural chair as very Italian and avant-garde, with details inspired by tennis balls. It is currently listed at $999.  

Shop: Game Point Swivel Accent Chair

Then there is the Deuce Onyx Marble and Natural Oak Square Coffee Table, which leans much more luxury hotel than sports memorabilia.

Shop: Deuce Onyx Marble and Natural Oak Coffee Table

That seems to be the trick with this collection. You can understand the tennis references once someone points them out, but your house does not suddenly look like a themed Airbnb.

The Sofa Might Be the Star

The Hall of Fame 94-inch Roll Arm Sofa is one of the major pieces in the collection, currently priced at $2,499. Crate & Barrel offers it in chocolate, ivory and other neutral upholstery options.

Shop: Hall of Fame Roll Arm Sofa

It also fits Venus’s stated goal for the collection. She told Vogue that she wanted the pieces to feel elegant and timeless enough to live with for years, comparing that longevity to inherited furniture that develops its own history.  

That philosophy is particularly visible in the larger wood pieces. The Legacy 80-inch Oak Wood Credenza, currently $2,699, looks far removed from novelty celebrity merchandise.  

Shop: Legacy Oak Wood Credenza

There Are More Affordable Ways Into the Collection

Thankfully, you do not have to spend sofa money to participate.

The Rete Chenille Border Throw Pillow Cover is currently $79.95, while the Love Embroidered Linen Throw Pillow is $119.95. Crate & Barrel also has decorative pieces and smaller accessories throughout the range.  

Shop: Rete Chenille Border Throw Pillow Cover

Shop: Love Embroidered Linen Throw Pillow

The Classic Cable Knit Wool Blend Throw Blanket is another easier entry point. It is currently listed at $179.95 and comes in camel and ivory as well as other combinations.

Shop: Classic Cable Knit Wool Blend Throw

Even the Kids Collection Is Cute

Venus also designed a Crate & Kids range. She told Vogue she approached it by imagining the kind of bedroom she would have wanted herself as a child.  

The Grand Slam Tennis Ball Kids Floor Bin may be one of the most literal tennis references in either collection, but this is exactly where being a little obvious works.

Shop: Grand Slam Tennis Ball Kids Floor Bin

Venus has already conquered tennis, fashion and business. Apparently she also wants our living rooms. And based on this collection, I am willing to let her.

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