In a new book, famed interior designer Michael Smith explores one of the most basic—and often misunderstood—elements of style: classicism. Classic By Design, which has a foreword written by Smith collaborator Shonda Rhimes, features 13 homes that Smith has designed, which range from a penthouse overlooking New York’s East River to a mountain retreat in Montana, and includes Smith’s own Los Angeles house. For the uninitiated, the industry fixture has written seven books, including Designing History: The Extraordinary Art & Style of the Obama White House. (His work for the First Family earned him the nickname “decorator-in-chief.”) Below, he spoke with ELLE.com about the design advice that works for every home, what we mean when we say “classic,” and what rules should be broken.
When you call a space classic, what does that mean?
I really love breaking the rules in terms of architecture and interiors in general. I like to shake stuff up, add something in, do something that’s not obvious. But classic means, to me, that the lion’s share of what is done is actually respectful of the rules, so that it’s timeless. And I think that’s a really helpful thing. I’m turning it in a different direction, but I’m doing it intentionally and [in a] measured [way]. I’m not completely throwing everything out just to throw it out.
When you look at all the beautiful homes in the book together, what do you think they have in common? Is there a thread that ties them together?
I think it’s that classic element. It’s the fact that there’s a good mixture between the people who live there and the architecture, and they’re a suitable blend of things that function and work together.
What is your best piece of design advice?
If you can have the luxury of living someplace for a bit before you do any work, that’s my favorite. You can live in a space and assess it and really be informed by having had the luxury of being in it for a while. It doesn’t work for everyone, but if you can, I think it’s a huge luxury before you make any decisions.
What is the first thing you think about when you’re starting to work on a home?
So many different things. I think charm, light, the clients—it’s their house, their enthusiasm or excitement about the project. There’s a bunch of things that can inform [a decision] and make something really exciting.
Are there certain things that people can incorporate into their homes to bring a thread of traditional design in?
I love that idea, but it just depends on the style. What is traditional? Is it Spanish traditional, English traditional? I think what you’re actually touching on, which is really important, is to try to establish context—to make something feel like you’re not fighting with the architecture of the house. We’re fighting with the architecture and working with it, so you can add elements that are personal to the house, but [also] reaffirm or underline its style. You might have a Spanish house, but you could have a ton of modern furniture. Once in a while, maybe you put a piece of Spanish furniture in just to give a sense of context.
Images from Michael S. Smith’s “Classic by Design”
Adrienne Gaffney is a features editor at ELLE and previously worked at WSJ Magazine and Vanity Fair.
