Renowned designer Michael S. Smith – famously Barack Obama’s ‘decorator in chief’ – sits down with Cabana to share highlights from an illustrious life in design. Read on to discover Michael’s dream (and nightmare) interiors, favorite dinner guests, guiltiest pleasures and greatest challenges.
INTERVIEW BY MILA WOLPERT | MASTERS & MUSES | 7 DECEMBER 2024
A glorious bedroom scheme by Michael S. Smith. Image by Michael Mundy.
The most memorable trip I’ve taken...
My most recent trip to India. What is most memorable to me is what has just happened, and I've just returned from a week-long, super-fast trip all over India for a week for Thanksgiving. It was slightly dizzying because of the speed, so we had all the regular intensity, color, and drama of India, but accelerated… with not very much sleep.
The best party I’ve ever been to...
My own 60th birthday in July in Mallorca. I don’t mean this in a narcissistic way, it’s just that all the planning for a year paid off and everything worked perfectly, so it was really magical. The greatest thing was that a lot of people who never met each other formed friendships at the party and really loved one another. This gave me great belief in my own ability to make friends and pick people who are sympathetic.
A moment that defined or changed my career...
I met and worked for a very famous studio head called Dawn Steel who was incredibly demanding, but she was a huge supporter and changed the trajectory of my career.
All images from Michael S. Smith Classic By Design, published by Rizzoli.
The greatest challenge I’ve overcome...
Whether it was an intentional challenge or not: to not be pigeonholed and identified by one particular look. I think people have a perception of this but staying flexible and curious has [allowed me to] do so many different projects. Also, part of this was due to staying in Los Angeles, as opposed to moving to New York or London, where I wasn’t synonymous with a particular look. In LA, the logistics and the social requirements are much more minimal, so for people who love to work, you can get a lot done — there are no snow days in LA.
My proudest achievement...
People may think my proudest achievement would be the White House, and it’s certainly something I’m proud of, but I think it’s a rolling sense of achievement when I see houses still looking great, or my clients’ children hiring me to do projects, or the evolution of a room that changes in terms of function. It’s the absence of waste, and to build in flexibility and growth in work is really interesting to me, and when that’s successful, it makes me really happy.
The best gift I’ve ever received...
A friend gave me a set of Alberto Pinto dishes for 16 in a pattern I love, which was amazingly generous.
An interior by Michael S. Smith. Image by Roger Davies.
My guiltiest pleasure or extravagance...
Watching episodic television downloaded on my iPad on planes.
My next weekend away destination...
My house outside of Palm Springs. I go for the quiet and the location, and sleep incredibly well there.
My favorite flea market or antiques fair...
It’s changed so much, but I always love the flea market in Paris.
I feel most confident when wearing...
Lately, either suits from my favorite tailor in Madrid, Calvo de Mora, or Armani.
The best advice I’ve ever been given...
I was told very young to not waste my desire to go quickly through life.
My all-time favorite fabric...
It will probably always be a classic Geoffrey Bennison rose fabric in blue. I haven’t used it in forever, but it’s a fabric that always makes me super happy because it represents an aesthetic awareness, which I love.
A bathroom by Michael S. Smith. Image by Magnus Mårding.
The person I call for good advice...
It depends, I am obsessed with having expert friends in every field, so for any advice, depending on what it is, I generally try to have an expert to call.
The person I call for a good time...
My dogs.
My dream dinner party companion...
I would love to have dinner with Winston Churchill.
An artwork or exhibition that took my breath away...
I was just at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha by I.M. Pei, and I thought the exhibitions and spaces were beautiful.
All images from Michael S. Smith Classic By Design, published by Rizzoli.
Ideal interior in three words...
Comfortable, classic, and pretty.
Distasteful interiors in three words...
Cold, uncomfortable, and pretentious.
A new artist or designer whose work excites me...
Hugo McCloud.
Just One More Thing…
One Master: Mongiardino
One Muse: Martha Stewart
One City: Madrid
One Artwork: Whistler’s Peacock Room
One Book: Joan Didion, The White Album
One Museum: The Met, New York
One Shop: Barneys
One Song: “Until You Come Back to Me” by Aretha Franklin
One Color: Green
One Flower: Gardenia
One Word to describe Cabana: Lush
An apartment designed by Michael S. Smith. Image by Michael Mundy.
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Join Martina Mondadori in conversation with Michael Smith, for Cabana's upcoming Editor's Circle – December 10th 2024, 6 PM CET.
Click here to purchase tickets.
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