Condos
April 23, 2019
Discover How Designer Ryan Korban Is Redefining Luxury
It’s shaping up to be a banner year for Ryan Korban: fresh from headlining the Interior Design Show in Toronto, he’s set to unveil his 40-piece line of furnishings for EJ Victor this spring. He’s also building on the momentum of his second book, Ryan Korban: Interiors, and the design of 40 Bleecker St., a 12-storey Manhattan luxury development in the heart of NoHo.
The New School alum is carving out a reputation as the man luxury fashion brands such as Balenciaga and Aquazzura call when they want high-end clientele to feel at home — but utterly wowed — in their boutiques. He’s also the go-to designer who’s revamped the digs of actors, fashion designers, models and musicians like Kanye West.
The designer breaks down how he is redefining luxury for a new generation.
Velvet sofas in a clients’ Manhattan apartment are modelled on a version Ryan spied in Roy Halston’s townhouse on the Upper East Side. “I remember thinking they were perfect: chic, clean, low, and the proportions were great,” he says. “We were never able to find something like that so, over the years, I just kept making them for clients. These are a particularly nice shade of pink.”
Ryan injects an unexpected element into a luxury development at 40 Bleecker St. “I’ve always wanted to do marble sofas,” he says. “A residential lobby was the perfect opportunity to use them, since they’re in a softer setting where stone isn’t expected.”
For this Park Avenue apartment, Ryan designed custom split-back chairs, part of his new line that will be available through EJ Victor. “We had seen a vintage piece that was similar, but the proportions were different,” says Ryan. “The split-back is compact, but it creates a cradling feel.”
The kitchens at 40 Bleecker St. feature cantilevered tables that eliminate the need for a dining table. Italian cerused oak cabinetry adds warmth while the chevron flooring, sourced from recycled wine barrels, delivers style.
Ryan teamed up with Aquazzura designer Edgardo Osorio for the brand’s New York flagship, which has a domed niche inspired by Florentine cathedrals. “Whenever I’m working with a brand, I take a long time to study it,” says Ryan. “For Aquazzura, black and white is the brand signature. I wanted to take black and white stripes to the next level.”
The tonal living room in Ryan’s 1,800-square-foot duplex is bathed in his favorite monochromatic grey.
Ryan had longed to design a kitchen with classic finishes and glass cabinet doors, but it took some convincing before the homeowners of this Madison Avenue apartment were swayed. “I love this kitchen,” says Ryan. “It’s the first and only one where the homeowners let me install polished stainless cabinetry. Imagine the fingerprints on there!”
House & Home April 2019