Interior designer and founder of home-fragrance and lifestyle brand Slatkin and Co., Howard Slatkin shares his decor and entertaining secrets as he conducts an intimate tour of his heart-stopping exquisite Fifth Avenue apartment.
When I received this gift book, wrapped in the iconic Slatkin designed logo paper, with an envelope, note and voluptuous, perfectly tied ribbon it was such a thrill.
Then to be personally signed and dedicated....just a taste of what was to come.
Please enjoy our conversation and even more facts about this most fascinating man in The World of Interior Design.
Interior designer Howard Slatkin, co-founder of the iconic lifestyle brand Slatkin and Co. is renowned for combining a keen appreciation of beauty, luxury, and superb workmanship with practical know-how. Now, in this sumptuously illustrated book, he opens the doors of his legendary Fifth Avenue apartment and invites you to accompany him on an intimate tour, not just of the main rooms, but of the service areas, closets, dressing room, and all the other intimate areas rarely seen. Along the way he shares his practical—and often ingenious—methods for creating uniquely personal rooms, shows you how to make them comfortable and functional as well as beautiful, and reveals his secrets to entertaining with ease and flair.
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| Howard and his beloved Winnie |
Howard, thank you so
much for participating in this conversation for your feature on my site. I have
poured over your book “Fifth Avenue Style” page by page, lingering over every
word.
Thank you !
Thank you !
1)
Please tell us a bit
about your family background and youth. When did you found yourself interested
in Interior Design?
My family's business , for three generations, was textile manufacturing and
banking. From the textile business I developed a love and understanding of
fabrics, as well as the disciple of running a business.
My late mother said I was always always interested in beauty----art,
decoration, gardens---- from the time I was a young boy. My parents gave me
great exposure through travel abroad, their friends and of course books. They
were not indulgent with "things" as they did not want my brother and me to be
spoiled, but we could get books on any subject we wanted.
Photographer Tria Giovan’s exceptional photography reveals how Howard Slatkin’s apartment—and any home—can achieve a level of sophisticated calm through careful lighting and floor planning, clever arrangement of furniture, and decorative display of personal collections of family photographs and objects. Drawing upon twenty-five years as a leading designer of fabled residences around the world, Howard Slatkin shows how rooms should flow naturally, how to create an intimate feeling, how to find imaginative solutions for turning awkward spaces and limitations into assets, and how to make one’s décor deeply personal.
In Howard Slatkin’s hands, a simple length of rope is transformed into a decorative molding, a claustrophobic passageway becomes home to a collection of blue and white porcelains, a kitchen evolves into a room fit for a St. Petersburg palace, and a living room turns into an exotic aviary of multihued birds. Using decorative finishes, tile, and salvaged architectural elements, Slatkin has created a memorable home that is the perfect backdrop for Fifth Avenue living.
2)
As a collector of
exquisite antiques, what are some of your favorite finds? (if it is possible to
narrow the list at all)
It depends upon my interests at the time. I do cherish the botanical themed
works of art by three artist friends: Clare Potter, Carmen Almon and Vladimir
Kanesvky. They combine my love of gardens and the natural world with
extraordinary workmanship and the genius of artists.
These works of art are indeed exquisite beyond belief!
3)
Where do you find
inspiration; especially for your Bespoke Interior Design
Projects?
Inspiration is found everywhere---- travel, visiting museums and galleries, and
seeing beautiful homes. Recently while walking my dog Winnie ( a Norfolk
terrier) in the country, a ray of light on autumn leaves inspired an embroidery
design for curtains for a villa in Switzerland. So one never knows---- the key
is keep one's eyes open.
4)
When you began the
process of renovation in the Fifth
Avenue
To be honest, before the documents of the sale of the apartment were signed I knew exactly how it would look when finished, the theme for each room and the floorplan. And it came out exactly as I imagined it would. But do not think me a clairvoyant, remember this is my vocation---- i had been creating beautiful residences for over a decade before I bought the apartment.
To be honest, before the documents of the sale of the apartment were signed I knew exactly how it would look when finished, the theme for each room and the floorplan. And it came out exactly as I imagined it would. But do not think me a clairvoyant, remember this is my vocation---- i had been creating beautiful residences for over a decade before I bought the apartment.
5)
Who are some
designers you admire and mentors who have encouraged you along the way in your
amazing career?
