When I’m in New York there are at least a dozen furniture and lighting showrooms always on my list to visit. Over the years, our studio has developed close relationships with some of the brilliant visionaries behind these beautiful stores. Their passion for design is contagious. Every time I visit, my creativity is re-charged and my imagination goes wild. Here are the top five showrooms I always make a point to visit.
Friedman Benda, 515 West 26th Street
Friedman Benda is where I go to be immersed in some of the most divine pieces of wildly artful furniture and objects being made today. This unassuming gallery is continually being transformed by the creative visions of its artists. You’ll find stools formed from volcanic ash and love sofas by KAWS made entirely from plush toys.
R & Company, 64 White Street + 82 Franklin Street
This elegant Tribeca gallery showroom has two locations just steps away from one another. Both are run by Zesty Meyers and Evan Snyderman, who have amazing sets of eyes for mixing the historical and rare with new furniture pieces, textiles, lighting, and objects. Their vast library devoted to books and publications on collectible design is also on show alongside exhibits.
Apparatus Studio, 24 West 30th Street
Apparatus is always on our list when our studio is looking for bold statement lighting. We adore the rich materiality and artistry that go into every sconce and pendant. The Apparatus Studio is as theatrical as the pieces created on-site. Set up as acts in a play, each room is a fantastic installation of seamlessly curated lighting, objects, and furniture.
Maison Gerard, 43 East 10th Street
New York is full of antique and vintage shops, but no one does eclectic quite like Maison Gerard. Here, French Art Deco furnishings and objets d’art blend with 20th-century finds and contemporary works that often draw inspiration from the past. The gallery lives by its famous motto: “No one today lives in a period-only room.”
Avenue Road, 145 West 28th Street
We are so fortunate to have our apple box available at Avenue Road and sharing the same floor space with legendary designers like Christophe Delacourt and Patricia Urquiola. This showroom is an absolute must, with a trove of hypermodern furniture of exceptional craftsmanship curated as a stylish Manhattan loft apartment. And, it’s located right in the heart of the city’s flower market.
Above image from apparatus.com
