Unlike the many wild, wacky, and unnecessarily furry office spaces out there, the Los Angeles headquarters of Michael Smith—the interior designer behind Obama's Oval Office, Oscar greenrooms, and Rupert Murdoch's manse, to name a few—are nothing if not refined. One Kings Lane got a peek inside the converted warehouse space, and each in room—from Smith's private office to the absurdly lovely office kitchen—carefully considered antiques rule. Some of the standouts include a set of vintage European painted wallpaper panels and a commanding wooden dining room table used for office lunches, but even the oversized rattan baskets Smith's employees use for scrap paper are predictably lovely.
So what are the man's rules for keeping his office so stylish? Well—sorry purple house—but Smith's first piece of advice is to steer clear of committing too heavily to a single theme, which he warns can make a room feel "inorganic to the space or to the person living there." Indeed, his own office, though heavy on vintage pieces, seems to mix enough centuries and styles to avoid feeling uniform. Another maxim? "Be brave...if you want a bright yellow living room, paint it bright yellow." One Kings Lane has the full interview and a few more shots of the fab (but not bright yellow) office, so do have a look.
· Inside the Offices of Michael S Smith [One Kings Lane]
· All Michael Smith coverage [Curbed National]