Find Out Why Michael S. Smith is Laughing All the Way to the Bank

This is another in the series of interior designers that I have loved and have inspired me since the 1980’s when I first started out in this line of work.

Michael S. Smith

A lot of you may now know the name because he was hired by the Obamas to be their decorator at the White House.

Okay. I researched this because I was curious. And quite frankly, [at the risk of sounding like a catty bitch], I was quite shocked because to me, the oval office after Michael got a hold of it looks more like the lobby at the Ramada, rather than the elegant office of the president of the United States. And elegant doesn’t have to mean pretentious, but this room is phenomenally bland, IMO. It bears very little if any resemblance to the rest of Michael’s extraordinary work.

However, I still ADORE the bulk of Michael Smith’s work. I’m going to chock it up to political BS. Or something like that. If you have a good chunk of time and are interested, there is a fascinating post, very well-written by Joni Webb of the Cote de Texas Blog which gives a superb assessment of the situation. She also posts every iteration of the Oval Office since Roosevelt and it’s extremely entertaining.

If I needed to come up with a sentence or phrase to describe the bulk of Michael’s work, I would be hard pressed. His work is like a color that’s difficult to describe. He’s traditional, but never insipid. [oval office excluded] He’s masculine but with a soft touch. He’s bold and quiet, elegant and always, I think in his best work, oozing with an elegant high-level style that few can match. And yes, of course, these designs come with a high price tag. Very high. If you have to ask, you can’t afford his services or the priceless antiques and art he so often specifies. His banker adores him.

I hope I get to meet Michael S Smith one day. He seems to be of the jovial sort.

However, and you knew this was coming—The main reason that I chose Michael S. Smith to hi-light this month is because of his love of Chinoiserie. He often uses fine Asian antiques, art, porcelain— especially blue and white porcelain in almost all of his work.  Oh, man do I love that fretwork chair in his office!

Michael’s first book

sick

This is one of Michael’s bedrooms featuring his fabric from his Jasper Line of home textiles and furnishings.

Love the apple matting in this more rustic dining room. It’s difficult to find and VERY expensive, but you can get a similar look with thick jute, like we used in the two sun rooms in my portfolio.

This is Michael’s second book – Houses.

Chinoiserie screen and end table. It’s all pretty befriggin’ amazing isn’t it?

And now, for the oval office. I’m sorry. It looks like Mr. and Mrs. Obama took a trip to Ethan Allen. Not that there’s anything wrong with Ethan Allen, but this is supposed to be the work of one of the living legends of interior design, Michael S. Smith! The desk is pretty awesome you say? Yes, indeed it is… That is the Resolute Desk which was a gift made to president Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880 by Queen Victoria. Most of the presidents since then have used the desk. [although it was not brought into the oval office until Jackie Kennedy brought it in.]

And forgive me… but what IS that wildly over-grown bush thing just plopped on the mantel like a really bad toupee?

Obviously, it must’ve been a parting gift from the previous president. :]

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[the form is below if you missed the annoying pop up]

xo,