In the world of luxury real estate, architects tend to get top billing. However, while the talent of artists like Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid is nothing to sneeze at, when it comes to creating stunning homes, much of the legwork is the result of the hard work of interior designers. In cities around the country, some of the world’s most talented designers are showing off their remarkable skill for transforming homes. So, who are these masters of the interior realm?
Orlando Diaz-Azcuy
Born in Cuba, Diaz-Azcuy has made his mark throughout the United States and beyond since opening his eponymous studio in 1985. Now based in New York City, Diaz-Azcuy has helmed projects including the San Francisco Opera’s Intermezzo Lounge, The Peninsula Hotel Phuket, and the Western Athletic Club, among others. In San Francisco, his piece de resistance, however, is 181 Fremont. Located in SoMa, the Heller Manus-designed tower is outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, bespoke Parisian polished brass door handles, Calacatta Carrara marble accents, and custom bird’s-nest-inspired hallway sconces.
Jeffrey Beers
Jeffrey Beers might just be the most famous interior designer you’ve never heard of. The New York-based designer, who has worked for everyone from Bloomingdale’s to Disney to the Four Seasons to Ralph Lauren, has sealed his place in history with the interiors at 277 Fifth Avenue, a Manhattan luxury building designed by Rafael Viñoly. The 55-story NoMad building’s interiors boast a mix of modern convenience and old-world style, offering sleek white and wood kitchens with marble counters and backsplashes, oversized windows, and luxe amenity spaces, including a private dining room, children’s playroom, and an entertaining suite.
Daniel Romualdez
Daniel Romualdez, an AD 100-honored interior designer, has made a name for himself in New York with the interiors at 70 Vestry. The Robert Stern Architects-designed downtown luxury building is awash in Romualdez’s soft glamour, from light wide-plank wood flooring to semi-enclosed kitchens with integrated Miele and Sub-Zero appliances, to Statuary Monarch marble-adorned baths offering glass-surround showers, double vanities, and elegant brushed nickel fixtures.
Paris Forino
If you’re looking for interior elegance, look no further than Paris Forino’s portfolio. In addition to numerous projects throughout New York City, Forino has helmed the transformation of Missoni Baia, a waterfront luxury condo in Miami’s Edgewater district. Under Forino’s watchful eye, the building has been transformed into a tasteful, yet colorful haven for those who love Missoni’s trademark designs, with brightly striped textiles, open kitchens, marble accents, and oversized windows offering water views throughout.
Alexandra Champalimaud
The Upper East Side luxury homes at The Kent are among the city’s most elegant, thanks in no small part to interior designer Alexandra Champalimaud. With massive great rooms, sleek dark-wood-accented modern eat-in kitchens with integrated stainless steel Sub-Zero and Miele appliances and Dornbracht fittings, and massive Alexis Azul marble-accented master baths with double vanities, each space in this unique building is as refined as it is striking.If you’re looking to discover the next big thing from the interior design world, a handful of designers are paving the path toward a more stylish future. This talented group of designers is truly spinning artistry from interiors, making clients – and the world at large – a more beautiful place, one home at a time.
