Maria Sharapova may have retired from tennis in 2020, but that doesn’t mean that she’s slowed down. These days, you can find the busy mother of one traveling the globe, popping up as a guest investor on Shark Tank, and—to our delight—designing furniture. The legendary athlete first teamed up with Rove Concepts in 2021, creating a collection of travertine and velvet furniture with heavy Japanese influence. Now, she’s at it again, this time creating a line that expands its reach to the modern home office.
Sharapova was surprised when she saw that people were using the pieces in her first collection in unexpected ways, like bringing the travertine table outdoors, so she decided to approach this one with a built-in sense of fluidity. The lack of prescription fits with her own work-from-home choices, and the softer edges and durable materials reflect her major life change since her first foray into furniture. (She welcomed her first child, Theodore, in 2022.) A closer look at the design of the objects themselves hints at another interest of Sharapova’s: Dutch Brutalism.
Though the furniture in Sharapova’s new line is intentionally flexible, work is at the forefront; it’s office furniture, reimagined. Since retiring from tennis and growing as a businesswoman, she was inspired to create a collection that reflects how we work now. “I thought that this could be the modern boardroom, because I’ve been in several boardrooms since I retired five years ago, and I wouldn’t say they’re the prettiest things,” she tells AD.
However these pieces are used, for Sharapova, it is proof that she has become a more mature collaborator. “In all the things that I did outside of the sport, people were initially like, ‘Does she have permission to do that?’” she says. The success of the first collection and the fact that Rove Concepts came back for more gave Sharapova the freedom to take bigger swings this time around.
Below, Sharapova takes AD inside her own home life and answers some of our burning questions.
Architectural Digest: What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
Maria Sharapova: Oh, I love my coffee. That’s usually my quiet 30 minutes of the day before my son wakes up. I’m an early riser, so usually it’s before the sun and my son, and it’s a magical moment. I make some notes about the day ahead, I answer some emails, and the day starts rolling.
I’m also a big tea drinker. I love brewing my teas, usually in the afternoon. I make homemade jam, and it’s kind of awkward, but I do like putting jam in my black tea instead of sugar. So I’d say the water boiler is used in my house more often than any other device.
What is the most recent thing you purchased for your home?
My husband and I were recently in Japan and we brought back the most beautiful ceramics from antique markets in Kyoto and Tokyo. I’ve always been a fan of Japan, and I’ve traveled there since I was a young girl. It’s actually where I won my first tournament as a teenager, so I have fond memories of the country. I’m always so inspired by the aesthetic because the things that they introduce into their space, and how they live with these pieces, all serve a purpose.
What is your go-to dish to make in the kitchen?
We’ve been making a lot of soups recently, even in the summer. I grew up on lots of different soups, and my mom helps me a lot with that. My mom’s the chef in our kitchen, but I help with the chopping
Do you and your son eat in front of the TV or always at the dining room table?
We don’t watch TV, so usually at the dining table.
What is your stance on pets on the furniture?
We have a small dog, and we have no rules about where he goes. So I’d say we’re pretty loosey-goosey about it.
Are you more of a bath or shower person?
I love a good bath, if I have the time. I think having a three-year-old definitely squeezes my time for a bath, but I’ve really learned how to enjoy a bath in a hotel recently. I love the rituals of a bath. I also brought back a few different bath salts from Japan with different oils.
Take us through your bedtime ritual…
I go to bed fairly early, just because my son wakes up early, and I find I’m more of a morning person. I don’t really have much of a routine. My favorite part of the evening is reading stories to Theo and his choosing three books that he likes to read in the evening. I eat dinner after I put him to bed, and then I sleep.
Is there an item in your house that has sentimental value?
My thought on “things” is they’re never too precious. I find them beautiful, and I try to find the practicality of things when I buy them. But I don’t think of them as sentimental. I think everything that’s related to my son is always sentimental.
