Rolls Royce Owner's Club, 2014: "Livable Luxury"
"Richard Mishaan Design in New York not only designs beautiful interiors and bespoke furnishings, but also creates spaces in which to love life to the fullest.
Combing art and architecture, Richard Mishaan Design in New York has taken interior design to the highest level. A string of high-profile clients attest to the quality of services and unique pieces on offer at the company's recently reopened store.
A background in architecture informs the clean lines and pared-down aesthetic that characterize the work of the company's founder, Richard Mishaan. However, his love of art in an equally strong influence, guiding him as a designer of bespoke, one-off pieces that complete his interiors for residential and commercial properties. His extensive knowledge and curatorial eye have enabled him to cultivate and extraordinary affinity with his clients, many of whom are like-minded collectors and enthusiasts. 'They have the same passion that I have and appreciate my attention to detail,' he explains.
As a result, the Colombian-born designer has become a leader in his field. His clients include not only discerning individuals, but also major companies, such as Sony, Trump, and Starwood and Wyndham Hotels.
Enhancing Homes:
Richard's rise to the top began in 1997, when he opened Homer, a retail and gallery space named after the 19th-century US artist Winslow Homer and located next to the Whitney Museum of American Art in Manhattan. Through it, he introduced a number of young European designers, including Olivier Garnier, Herve van der Straeten, and Eric Schmitt-- all of whom have since achieved international fame.
The Whitney Museum went on to reclaim the store's site on Madison Avenue, prompting a hiatus in business until Richard reopened Homer in Greenwich Village in 2013, where it continues to offer a range of furnishings by some of the most eminent designer of the past 100 years. 'What I'm interested in is finding things that will fit into collector's lives and really enhance their homes,' says Richard. 'I like to reflect my clients' lives and personalities.'
This is also evident in Richard Mishaan Design's interiors, which, above all, are created to be livable. If necessary, the company can commission and produce anything from custom furniture and lighting to porcelain tableware. These pieces have been so well received that Richard now designs lines for several manufacturers, too, including indoor and outdoor furniture for Bolier & Company, lighting for the Urban Electric Company, textiles and fabrics for Old World Weavers, china tableware for Lenox, and a new range of accessories for Asiatides Paris.
'I am very particular about what goes into each room,' says Richard. 'If we can't find what we want, we have it made. It's great to have collectible pieces, but it's also important that you give them a proper context so that everything is working in combination. It's about incorporating pieces so that they're not just precious items to be tiptoed around-- they are supposed to be part of your life.'
Artful Combination:
In 2009, Richard's first book, 'Modern Luxury,' was published by Random House and made a compelling case for his belief that exceptional pieces of furniture and art can be artfully combined irrespective of style, period, or prices. His latest book, 'Artfully Modern,' picks up on this theme while delving deeper into how a beautifully designed home can help people live their life to the fullest, in the most stylish way.
'My work is about making each environment beautiful and ensuring that people feel comfortable in them.' he says. 'It's about observing the ways that people live and recognizing the stage of life they're at. It's not just about making a house beautiful-- it's about living your life well.'"
Rolls Royce Owner's Club, 2014
