Architect News Hubb
Advertisement
  • Home
  • Architecture News
  • Interior & Exterior News
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Architecture News
  • Interior & Exterior News
  • Contact us
No Result
View All Result
Architect News Hubb
No Result
View All Result
Home Architecture News

Michael S. Smith: The Obamas, Shonda Rhimes, and Cindy Crawford All Love This Decorator—Here Are 6 of His Spaces

admin by admin
February 5, 2023
in Architecture News


Some people employ a broker to find their dream apartment, others search the internet. But Los Angeles–based designer Michael S. Smith discovered his Manhattan pied-à-terre—a duplex penthouse off Madison Avenue—by looking out a window. He was working nearby and noticed a terrace of elegant proportions that skirted the top floors of a prewar building. “It had such a beautiful perspective,” he says of the apartment. “City views that unfold gently, on four sides, with town house rooftops in the foreground and glass towers in the distance.”

On a summer afternoon nearly five years later, Smith is admiring the lushness of that terrace from a Jansen sofa in the adjacent living room. He and his partner, TV executive James Costos, enjoy the contrast of this consummately old-world aerie and their spacious modern house in Holmby Hills. “LA is a dinner-party town,” Smith says. “New York is a dinner-reservation town. We love hosting cocktail parties here—you get that crazy wall-to-wall people, Breakfast at Tiffany’s vibe between six and eight, and then you’re done.”

When the penthouse came on the market, Smith “leapt at the chance to buy it,” he says, “thinking naively that I could just do a little freshening up and move in. But it needed everything. New beams, windows, electrical systems, floors, exterior stucco. And there was way too much ‘back of the house’”—maze-like service rooms—“so it turned into a total gut. We’re still fine-tuning the central air. Aren’t you a bit hot?” —Judith Thurman

Considering the epochal achievements of the Obama administration—the Affordable Care Act, the legalization of same-sex marriage, the Recovery Act, the Paris Agreement on climate change, and so much more—it seems trivial to append a footnote that reads, “The former president and first lady had a pretty chic dining room too.” But the fact is, they did. And for anyone who appreciates the power of design, Michelle and Barack Obama’s emendations to the White House spoke volumes about the sea change in American culture the two have championed for. Adorned with an unprecedented array of 20th- and 21st-century artworks, their private quarters remained an oasis of civility and, yes, refined taste in a political arena so often bereft of both.

“Because of Michael Smith, the private residence of the White House has not only reflected our taste, but also upheld the proud history of this building. Above all, it has truly felt like a home for our family,” Michelle Obama said in praise of the Los Angeles–based decorator, who collaborated closely with the first family during their tenure in Washington, DC. Smith returned the compliment by describing his work as a response to the first lady’s progressive spirit: “Mrs. Obama often talks about bringing new voices into the national conversation, and that idea informed many of the decisions we made,” he said. “We selected artists and designers who would never have appeared in the White House before.” —Mayer Rus

Charlie, left, and Daisy on chairs by David Iatesta in the breakfast area. The hanging lantern is by Vaughan.

Photo: Scott Frances



Source link

Tags: domestic home tourweb exclusive home tour
Previous Post

Tomo (Deleted) // Graypants (Deleted)

Next Post

Roles And Responsibilities of Miami remodelling contractor

Next Post

Roles And Responsibilities of Miami remodelling contractor

Recommended

A substation in San Francisco powers a hopeful future for Hunters Point

August 15, 2022

How to Select the Perfect Curtain Designs for Your Bedroom

October 3, 2023

Join us for these Melbourne Design Week talks

May 17, 2023

Sam Crawford Architects creates contemporary heritage

May 20, 2023

H&M Home to Debut Furniture in the US, a Renowned Swedish Antiques Gallery Arrives Stateside, and More News

August 9, 2023

Don't miss it

Architecture News

Warming Up: Florida’s New Wave of Breezy and Resilient Architecture

October 2, 2023
Architecture News

Olive Gill-Hille crafts infinity and intimacy in wood

October 2, 2023
Interior & Exterior News

Five Important Reasons to Hire a Fencing Contractor

October 2, 2023
Architecture News

Amazon Prime Day Office Chair: Our Top Picks

October 1, 2023
Architecture News

The Future of Architecture: BioDiverCities and Nature-based Solutions (NbS)

October 1, 2023
Architecture News

Emro Designs – A platform for First Nations art

October 1, 2023

© Architect  News Hubb All rights reserved.

Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement unless specified. By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • Architecture News
  • Interior & Exterior News
  • Contact us

Newsletter Sign Up

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Architecture News
  • Interior & Exterior News
  • Contact us

© 2022 Architect News Hubb All rights reserved.