TEXT BY HADLEY KELLER
Posted May 18, 2017
Though he’s classically trained and certainly appreciates traditional technique, Frank de Biasi never stops searching for what’s next. The New York–based designer, who cut his teeth working for Peter Marino before breaking out on his own, has conceived interiors ranging from a classically appointed boathouse to an art-filled, kaleidoscopically patterned Miami manse. His frequent travels (follow along through his Instagram) supply a constant stream of fresh inspiration—and unique sources. On a recent visit to his office, de Biasi was gushing about a new textile mill he’d just visited in India, his excitement palpable as he flipped through stacks of samples, marveling at each one. It just might be this joie de vivre that makes his interiors feel so fresh. To get a dose of vicarious pleasure, AD tagged along for a day in de Biasi’s life.
7:00 A.M. Wake up and check in on WhatsApp with my contractors for our London and South of France projects. Next, my only social media guilty pleasure: Instagram. I spend 15 minutes on Instagram while still in bed, looking for inspiration and new sources, and of course I’m eager to see what my fabulous friends have been up to! I’ve actually commissioned a lot of cool pieces, like Atelier Vime wicker lights, which I never would’ve found otherwise, through Instagram.
7:15 A.M. I make my way to my weekday home office—the end of our dining room table. This is a George III mahogany table (ex-Christie’s) with the sole weekend function of hosting dinner parties. Each evening, my office delivers a green L.L. Bean Bag to my apartment, full of homework for me to complete. I usually spend 45 minutes dealing with “The Bag,” which is full of the finer details that I can’t get to during my crazy days running around the city.
8:00 A.M. A quick vegan breakfast, shower, and the decision to dress up a bit—I’m meeting two clients later on at the TEFAF New York opening at the Park Avenue Armory. To get to the office, a quick ten-minute walk from my apartment up Park Avenue is all it takes; not bad for New York.
9:00 A.M. Meet with my architects and designers to go over any questions and design discussions. This often has to do with items from The Bag. Today we go over architectural designs for a new commercial project in Tangier, Morocco, and fabrics for outdoor furniture in Miami, among other aspects of current projects we have around the globe. Sometimes it’s hard to get my time zones straight, which is why we have four clocks in the office with world time!
10:15 A.M. Jump in a cab up to Harlem to visit Atelier Premiere and look at paint finishes for a local NYC project. This is only one of the incredible and creative vendors we work with, and a testament to what makes New York one of the top cities to be an interior designer.
12:15 P.M. Lunch at one of my favorite restaurants lately, Saint Ambroeus, with my old friend and Parisian dealer extraordinaire, Alexandre Biaggi. Everyone is in town this week for TEFAF, Collective Design, and Frieze, and the city is full of a special kind of energy that you feel when creativity is in the air.
2:00 P.M. Cab it to TEFAF and check my Instagram on the way—beautiful antiques, inspiring interiors, and breathtaking scenery fill the screen as I scroll. I meet the first client of the day at the Park Avenue Armory, and we walk through the exhibition together. A few pieces stand out and I take pictures to go over with my designers later, amazed at the incredible quality (and prices—yikes!).
3:45 P.M. I’ve had a chance to walk around the fair and meet my second client, who I can now lead around TEFAF more knowledgeably. I particularly love the new gilt-bronze Branch chair by Claude Lalanne at Paul Kasmin’s space. Super comfortable; we all try it out for size—I’ll take two!
6:00 P.M. TEFAF Opening Night party—I run into more clients, friends, and dealers. We talk about pieces we loved at the Armory, cultural events that are upcoming, how CRAZY it is that there are three art fairs in the same week. It’s an upbeat atmosphere that I’m disappointed to have to pull myself away from.
8:00 P.M. I pick up Gene Meyer, my partner, in a taxi and race downtown to a David Gill Gallery dinner hosted by Daniel Malarkey at Il Buco. The dinner is fun and intimate, and my fellow guests are the Fredrickson Stallard boys, AD’s Parker Larson, Daniella Ohad, Daniel Rubinstein of Departures, and other glamorous additions. The food is wonderful, and the conversation is even better.
11:00 P.M. I get in bed after a long day, ready to do it all again tomorrow!
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