One of the defining features of the fall season in and around New York is the debut of “the new”—the new Broadway plays, stores, art exhibitions, musical performances. But this season is filled with an even bigger variety of openings. Some of the world’s most renowned interior design brands and manufacturers are debuting new and expanded showrooms in and near the city. MILIEU takes a tour to preview these inspiring destinations.
—The MILIEU Editors
SOANE BRITAIN
On September 12, the venerable British maker of fabrics, wallpapers, and furnishings opened a new flagship showroom on Madison Avenue that feels as much like a home of many rooms as it does a venue for its products. As its founder and creative director, Lulu Lytle, says, “Opening a showroom in New York feels like the natural next step, given how closely we already work with American clients. Only by sitting in and feeling our furniture and fabrics can you really appreciate their exceptional quality.” Take the elevator to the fourth floor and you’ll suddenly enter the kind of mansion typical to the neighborhood. 22 East 65th Street; soane.co.uk
SAMUEL & SONS
While Samuel & Sons has long been known for trims that define furnishings, the company’s redesigned flagship showroom is much more than a detail in the world of design. Timothy Corrigan, the noted interior designer and passementerie expert, was commissioned to create a showroom within two floors of a classic New York brownstone, adjacent to the D&D Building. The new space is actually the old space, the very venue Samuel & Sons has called home since 1998. “The new showroom will be the ultimate passementerie shopping experience for today’s interior designer, while maintaining our original showroom’s heritage,” says Michael Cohen, president of Samuel & Sons. 983 Third Avenue; samuelandsons.com
LITTLE GREENE
Some of the richest, most vibrant colors found in homes throughout Britain are now available at Little Greene’s first American showroom—in Greenwich, Connecticut. The treasured British paint manufacturer will feature its 196 curated colors, many of which replicate authentic 18th- and 19th-century historic colors, in the new space. “It’s very exciting to be opening a showroom in Greenwich,” says Ruth Mottershead, Little Greene’s Creative Director. “One of the many rewarding aspects about opening retail stores is the relationships we build in the local community. It’s always wonderful to share inspiration, tell our family story, and form personal relationships with local designers and homeowners.” 9 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich; littlegreene.eu
ROSEMARY HALLGARTEN
It makes sense that Rosemary Hallgarten, a leader in alpaca, ombré, and shearling rugs and fabrics, as well as others that are made of wool, silk, and cashmere, would choose one of the best addresses in New York for her new flagship showroom—200 Lexington Avenue, a virtual hive of high-end brands and makers. “We are excited to bring the unmistakable quality of life, luxury and luminosity of Rosemary Hallgarten textiles directly to designers and clients as we collaborate on designs and custom projects within this creative and inspirational showroom space,” says Hallgarten. The showroom offers the direct experience of the brand’s luxurious textures. 200 Lexington Avenue, 4th floor; rosemaryhallgarten.com
ANN SACKS
In a city as big as New York, opening a third showroom made perfect sense for Ann Sacks. Their new combination showroom/slab gallery in The Cardinal Building in Long Island City is large enough to show off the more than sixty varieties of marble, quartzite, porcelain, and granite for which the company is best known. “We are thrilled to open this beautiful new showroom, a space designed to transform how clients shop for their home,” says DeeDee Gundberg, Chief Designer at Ann Sacks. “With everything housed under one roof—including surfaces, slabs, plumbing, lighting, accessories, fireplaces, and home goods—the showroom experience is easy, inspirational, and a joy to shop.” 20-01 51st Avenue, Queens; annsacks.com
FROMENTAL
New York’s 200 Lexington Avenue is a dreamscape for anyone interested in interior design. Like its related property, the D&D Building, 200 Lex (as it’s familiarly known) is filled with floors of name-brand furniture and accessories, antiques dealers, and ateliers. Fromental decided to open its new U.S. flagship showroom on the building’s fifth floor. Its new space is dedicated to showcasing the beauty of their hand-painted, hand-embroidered wallcoverings. “We have designed the new showroom as a gallery reflecting the artistry of our wallcoverings and allowing us to tell our Fromental story fully,” says Tim Butcher, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Fromental. 200 Lexington Avenue, fifth floor; fromental.co.uk
Fromental @fromentaldesign | New York Design Center @NYDC
Photographer, Alun Callender @aluncallenderphoto | Interior Designer, Gemma Marnier @marnierdesignstudio
COLLIER WEBB
The new Fromental showroom at the New York Design Center is also the locale for the new space for Collier Webb, the renowned designer and maker of lighting, furniture, and hardware. Of this partnership, Geoff Collier, Managing Director of Collier Webb, says, “Celebrating time-honored craftsmanship is at the core of what we do at Collier Webb, and we are absolutely delighted to be opening our new showroom with Fromental, a like-minded British brand that shares our passion for exquisite design and unparalleled quality.” One of the most alluring aspects of the new space for both brands is that the showroom displays will change seasonally, making the place into a kind of public design gallery. 200 Lexington Avenue, fifth floor; collierwebb.com
Collier Webb @collierwebb | New York Design Center @NYDC
Photographer, Alun Callender @aluncallenderphoto | Interior Designer, Gemma Marnier @marnierdesignstudio