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Litchfield County Times
Designer Takes On The Chair
By Scott Robson 06/25/2009
With an oeuvre that is characterized by a fresh sense of playfulness and an unpretentious honesty, the work of top New York interior designer Mariette Himes Gomez has much in common with her life story. Both the designer and the designs share a timelessness and sense of class that has made them highly sought-after from New York to California and beyond.
From her early roots in Michigan, Ms. Gomez went on to attend the Rhode Island School of Design and the New York School of Interior Design. Her exceptional career included work with Edward Durrell Stone, Albert Hadley and Sister Parish before she opened her own studio, Gomez Associates, in New York City in 1975.
Gomez Associates' work has included both residential and commercial work, ranging from a personal jet to homes and five-star hotel luxury suites. Ms. Gomez is the author of two books on interior design, "Rooms - Creating Luxurious Livable Spaces" (2003, HarperCollins) and "Houses-Inside and Out" (2007, HarperCollins), with a third book, "Apartments," due out from HarperCollins in February of 2010.
With a business that remains heavily focused in New York and Long Island, Ms. Gomez has also developed a considerable body of work in neighboring Connecticut, particularly in Fairfield and Litchfield counties.
Comparing her Connecticut work to her work in New York and other areas, Ms. Gomez was very enthusiastic about the state's unique architectural context. "Connecticut is completely different, because of the Georgian and Colonial architectural. It's very early, very different from New York architecture," she said. "In the interest of working with that period, you want to respect and play to the architecture. Simplicity works with it."
Prominent examples of Ms. Gomez' handiwork in Litchfield County include work at the 1,400-acre Roxbury farm of The Litchfield County Times founder Arthur Carter and at the Mayflower Inn in Washington.
"I've been working with, and friends of, the Carters for about 25 years. I've done work on their farm almost continuously-there's always something to be done, whether it's renovation or restoration, on the guest house or the farmhouse. I did Mr. Carter's studio with Mark Simon of Centerbrook Architecture, and that was a wonderful experience," Ms. Gomez said.
"I'm also quite proud of my work at the original Mayflower Inn [before the addition of the spa]. We did 25 guest bedrooms in 25 different ways in three different buildings. The idea was that each room would be different, special somehow. We did all of the public rooms, too, including three dining rooms. There were about five of us in my office working on the project non-stop. It was quite a feat," said Ms. Gomez. "The owners at the time, the Mnuchins, were very energetic about that process."
In designing Connecticut interiors, Ms. Gomez is very careful to respect the sensibilities of the space and those who inhabit the space. "I've found in my work that most people tend to collect something, or gravitate towards a certain object. One of my tasks as a designer is to find that object, that certain something, and make that the center of the collection. With the early sensibilities of Connecticut interiors, my job is both fun and fascinating."
In addition to her work as an interior designer, Ms. Gomez has also designed an extensive line of home furnishings in cooperation with Hickory Chair Furniture. Her latest edition of new pieces, unveiled at Hickory Chair in High Point, N.C., in April, blends Hickory Chair's commitment to luxurious and quality furniture with Ms. Gomez' aesthetic of elegant, uncluttered lines and timeless forms. In searching for inspiration, Ms. Gomez looked to "the 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s."
One of Ms. Gomez' newly-designed chairs particularly demonstrates her aesthetic dynamism. The chair offers clean lines and graceful curves that express an honest but playful minimalism. A contoured handle along the chair's back serves as a nod to both the designs of the 1950s and to the functionality of the piece. As with all of her pieces, this chair is interesting to view from any angle.
"Chairs are like sculpture to me," Ms. Gomez confessed. "I love chairs like I love books. I'm truly crazy about them."
By appropriating and adapting stylistic touches from earlier furniture, Ms. Gomez is able to design furniture that is at once familiar and fresh. "What I do, and what I hope I do well, is give something a little fresher than what is out on the market already, something they hopefully haven't seen before," Ms. Gomez said, full of praise for her partners in this endeavor. "Hickory Chair is a super company. They're very enthusiastic and wonderful to work with. I'm very happy to have such an opportunity."
This newest line of furniture maintains Ms. Gomez' ideal of "modernizing the classic and classicizing the modern," mixing period elements to achieve a certain timelessness, but in some ways it is very contemporary, speaking to the sensibilities of 2009 with style and courage. "The Melbourne collection is largely made of bamboo, which I think is interesting because it's so sustainable." Ms. Gomez said.
The Melbourne collection has a certain 1930s sensibility, coupled with a breezy, summery feel that evokes comfort and warmth. This collection, like many of the other pieces recently presented by Hickory Chair, is made to order and can be scaled according to individual needs.
While Ms. Gomez' interior design work and her signature line of furniture are distinct enterprises, they are informed by the same aesthetic approach. "The sensibility is the same, and the principles are the same. I believe in furniture that is not overly complicated, but is comfortable and handsome to look at," she said.
"I don't believe in the idea of clutter. It confuses the eye. That doesn't mean I don't believe in jazz, but I really force myself to edit that sensibility," Ms. Gomez added.
In addition to her furniture and interior design work, Ms. Gomez also has a photography exhibition through the Soicher-Marin Gallery in Hawthorne, Calif. She is also partnering with Hinson & Company to create a collection of new fabrics and wallpaper. Her custom carpet designs are currently available through the Doris Leslie Blau Gallery in New York City.
Ms. Gomez was named a Dean of American Design by Paige Rense, editor-in-chief of Architectural Digest, in 2005. Upon receiving this distinction, Ms. Gomez came to a moment of self-realization. "One day I was just looking at it, and I said, 'My God, I'm one of the five women who they felt had that kind of knowledge.' It's not like being a master or a giant of design-but being recognized as a dean was very important to me. I had a very proud moment. I don't think I could do anything else to prove to myself that all of this is very real," Ms. Gomez said.
"I came from Alpena, a small town in Michigan," she said as though still in awe of her success. "I'm always surprised by these things that happen to me. I don't think of the things I've done as major accomplishments. I never take it for granted when I'm recognized for something I've done. I'm just happy to do what I do."
For more information on Mariette Himes Gomez and her portfolio, visit her company's Web site at www.gomezassociates.com. See the Web site at www.hickorychair.com to view and order pieces from her signature line of furniture.
©Litchfield County Times 2009 |
