When Michael S Smith landed the job of decorating the Obamas' living quarters, White House historian William Seale wholeheartedly approved, telling The New York Times,: "What works best in the White House is someone who is immersed in the past and can design in a modern way." Smith, who has been dubbed the thinking celebrity's designer, has a client roster that includes Stephen Spielberg, Dustin Hoffman, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Photographer-author Grey Crawford, describing Smith, has written ".the best designers are not those with a signature look but those who can interpret the desires of diverse clientele."
Smith, who lives in L.A. and NYC, developed a lush and comfortable style with Old World echoes by studying at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and working with John Saladino before opening his own design firm in 1990. A prolific designer of products from furniture to fabric to bath fixtures, he gives advice on how to create a house that can evolve over time in the book Michael S Smith: Elements of Style. Here at Traditional Home, we often remind each other when we write about him that Smith's middle initial doesn't take a period; it's a small thing that sets him apart, emblematic of a style attuned to the telling detail.-Rebecca Christian
Michael S Smith's website:
www.michaelsmithinc.com
