There’s no mistaking his interiors. Robert Stilin’s domestic spaces are so distinctive that they are instantly recognizable. Furthermore, they do not look as if they belong in any other epoch but the present. The contemporary interior has primarily been characterized by a curated blend of historical and contemporary objects defined by layered narratives; however, Stilin’s spaces has something else. While always elegant and stylish,they havean industrial, or rustic, cutting-edge flavor to them with spectacular monochromaticity, and a plethora of his signature cashmere and velvet.
As a long-time collector and dealer, collectible design—vintage, bespoke, cotemporary, antiques—is fundamental to his projects, and his expertise has attracted art and design collectors, who, like him, possess a passion for living with art and exceptional design, yet do not wish to turn their homes into museums. The wealth of knowledge and experience make them feel safe, because no matter how luxurious, refined, or iconic the objects and the art on the walls, no matter how glam and creative the spaces, they always have the soul, look, and feel of ‘home.’ Comfort, to him, takes precedence.
While Stilin started his career in Palm Beach in 1989, it is when he moved to New York and established himself in East Hampton that he became known for this unique and personal style. His own house became his logo, the showcase of this mode and laboratory for experimenting with ideas. He has since sold that house and moved to another in the East End, but its images have remained as a testimony to the time he crafted his own professional identity, becoming one of the most respected interior designers in New York. Before Stilin, there was a perception that if you live with iconic and historical pieces of furniture and lighting, they ought to be treated as precious items displayed in a museum-like homes, but his approach has been groundbreaking. It is in that house, designed by Hamptons architect Frank Greenwald, that he has cemented his love for patina and the ability to bring together ‘high’ and ‘low,’ while always avoiding mass-produced or ordinary objects. ‘Everything,’ he says, ‘has a personal connection to my life, the places I’ve been, the extraordinary things I’ve encountered, and the people who’ve influenced my taste as a designer. In short, everything is meaningful.’ Last week, Stilin was my guest in the series Interior Design: Then and Now.
Growing up in the Midwest, Stilin had not yet been exposed to the type of design that he came to master. In fact, if it were not for decorating his home in Palm Beach, which stimulated the passion and a point of departure for a career in design, he would have become a banker. He has been a regular in the world of private galleries, auction houses, and design fairs for decades, and currently serves on the Artists Council at the Whitney Museum of American Art and on the Leadership Council of Dia Art Foundation. His last monograph promotes the collectability of design through the cultural entity of the object. It is from a place of passion, knowledge and exposure that he selects pieces which resonate and enhance his aesthetics—not necessarily those which are popular today. He always selects objects by those who were daring in their time, while envisioning the future. A lover of the mid-century furniture by French duo Robert Guillerme and Jacques Chambron, he began collecting the modern and somewhat edgy furnishings the two created for the new generation of young families after WWII seeking a laid-back modern style, long before the market rediscovered them. Stilin collects everything: ceramics, furniture, drawings, and architectural elements. Each has a story, and that story acquires yet another layer once placed in their new homes.
We started the talk with a virtual visit to Stilin’s own home, a loft overlooking the harbor in Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood to which he has recently moved from Manhattan. Here, he has demonstrated the most ambitious, mature, and substantial expression of his oeuvre. ‘Stilin,’ Mayer Rus says in the introduction to his monograph, ‘arranges the elements of his craft more like players in a drama than mere objects in space.’ His ability to create scenery, just like a film director or an opera stage designer, is his tool for transforming spaces and forging fresh, unexpected, and dramatic rooms. The exposed concrete ceiling and pipes not only exemplify the authentic loft experience, but also act as the perfect backdrop for masterpieces by Pierre Chapo, Pierre Guariche, Jean Prouvé, Gino Sarfatti, and Franco Albini, which live in harmony with contemporary pieces by Campana Brothers and Rick Owens. The arrangement of the contemporary art on the wall is particularly compelling.
When it comes to satisfying his clients’ taste, Stilin’s is shifting his decorating approach in his quest to forge the quintessential expression of their identity, and those shifts are smooth and easy. When he recently created the interiors of a historic family house in Louisville, Kentucky—which had undergone extensive renovation and expansion—he forged a vibe according to his clients’ taste, merging nostalgia with contemporary allure. His love for bold and luminous colors determines the interior atmosphere, and the all-vintage seating is covered in velvet. Stilin conducted a symphony of masterpieces by design legends like Ettore Sottsass, Gabriela Crespi, Maria Pergay, and Franco Albini, exploring their potential to forge an American home. Stilin suggests that acquiring historical masterpieces is his way of creating greatness, as he enjoys applying his signature—a warmly minimalist sensibility—to homes across the United States.
All images courtesy Robert Stilin and Stephen Kent Johnson.