I was enormously lucky to be introduced to the late Henri Samuels and the late
Lorenzo Mongiardino at the start of my career-----a miracle of sorts, as they
were the designers whose work I most admired and was drawn to. Both designers
took me under their wing, and were so generous with their time and sharing of
sources and how they created their magical interiors. They taught me so much,
perhaps most importantly to dream, and to follow one's own path and not be
influenced by trends or what is in the magazines.
6)
Howard you have
designed for royalty and the most elite of the world; how has this shaped you as
a person? How have these experiences affected your own design
aesthetic?
I have learned so much from my clients. When people know how to live beautifully
in their homes, how to receive and entertain with grace and refinement and
comfort, it is a gift they share. And I do think that knowing how to live well
and beautifully at home has informed my work more than anything else. That is
why the residences I do, really work-----I have been exposed to how to live
beautifully at home, how a well run house, and life, are done.
7)
I do not know of
anyone who puts as much detail and refinement into everything as you do. Tell us
about your quest for perfection?
I don't know about "perfection", which is a tricky and complex word fraught with
so many meanings. I like "perfect" rooms if defined as beautiful, comfortable,
and reflective of the lifestyle of the owners. And things done by expert
craftsmen, of great quality. But not if the word insinuates sterility or an
uncomfortable atmosphere-----those rooms are dead.
Yes, I do mean perfection from the standpoint of the attention to details, the expectation of the finest works and finishes, embroidery and fabrics, turned into works of art themselves. The home where owners are proud holders of a legacy. A home that is comfortable and even if it is on a velvet chaise, one is not afraid to put up their feet to read and relax!
8) Howard, Readers would like to
know:
What are your
favorite vacation getaways?
My own homes are my favorites, and I like visiting friends and staying at
their homes---- in much the same way that I always would rather eat in a home
than a restaurant. The New Jersey countryside, Chilmark, East Hampton and
London are my places, they give me pleasure and recharge me.
India also gives endless inspiration, as does Germany, France and
England.
Where do you love to
shop; For Antiques, for Attire, for Art and
Accessories?
Really everywhere, both high and low---- the flea market and the greatest
dealers, as homes benefit from the whole range. And auctions, both here and
abroad, are where I find many treasures. And online there exists the whole
world.
What candles do you
love the most and Fragrances?
My favorites and the ones I use exclusively are Nest Fragrances, they are by far
the best quality and with the most alluring scents. And they really infuse a
room with scent. I love their Bamboo, Moroccan Amber, Passion, Blue Garden,
Pear....i could go on and on. It depends upon my mood, the time of year and
the location. I cannot live without scent at home.
Howard I look forward to scattering Nest Candles about the home for the holidays this year. I have given them as gifts to the receivers delight!
Do
you collect particular artist’s works?
What does Howard do to relax? What are favorite pastimes?
I have very catholic tastes---- from Florentine artists of the Renaissance to
French Impressionists to Picasso and Matisse and Twombly. But i suppose if I
could only select one it would be Picasso, he is like ten genius artists in one,
his work never ceases to give pleasure.
What does Howard do to relax? What are favorite pastimes?
Reading is an enormous part of my life, I have so much admiration for writers
and their gift to us. Ones I cherish and reread are Tolstoy, Trollope, Chekhov,
Waugh.....I could go on and on. I have always loved dogs and being with mine is
my favorite way to spend time. And I am very close to my family and cherished
friends---- they are how I most like to spend my time.
Thank you again
Howard, I cherish the opportunity to have you as a
friend in The Interior Design World..
Thank you to all of my friends and readers who support The Arts!
Mark your calendars! Howard's upcoming "Tastemaker Tag Sale" on One Kings Lane!
This event runs from November 2 at 8:00 a.m. Pacific until November 5 at 8:00 a.m. Pacific
and is comprised of over 250 lots of design books and over 250 lots of
furniture, linens, glassware, serving ware and various other objects.
All of Howard's proceeds from the sale are
going to be donated to charity.
Thank you to all of my friends and readers who support The Arts!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
In appreciation of Vendome Press
Images Courtesy of Vendome Press and Tria Giovan
Review Copy Courtesy of Howard Slatkin
Howard generously gives credit to all of those he has worked with, including the extremely talented artisans who have worked on his homes and many other client's homes.
In appreciation of Vendome Press
Images Courtesy of Vendome Press and Tria Giovan
Review Copy Courtesy of Howard Slatkin
Howard generously gives credit to all of those he has worked with, including the extremely talented artisans who have worked on his homes and many other client's homes.
