Robert Stilin is known for decorating some of the most luxurious homes in the U.S. His new monograph is out now. It showcases a wide breadth of work, from “Modern Glamour” to “My Old Kentucky Home.” Alexa sat down with Stilin to learn more.
You grew up in the Midwest. How did you become a top designer in Manhattan, the Hamptons and Palm Beach?
I opened a life-style store in Palm Beach in the late 1980s, and one day somebody came in and bought almost my entire store. They had just purchased a house and asked if I could put it together. That started my career as an interior designer.
How would you distill your approach to design?
The thread that runs through my work is comfort, layering and pragmatism. I believe in living, not creating monuments. I like luxury materials executed in ways that are practical and don’t scream, “This is expensive.” It goes without saying that it’s going to be beautiful.
Can you give an example?
Take cashmere. People are afraid of it, but it happens to be one of the most durable materials. I use it on sofas all the time. It’s a luxury, it’s expensive, but it can really take a lot. You take a very tactile approach to design. I literally sit and test fabrics. I rub them on my face and body. I need to know what it’s going to feel like to live with this material and how it will wear. If it’s furniture, I’ve used it. There is a lot more to it than just looking pretty.
You are on the Director’s Council at the Whitney Museum of American Art. What do you collect? I have a big photograph collection.
I collect drawings, paintings, ceramics and antique furniture. Everything in my life has a story. It’s about the memories, who I was with and where I was, when I acquired it. It’s more about that than the exact object.